Carman (Carmelo Domenic Licciardello) was born in New Jersey where he grew … Read Full Bio ↴Carman (Carmelo Domenic Licciardello) was born in New Jersey where he grew up in an Italian home full of music and laughter. As a boy, Carman played the drums and the guitar, and he began singing in his teenage years. As his career developed, Carman played clubs then went on to Las Vegas. It was after seeing an Andrae Crouch concert that Carman gave his life to Jesus Christ and embraced his new found faith in the living Savior. After five years of ministerial preparation, he moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where he began to develop his ministry headquarters for a worldwide outreach.

During the next two decades Carman changed the face of Christian music and evolved contemporary evangelism into what it is today. Carman established "Carman World Outreach," a non-profit organization that helps touch the lives of literally millions of people worldwide. Billboard Magazine recognized Carman's influence in Christian music by first naming him "Contemporary Christian Artist of the Year" in 1990. He has received numerous gold and platinum albums and videos. Even with all this success, the heartbeat of this Champion for Christ continues to beat strong for the souls of people who need Jesus. As an outflow of this passion, Carman had more than 50,000 people attend his "Music for Peace" crusade in Johannesburg, South Africa. These numbers topped the charts as his largest concert crusade ever, until more than 70,000 people packed the legendary Texas Stadium, making it the largest Christian concert in history.

For over 26 years, Carman has entertained, encouraged and preached the Gospel to millions-crossing denominational, cultural and ethnic lines. During this time, he has never compromised the call to take the Gospel to every person.

Carman died on February 16, 2021 (28 days after his 65th birthday) in a Las Vegas hospital, after a series of complications resulting from surgery to repair a hiatal hernia. He was survived by his ex-wife, five stepchildren and ten step-grandchildren.

My Pledge
Carman Lyrics

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All of my life is a gift, that I can give You.
All of my life now is Yours, whole and complete.
All of my hopes and my plans, carefully lay in Your Hands.
This is my pledge, cause You mean that much to me.

Right or wrong, the past is gone
The pain was strong, the road was long
But now I'm on a whole new avenue.

Bow I see new hope for me
A picture of eternity,

Going where I've never been
A brand new chance to start again.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Carman's "My Pledge" encompass a promise to dedicate oneself fully and wholeheartedly to God. The first two lines state that everything the singer has is a gift to be given to God. The use of the word "gift" highlights the idea that nothing truly belongs to the singer, but everything is bestowed upon them – all of which they offer up to God. The next line, "whole and complete," emphasizes that the gift given is not incomplete or partial but rather all-encompassing. The following lines, "All of my hopes and my plans, carefully lay in Your Hands," reinforces the idea of giving everything to God, including any future desires or aspirations, and trusting God to guide the way. The chorus, "This is my pledge, 'cause You mean that much to me," furthers the idea that the singer is willingly and devotedly giving everything to God.

The second verse begins with acknowledging the past, saying "right or wrong, the past is gone." This line implies that the past mistakes are not going to hold the singer back anymore. The following line "the pain was strong, the road was long," refers to the difficulties the singer has faced in their journey so far. However, the next line "But now I'm on a whole new avenue" presents a sense of hope for the future – something different and fresh. The lyrics suggest that the singer has found a new path and is ready for new challenges. The line "A picture of eternity" points towards the ultimate goal of being with God. The final two lines, "Going where I've never been, a brand new chance to start again," further emphasizes the idea of starting anew and moving beyond the negativity of the past.

Line by Line Meaning

All of my life is a gift, that I can give You.
Everything in my life is an offering to You.

All of my life now is Yours, whole and complete.
Every part of my life belongs to You.

All of my hopes and my plans, carefully lay in Your Hands.
I trust You with my dreams and aspirations.

This is my pledge, cause You mean that much to me.
I promise this to You because You are so important to me.

Right or wrong, the past is gone
I accept that the past cannot be changed, whether good or bad.

The pain was strong, the road was long
I have endured much difficulty and suffering.

But now I'm on a whole new avenue.
I have started a new journey on a different path.

Bow I see new hope for me
I have newfound optimism and faith in the future.

A picture of eternity,
I have a vision of something eternal and everlasting.

Going where I've never been
I am embarking on a new adventure and exploration.

A brand new chance to start again.
I have been given a fresh start and an opportunity to begin anew.