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.

Whiter Than Snow
Carman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How could I do this thing
I can't believe what I've done, Lord
Lord, I've drifted so far away
Never realizing day by day
Can You hear, hear my cry
I so need You in my life
How could I let myself
Let myself be so deceived, Lord

It seems like a million years
Since the day I first believed, Lord
Lord I've been so away so long
Now, I'm hearin' You, You call me home
Lord, I'm reachin' out to You today
Knowing I deserve to be turned away
But that's when, when I heard You say
When You said

Come now and let us reason together
Come now, we can talk it over
Through your sin be as red as scarlet
I'll wash you whiter than snow
I'll wash you whiter than snow

You touched my life
When I, I reached our for help, Lord
And You forgave my sin
Oh, when I could not forgive, forgive myself, Lord
Now where else can I turn but You
No one else cares the way You do
Oh Lord, I'll walk away from the life I've known
'Cause You called my name and You brought me home
All because one day I heard, I heard You say to me
You said

Come now and let us reason together
Come now, we can talk it over
Though your sin be as red as scarlet
I'll wash you whiter than snow
I'll wash you whiter than snow

'Cause I wanna be clean, Lord, make me clean
I need to be clean, I wanna be clean before You
Lord, wash me whiter than snow
Jesus, make me clean, You went to the cross so I could be clean
You shed Your blood to make me clean, I need to be clean before You
Lord, wash me whiter than snow
Jesus, wash me whiter than snow

Lord, the Bible says, that if any man be in Christ he is a new creation
Old things have been passed away and all things have become new
But that when we sin, when we fall, there is forgiveness
For the Scripture says, if we will confess our sins
That You are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins
And cleanse us of all unrighteousness
Lord, You sent Your Word, set it right on time
It restored my heart and it healed my mind
Your Word, sent it right on time
It restored my heart and it healed my mind
When I stumbled You picked me up off the ground
Then You turned my world, turned it upside down
You gave me hope when my faith was gone
And You gave me strength, yes, to carry on
Then You cast my sin far away
And made me clean before You
Lord, You washed me whiter than snow
Lord, You washed me whiter than snow
I remember when You said

Come now and let us reason together
Come now and we can talk it over
Though my sin be as red as scarlet
Lord, You washed me whiter than snow
Lord, You washed me whiter than snow

Lord, You washed me whiter than snow
And I thank You, Jesus, because You washed me whiter than snow

Overall Meaning

In Carman's song "Whiter Than Snow," the lyrics portray the singer's realization of their own sin and distance from God. The singer acknowledges the mistakes they have made and the fact that they have been deceived, but ultimately turn to God for forgiveness and cleansing. The chorus describes God's ability to wash away sin and make the singer "whiter than snow," using the metaphor of cleansing to represent a spiritual renewal.

Throughout the song, there are several biblical references and acknowledgments of the power of God's forgiveness. The singer talks about how they could not forgive themselves until God forgave them, and how they had been away from God for so long before finally coming back to Him. The lines "Lord, You cast my sin far away / And made me clean before You" demonstrate a fundamental belief in the ability of God's forgiveness to transform a sinner into a new, cleansed individual.

Overall, "Whiter Than Snow" is a powerful testament to the transformative power of faith and the ability of God's forgiveness to provide spiritual cleansing and renewal for those who turn to Him.

Line by Line Meaning

How could I do this thing
Expressing regret over actions taken

I can't believe what I've done, Lord
Feeling ashamed and disappointed with oneself

Lord, I've drifted so far away
Admitting to being distant from a spiritual connection

Never realizing day by day
Being unaware of the gradual loss of connection

Can You hear, hear my cry
Pleading for help and guidance

I so need You in my life
Recognizing the importance of a spiritual connection

How could I let myself
Taking responsibility for personal choices

Let myself be so deceived, Lord
Admitting to being fooled by false promises or temptations

It seems like a million years
Feeling a long period of separation from spirituality

Since the day I first believed, Lord
Remembering a time when connected to spirituality

Lord I've been so away so long
Feeling a long period of separation from spirituality

Now, I'm hearin' You, You call me home
Feeling a call to return to spirituality

Lord, I'm reachin' out to You today
Initiating a connection with the divine

Knowing I deserve to be turned away
Feeling unworthy of forgiveness

But that's when, when I heard You say When You said
Hearing a message of forgiveness and love from the divine

Come now and let us reason together Come now, we can talk it over Through your sin be as red as scarlet I'll wash you whiter than snow I'll wash you whiter than snow
Divine forgiveness and renewal of the soul

You touched my life When I, I reached our for help, Lord
Experiencing divine intervention during a time of need

And You forgave my sin Oh, when I could not forgive, forgive myself, Lord
Receiving divine forgiveness and struggling with self-forgiveness

Now where else can I turn but You No one else cares the way You do
Recognizing the unique importance of the divine relationship

Oh Lord, I'll walk away from the life I've known 'Cause You called my name and You brought me home
Choosing a new path guided by spirituality

I wanna be clean, Lord, make me clean I need to be clean, I wanna be clean before You Lord, wash me whiter than snow Jesus, make me clean, You went to the cross so I could be clean You shed Your blood to make me clean, I need to be clean before You Lord, wash me whiter than snow Jesus, wash me whiter than snow
Asking for spiritual cleansing and renewal

Lord, the Bible says, that if any man be in Christ he is a new creation Old things have been passed away and all things have become new But that when we sin, when we fall, there is forgiveness For the Scripture says, if we will confess our sins That You are faithful and just to forgive us of our sins And cleanse us of all unrighteousness Lord, You sent Your Word, set it right on time It restored my heart and it healed my mind Your Word, sent it right on time It restored my heart and it healed my mind When I stumbled You picked me up off the ground Then You turned my world, turned it upside down You gave me hope when my faith was gone And You gave me strength, yes, to carry on Then You cast my sin far away And made me clean before You Lord, You washed me whiter than snow Lord, You washed me whiter than snow
Finding strength and guidance in scripture and divine intervention

And I thank You, Jesus, because You washed me whiter than snow
Expressing gratitude for spiritual renewal

Contributed by Lila P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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