Come and Sing With Me

MP3 - Come and Sing With Me
PDF - Come and Sing With Me

This tune has been in my brain and on the computer for several years. I knew it was a Primary Song, but didn't know it was going to be a WIGGLE song (for those who don't know) this a type of song with actions to help the children "let loose" with some actions (dancing, jumping, etc.) before they settle down for Primary Singing and Sharing Time. I had some of the basics, but needed some help. Enter Dixie Henrie! She helped me develop this into a fun song. I hope you like it.

1. We are singing, merrily singing, we are singing, come and sing with me.
We can sing this happy song, loud and strong, all day long.
We can sing both high and low, fast or slow.
We are singing, merrily singing, we are singing, come and sing with me.

2. We are dancing, happily dancing, we are dancing, come and dance with me.
We can dance and spin around, raise our arms up then down.
We can sway from side to side, let our arms glide.
We are dancing, happily dancing, we are dancing, come and dance with me.

3. We are jumping, joyfully jumping, we are jumping, come and jump with me.
We can jump on just one foot, jump in place, staying put.
Switching feet we jump some more, one, two, three, four!
We are jumping, joyfully jumping, we are jumping, come and jump with me.

4. We are rev'rent, quietly rev'rent, we are rev'rent, rev'rent as can be.
Now our wiggling is complete, fold our arms, take our seat.
We will be as quiet as quiet can be.
We are rev'rent, quietly rev'rent, we are rev'rent, rev'rent as can be.

The Fourth Article of Faith

MP3 - The Fourth Article of Faith
PDF - The Fourth Article of Faith

I was asked to write a new tune for The Fourth Article of Faith. They did not care for the one that is in the Children's Songbook (no offense to the composer). So here is my attempt at it.

I am Jesus' Little Lamb

MP3 - I am Jesus' Little Lamb
PDF - I am Jesus' Little Lamb

I was looking through some lyrics for something completely different when this almost jumped off the page at me and almost instantaneously this tune came to my mind. I am grateful that I was able to capture it so very quickly. It is a sweet hymn that a choir could do marvelous things with. I hope you do enjoy it.

1. I am Jesus' little lamb, ever glad at heart I am;
for my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need, and well provides me,
loves me ev'ry day the same, even calls me by my name.

2. Day by day, at home, away, Jesus is my Staff and Stay.
When I hunger, Jesus feeds me, into pleasant pastures leads me;
When I thirst, He bids me go where the quiet waters flow.

3. Who so happy as I am, even now the Shepherd's lamb?
And when my short life is ended, by His angel host attended,

He shall fold me to His breast, there within His arms to rest.

Der Herr wird kommen

MP3 - Der Herr wird kommen
PDF - Der Herr wird kommen

I spent 3 glorious weeks in Europe on tour with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The majority of those weeks were spent in Germany. As I was walking the streets, visiting the Marienplatz, visiting castles and other sites and singing in concert halls and arenas, this tune came to mind. So, I enlisted the help from my MoTab brother, Michael Young - who is also fluent in German to come up with suitable lyrics. It is meant to be sung in German, but the translation below tells you what it basically says. I hope you enjoy!

The Lord Will Come 1. The Lord will come, this I know And now I have the holy responsibility To be ready when he appears When we’ll finally be unified with him. Chorus I am doing what I can I am a part of his great plan The Lord will come to see me Now I can learn more of Him. 2. The Lord will come and I say That I will give my heart to Him He comes to save the world And my joy will be wonderful.

Chorus 3. The Lord will come and until then I pull his work on with great power I want to give my best to him Because he brings me eternal life.

Chorus

By Night When Others Soundly Slept

MP3: By Night When Others Soundly Slept
PDF: By Night When Others Soundly Slept

This is unusual by LDS standards, but I found the words of a poem and knew I had to write a hymn. Some of the words of the poem have been modernized. Perhaps the timbre/solemness of where in Europe I am presently is influencing my music. But it would be suitable for a choir to sing and mix the verses amongst the choir. I was also thinking about making a soprano descant for the final verse. If that would interest you, let me know.

By night when others soundly slept 
And hath at once both ease and Rest, 
My waking eyes were open kept 
And so to lie I found it best.

I sought him whom my Soul did Love, 
With tears I sought him earnestly. 
He bow’d his ear down from Above. 
In vain I did not seek or cry. 

My hungry Soul he fill’d with Good; 
He in his Bottle put my tears, 
My smarting wounds washed in his blood, 
And banished thence my Doubts and fears. 

What to my Savior shall I give 
Who freely hath done this for me? 
I’ll serve him here whilst I shall live 

And Love him to Eternity. 

Abide with Me!

MP3 - Abide with Me!
PDF - Abide with Me!

I've had this tune in my files for many many years. Every time i tried to come up with lyrics that were suitable for it, I came up blank - until last week. After thinking about the piece, a very distinct impression told me, "turn to page 166 of the Hymnbook". I did, and the words and emotions came pouring out. I decided to turn it from a standard hymn into a simple SATB choir piece. The words are right from "Abide with Me!" but the tune is mine. I hope you like it.

I'll Serve the Lord

MP3 - I'll Serve the Lord
PDF - I'll Serve the Lord

A Happy Children's Song about serving the Lord. Thanks to Eric Malizia for collaborating with me.

I'll serve the Lord, I'll serve the Lord by helping a neighbor in need. 
I'll listen, love and share all of the tenderness He shows me. 
I'll walk in ways of truth and light so I can know His will. 
Forevermore I'll serve the Lord by standing on Zion's Hill. 

I'll serve the Lord, I'll serve the Lord by willingly helping at home. 
My family will stand by me in helping my faith to grow. 
I'll give my talent and my time to lift another up. 
With all my might and all my mind I'll serve the Lord with love. 

He Walked Alone So We Must Not

PDF - He Walked Alone So We Must Not
MP3 - He Walked Alone so We Must Not

Here is a piece that is perfect for Easter-time. The words were written by Michael Young. A very sweet contemplative hymn which would also work for a theme of the Atonement.

He walked alone so we must not, along the road with peril fraught. 
Descending to the darkest vale, the curse of mortals to assail. 

A lonely road all choked with thorns, that thick upon His brow adorn. 
Weighed down by burdens stark and grave, great drops of blood as sweat He gave. 

There was no one to walk beside as He faced that grim eventide. 
But glory to our God ascribe, He bore more than we can describe. 

Tell of His grace, lest we forget, the vastness of forgiven debt 
that ransoms ev'ry mortal child, and brings them home, cleansed, reconciled. 

The Blessed Name of Mother

PDF - The Blessed Name of Mother
MP3 - The Blessed Name of Mother


A short but sweet a cappella piece for TTBB on Mother's Day. The Tenor (lead) goes quite high, so it is not for the faint of heart. :)

The holiest words my tongue can frame, 
the nobles thoughts my soul can claim, 
unworthy are to praise the name 
more precious than all other. 

An infant, when her love first came, 
a man, I find it still the same, 
rev'rently I breathe her name, 
the blessed name of mother. 

Jesus Knows My Heart

MP3 - Jesus Knows My Heart
PDF - Jesus Knows My Heart

I had TWO Primary tunes and gave both to my collaborator, Sue Anderson. I told her to pick one and see what inspiration struck. She came up with lyrics for BOTH in no time flat. This one is a sweet song for children to sing that talks about how Jesus knows our hearts.

Ev'ry time I kneel to pray, I can talk to Jesus.
He can hear the words I say, and He knows my heart.
Through the night and ev'ry day, Jesus is my friend.
When I'm sad or all alone, blessings He will send.
Ev'ry time I kneel to pray, I can talk to Jesus,
He can hear the words I say, and He calms my heart.

Sabbath Day

MP3 - Sabbath Day
PDF - Sabbath Day

I had TWO Primary tunes and gave both to my collaborator, Sue Anderson. I told her to pick one and see what inspiration struck. She came up with lyrics for BOTH in no time flat. This one talks of how a young child can keep the Sabbath Day holy and is patterned from the church's latest push to honor the Sabbath. I hope you like it!

Sabbath Day: Keep it holy, with a heart meek and lowly.
Jesus lives: Think of Him all day long.
Don't forget what He gave you. He was born just to save you.
Follow Him, and to Him you will belong.

Read the words of the Savior. Write a note; do a favor.
Be a friend to a neighbor in need.
Go to church, ev'ry meeting. Share a smile and a greeting.
Walk His way, both in spirit and in deed.

Raise your voice and remember with a song sweet and tender
ev'ry blessing that Sunday imparts.
Say a prayer for another; love your sister and brother.
Worship Him; be like Jesus in your hearts.

I Have a Family

MP3 - I Have a Family
PDF - I Have a Family

This song is the result of a second thought. The original words that were penned for this just didn't "feel" right, so my wonderful collaborator went to work and this is the result. It is a lesson for all of us to rely completely on the Spirit and He will guide you the way you should go. This song is for Children to sing and talks about family and how the child can take an active part and feel needed in their family unit.
I Hope you like it!

I have a family, they are so dear to me,
we learn to work and play together, sharing happily.
I'm careful every day in all I do and say,
I want to show my family my love in every way.

I have a family, they are so dear to me,
we help each other when we can and do it cheerfully.
I'm thoughtful every day, in all I do and say,
I learn forgiveness, charity, and kindness as we play.

I have a family, they are so dear to me,
we want to be together now and through eternity.
I'm grateful as I pray, and always want to say
my thanks to Heavenly Father for my family each day.

Crown Him with Many Crowns

MP3 - Crown Him with Many Crowns
PDF - Crown Him with Many Crowns

This is an Easter Hymn that has some of the lyrics of the original and semi-famous Easter hymn. I wanted to make it a bit more relevant to LDS so I had my good friend, Michael Young come up with some alternate lyrics. And, like a jigsaw puzzle, we pieced it together into a cohesive and beautiful message of joy and hope. I hope you enjoy it.

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne. 
Hark! how the heaven'ly anthem drowns all music but its own. 
Awake my soul and sing of Him who died for me, 
and hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity. 

Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began, 
all ye washed clean by His dear blood, crown Him the Son of Man; 
who ev'ry grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
and take and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest. 

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side. 
He bore the weight of ev'ry sin and now is glorified. 
Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave 
and rose the third day from the tomb, all mankind He can save. 

Crown Him with boundless joy when He again descends. 
He shall appear in crimson robes and darkness meets its end. 
A thousand years of peace His great work we'll complete, 
all serving with our King of Kings, we'll worship at His feet. 

Daughters of God

MP3 - Daughters of God
PDF - Daughters of God

Recording of our Wonderful Young Women and their leaders singing this in Sacrament Meeting

This is a piece for Young Women to sing which reflects the 2016 Mutual Theme, "... press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.." I hope you like it. Thanks to one of my collaborators, Sue Anderson for the wonderful and stirring words.

Daughters of God, we vowed before our birth 
to spread His love and light across the earth. 
Now we have come, this mission to fulfill, 
forgetting self to do the Father's will. 

Daughters of God, when shadows hide the way, 
we look to One whose brightness sparked the day. 
Seeking His word, we take His faithful hand 
and all is well; beside us He will stand. 

Chorus 
Press forward, feasting on the words of Christ. 
Hope is His gift, and Love His only price. 

Daughters of God, this world is torn and tossed. 
On holy ground, our souls are found, not lost. 
Planting our feet on gospel sod secure, 
we grow in strength and know we can endure. 

Daughters of God, we shine steadfast and true. 
The pathway home is open to our view. 
With spirit eyes, we prize the Father's plan. 
His love is ours, and we will be His hands. 

Chorus 

Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord

MP3 - Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord
PDF - Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord

This is a Men's quartet arrangement of "Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord". It is meant to sung a cappella. Since the hymn is only one verse, I felt I needed to add an additional verse to make it more of an anthem. The result below is taken from Matt 8:11:28-30. I hope you like it.

Come unto Him, ye burdened souls
and He will give thee rest.
Take His yoke upon thee and learn of Him,
thy soul shall find eternal rest.
He bids, come unto Him and follow in His path.
He speaks, "My yoke is easy; My burden also light."