Killpacks

Original Music of Clive Michaelis Killpack

A Friend's Greeting - 1974, 2022 - Solo

I read a poem by Edgar A. Guest entitled "A Friend's Greeting" while I was on my mission (1970-1972).  I loved the words and thought it would make a great song.  I heard a few other people's rendition and didn't quite feel they captured what I felt when I read the poem.  So I came up with the melody and chords sometime in 1974, and kept it in my head for many, many years.  I would play it for people and they would just look at me and wonder when I'd get around to putting it down on paper.  I got around to it in March of 2022.  I hope you like it.

Autumn - 1975, 2022 - Solo / TTB

In 1975 my brother Mike asked me if we could write a song together.  "What kind of song?" I asked.  "How about something to do with old age?" he suggested.  So, two twenty-something "kids" wrote a song about old age.  Looking back now at age seventy, I'm not sure it really portrays old age or not.  Still, it has a haunting melody, and I arranged it for a men's trio to sing as well.  (I did make one or two lyric changes out of necessity.)

Bygone Days - 1971, 2022 - Solo

I loved serving in Moses Lake, Washington.  I made great friends with the many farmers and residents of the area, and when I was transferred back to the Seattle area, I sat down one preparation day and composed this song.  I kept many of the friendships I made in Moses Lake and Eastern Washington alive and this song brings back a lot of my memories with these wonderful people.

Clouds Gather Overhead (Take A Little Time to Listen) - 2022 - Solo

I composed this song in my head several years (like 20 or so) ago and just never got around to putting it down paper - mostly because I hadn't come up with a suitable ending to answer the questions posed by the first part of the song.  A couple months ago (March 2022) I looked at it again and this time the ending came in the way of a second song to go with the first. 

Come Unto Christ - 1992 - Solo

I was challenged to submit a song to the Church Music Contest of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I submitted this work.  At the time I was out of work and it came as a pleasant surprise when I received a letter telling me that I had won the "Award of Distinction" in the song category for 1993.  The song was performed at the Church Music Festival that year at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square.

Come Unto Me - 2010, 2022 - Solo

I had just read Matthew 11:28-30 when the thought occured to me that this would make a great song.  I worked out the melody and chords around 2010 and played it all the time...it drove my wife crazy at times.  She didn't think the music went well with the lyrics, but the more I worked on it the more everything seemed to fit for me.  In March of 2022 I finally got serious and added a bridge using 3 Nephi 18:25.  It sounds right to me now.

Cumorah Solo Trio - 1970, 2024 - Solo

While serving in Burien, Washington (my 3rd area) I was looking at the picture of Moroni burying the Golden Plates (by Arnold Friberg) and a song came into my head.  I wrote the lyrics down, but didn't get the music down until after I got home from my mission.  Accompanying myself on the piano, I played the song a lot in the various areas of my mission, and many asked me for copies of the music - which I didn't have.  One person learned to play it on the guitar and asked permission to share it when she went to be part of the Hill Cumorah Pageant (about 1973 or 74).  I later arranged it for male trio, and while practicing it in Provo for a program we were to do, a girl burst through the door and asked where I had gotten the music - that she had heard it during a fireside at the Hill Cumorah Pagaent.  I told her I'd written it, and she called me a liar - that it was written by a missionary in Washington State.  I finally convinced her that I was the missionary and that I had composed the song. She gave me her address and I agreed to send her a copy of the music - which I did.
In December 2024, as my wife was playing some of my music, she wondered if the song was in keeping with the actual history of Moroni. I spent a great deal of time on the ending of the song, and published the revised copy in place of the original.

God of Love - Wondrous Father - 2006 - Hymn

I decided I'd like to write a hymn and submit it to the Church Music Submission, and this hymn came out of my efforts.  I submitted it and received a letter back from the Church Music Committee that my hymn had been a finalist in the competition for that year, but had not been selected and encouraged me to try again in the future.  My ward choir was able to perform it on a couple occasions, and it is something that is special to me.

Hallelujah, Christ is Born! - 2024 - SATB

Sitting at my computer, thinking about choir music for this coming Christmas Program, the following song came into my mind. It took several weeks to get it to completely gel, but I'm excited to find a double quartet to perform it at the care center, if possible.

Hush, Be Still - 1975 - Solo

In 1975 the Salt Lake Hunter Stake asked me to compose some music for a "Heritage Festival" to be presented as part of a Heritage theme being done throught the church at the time.  One song I composed, "There's So Much In A Name" was sung by the whole cast of the production, but I have lost any copies I may have made.  This song, "Hush, Be Still", I was asked to sing as a solo laying the part of the spirit of John Adams singing to a descendent grandson who was named after him.  I have changed the words to make it suitable to sing for any gender.  The stake called someone to accompany me with a harp for this number - but I composed it to accompanied by piano.

I Know He Lives - 1975 - Solo / SATB

In 1975 I was living at home and felt impressed to put my testimony to music.  The result was "I Know He Lives."  Shortly after I wrote it I helped form the Hunter Stake Young Adult Choir, and I arranged it for SATB.  

Impressions - 1971, 2022 - Solo

While serving in Othello, Washington, my companion and I met a young man who was having a difficult time deciding on whether to serve a mission or not. The next preparation day I sat down and tinkered with some words and melody and came up with "Impressions" fairly quickly. When I finally got around to putting the song on paper, I had some other thoughts about the lyrics, and revised them to what is now on the song.  I guess I should one day share the original words as well, but this song kind of haunts me with it's message.

In His Light - 2000 - Solo

Some songs just push their way to the surface, and this is one of those.  I submitted this to the Church Music Submission, and for the third time received an "Award of Distinction" in the song category, and it was performed like the other two songs at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square in 2000.

It's Been a Long Time - 1997 - Solo - (C) - (B-flat) - (A)

I don't remember why I felt impressed to write this song, but I do remember notating it in 1997.  I remember sharing it when we had dinner one night with George Pace, a former religion professor I came to know on my mission and later while attending BYU following my mission.  Brother Pace extended an invitation for me to share this song with one of his classes, but the opportunity never came about. I've revised it to be sung in three different keys, the highest being in the key of C. 

Listening - 1974, 2022 - Arrangements TTB / Solo Arrangments by Key: (A) - (A-flat) - (C) - (G) / Original TTB 1974

When I returned home from my mission a friend suggested I audition for the Mormon Youth Chorus (then being directed by Jay Welch).  I auditioned and was a member for a couple years before school and other things got in the way.  While in the Chorus I met two other tenors (Doug Wendell and Gail Francis) and we struck up a great friendship.  We formed a trio for awhile, and were invited to sing at the Tabernacle for an Area Young Adult Fireside.  Working with our accompanist, Mary Frederickson, I came up with a song called "Listening" and arranged it for us to sing at the fireside.  Years later I was reading through the words and realized that receiving an answer to prayer was not "the end" of the journey in life, but just the beginning.  So, while I was working on notating it with MuseScore, I felt impressed to change the lyrics and what is published here is the result.  I have included the original TTB arrangment so you can see that what may be true at age 23 is not necessarily true at age 70.  The trio arrangements are more powerful than the solo versions..

Mother Dear - 1972 - Solo

Just before I came home from my mission my brother, Mike, left on his mission to Southern California.  I received permission to call home prior to his farewell, and spoke with him and other members of the family...including my mother.  Although she was thrilled that Michael was leaving to serve, she was also very emotional.  A couple days later I sat at a piano during preparation day and the words for this song came quickly.  With some help of a ward member I was able to record it and sent it to my mother on Mothers Day.  I manuscripted it a number of years ago but for some reason the file disappeared from my computer.  Using MuseScore I re-entered it without too much trouble.  I think I arranged it for the trio, too, but haven't found the arrangement in all my paperwork yet.  It may still show up.   

Of Words / A Prayer - 1974, 2022 - TTB / Solo

I wrote this song for a young friend of mine in my home ward for  his missionary farewell (when we still did things like that).  I also arranged this for the male trio I sang with and will post it when I have it notated. The lyrics and music are as I originally wrote them, though MuseScore required some changes in the ending to make it sound the same when played on the piano.  

Remember to Remember Me - 1996 - Solo

When I attended our stake's seminary graduation in 1995, one of the speakers (who happened to be from my ward) said his teachers had said the most important word in the Book of Mormon is the word "remember."  I thought a great deal about that, and when he was about to leave on his mission I wanted to have a song ready for his farewell.  The more I worked on it the more challenging it became.  Then I made it a matter of prayer, and this song was the result.  I submitted it to the church, but never heard back.  I guess writing it in a first person style as the Savior speaking to me is probably not appropriate for general church use.  Still, I felt good about the result.

Soltary Pine Tree - 1972 - Solo

As my mission neared its close in Cheney, Washington, my companion and I were driving out to a member's home and I saw this pine tree standing all by itself. It left an impression on me, so much so that I jotted down a poem about the experience. At the time I had no idea what the future held for me, and I felt very much like that "solitary pine tree." The music came quickly and there it stayed except when I played it for people until March 2022.Wendy let me know that she would very much like me to get that down on paper right after I had finished notating "A Friend's Greeting."  I'm not always so obedient.

The Soul Would Have No Rainbow - 1994 - Solo

Sometimes songs come quickly - and sometimes they don't.  This one came very fast.  One of my daughter's friends told me she had written a poem. When she shared it with me I did an internet search and found out what she had shared was a very old proverb.  But it struck a chord, so to speak, and within a half-hour I had a new song in my head and ready for transcripting to paper.  I submitted it to the Church Music Contest for 1994, and recieved my second "Award of Distinction."  It was again presented at the annual Church Music Festival at the Assembly Hall that year.  What I didn't realize is that it would be the perfect song to be sung at my brother-in-law's funeral a short time later.   My wife asked me to sing it for her Gospel doctrine class  a couple months ago, too.  It is one of my favorite songs.

We Have Conquered! - 1968-69 - Cyprus High School Senior Class of 1969 Original Song

My senior year in high school I was asked to help compose the class original song for an annual competition called "Song & Yell".  I had just begun tinkering with composition at the time.  Several of the members of the Madrigal Choir were members of the Song & Yell committee, and Mr. Kelly Pearce, our director, suggested to them that I might be the person to help them with the composing the music for the song.  After school I met with the committee and we pounded out the lyrics along with my melody and this song come into being.  Some of the students passed away some time ago, Debbie Thurman being the first.  Our mortality rate as a class has still been small as many of the class are still living today in 2022.

When I Look Into Your Eyes - 1972, 2022 - Solo - (C) - (E-flat) - (F)

While serving in Moses Lake, Washington, the summer of 1971 I had the privilege of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to Val Trent, a student at Big Bend Community College learning to fly and get his pilot's license.  His girlfriend, Dot (short for Dorothy) was a member of the church and raised in Royal Slope, Washington.  Before I left the area I told them, tongue in cheek, that if they ever got married, I would make the effort to come back and sing an original song for their reception.  While serving in Cheney, just a couple months before my release, I received the wedding invitation.  I received permission to travel back to Moses Lake from Cheney to perform, and this is the song I composed for the occasion.  I know, missionaries are not supposed to be thinking about marriage and stuff...or are they?  When I was released my mission president talked to me about marriage as part of my exit interview.  Anyway, a member living in Cheney put an accompaniment down on paper and accompanied me at the reception.  The hand notation is somewhere in my collection, but I don't think I ever sang the song the same way twice until I finally put it down on paper over the past couple of weeks (June and July, 2022).  While the lyrics were appropriate for Val & Dot's wedding, the song aptly describes my feelings for my dear wife of 46+ years Wendy, to a tee!  Originally written in the key of F, I've lowered it to E flat and usually sing it in C.