Part 1
            Hello Central Kansas and around the world!  Thank you for joining us this third Sunday morning of February 2020, and welcome to “Message at the Top.”  I forgot to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day which we celebrated on Friday.  I hope it was truly a day of love for all of you.  Close to 90% of the songs we play here at Mix 103 have “love” as part of them in one way or another, and it is only fitting that we have a day set aside to think about love.  So, happy “love” day to all of you, a little late.  Now, get set for the top current songs of our country right now and some songs of the past, along with some happy birthdays.  Welcome to MATT!
            It is Abel Makkonen Testaye’s birthday today—he is 30 years old today.  We probably know him as The Weeknd.  In his honor, we will do our lead song from him.  The song seems to describe a lady who had a very rough life to begin with and seems to have come under the spell of a man who wasn’t so good to her.  “All alone she was living in a world without an end or beginning,” he sings, “was living life for the feeling.  But I don't mind.  She was numb and she was so co-dependent.  She was young and all she had was the city.  And I know that she's capable of anything, it's riveting.  But when you wake up she's always gone.  In the night she hears them calling.  In the night she's dancing to relieve the pain.  She'll never walk away.  He sang a song when he did it.  He was cold and he was so unforgiving.  Now she dances to the song on the minute.  It made her weak when she heard it, and it got her on her knees like religion.  She was young and she was forced to be a woman all the time.”  The lady in the song is leading a very difficult life.
            It is an interesting song to study and brings up the whole question of hurting another, especially a young lady.  I think that one of the biggest evils in our world is how young ladies are taken advantage of by people who only have their own interests at heart.  Young ladies are being used because of their natural beauty and their desire to be accepted in the society in which we live.  The song shows the need that they have—and all of us should have as well—of family who really care about their young people.
            In the song, I think The Weeknd sings of a solution for the young lady, namely, being able to see exactly who she is.  He sings that she is “capable of anything,” and to my mind, that she is capable of finding the solution to being taken advantage of by others by realizing her potential as a human being.
            To me, that’s a pretty good thought to think about for our show today.  Let’s call our show “What are we capable of?” and ask each of our songs to give us an answer to think about today.
            This is The Weeknd from his album “Beauty Behind the Madness,” and his song “In the Night” on MATT.
(double)    IN THE NIGHT / The Weeknd
                               THE HILLS / The Weeknd
 
Part 2
            Closing off a double play from him, The Weeknd, that is, Abel Makonnen Tesfaye also from his album “Beauty Behind the Madness,” and the song “The Hills” on MATT.  It is an interesting song about trying to keep a liaison quiet, but because of people talking, the couple cannot.  The language is a little rough, and so I have cleaned it up as I use his words here.  “I'm just trying to get you out the friend zone” he sings, “'cause you look even better than the photos.  I can't find your house, send me the info.  Driving through the gated residential, found out I was coming, sent your friends home.  Keep on trying to hide it but your friends know.  I only call you when it's half past five, the only time that I'll be by your side.  The only time I'd ever call you mine.  Hills have eyes, the hills have eyes.  Who are you to judge?  Hide your lies, girl, hide your lies.”  And very interestingly at the end of the song, he sings—as if there is something major missing in the liaison: “What about love?” he sings.  “What about love?”  It also has a very interesting video to study.  In terms of our theme today, I believe that last question says it all.  We are all capable of love; we simply have to work on it.
            Moving to our first triple play of the day, we hear the song at number 8 right now.  It is a song about the good feelings we have in love.  “You got all my love to spend,” the man in the relationship sings, “We gonna dance in my living room, slave to the way you move, hurts when I’m leaving you.  Love with an attitude, drunk to an 80’s groove.  It’s only human, you know that it’s real, so why would you fight or try to deny the way you feel?  You can’t fool me, stop pretending you’re shy, just come on and dance.”  The song extols the feelings of love as expressed especially by dancing.  As we think of our theme of what we are capable of, all of us  may not be able to dance well, but we can learn to show love well.  MATT presenting the song “Only Human” from their album “Happiness Begins,” the Jonas Brothers, number 8 this week on MATT.
(triple)       8 ONLY HUMAN / Jonas Brothers
                               STRONG ENOUGH / Sheryl Crow
                      9 ADORE YOU / Harry Styles
 
Part 3
            That was from British singer/songwriter, and former member of the band One Direction and his album “Fine Line,” Mr. Harry Styles and “Adore You”, number 9 this week on MATT.  “Walk in your rainbow paradise,” he sings, “strawberry lipstick state of mind.  I get so lost inside your eyes.  Would you believe it?  You don’t have to say you love me, you don’t have to say nothing.  You don’t have to say you’re mine.  Honey, I’d walk through fire for you.  Just let me adore you.”  Notice that he sings that you don’t have to do things like communicate with your significant other.  To my mind, that is not correct at all, and the chances are that he is not capable of, our theme today, of talking deeply with another.
            Before him, we heard a song from Sheryl Crow from the past, “Strong Enough”, from the year 1994 and her album “Tuesday Night Music Club.”  Happy birthday to her—she was 59 years old last Tuesday.  The topic of the song is the topic of depression which seems to be the condition of the person of the song.  Her words reflect the pain of someone who is confused and in need of help: "God, I feel like hell tonight," she sings, "Tears of rage I cannot fight.  Nothing's true and nothing's right.  You can't change the way I am.  I have a face I cannot show.  When I've shown you that I just don't care, when I'm throwing punches in the air, when I'm broken down and cannot stand, will you be strong enough to be my man?"  The refrain shows her desire for anything that will help the depression: "Lie to me.  I promise I'll believe.  Lie to me.  But please don't leave."  There is an important lesson in the song.  Every life has its depressing moments, whether we are free spirits or people used to disciplined living, and one of the things that we are capable of, our theme today, is to fight the depression by getting help from a counselor or a friend.
            We have more of MATT in just a second or two—well, maybe a little longer.  In our next segment, we will be able to hear from Gym Class Heroes, Post Malone, Mike Posner, Shaed and Maren Morris.  Our show is “Message at the Top”, I am Fr. Mike, and I hope your Sunday morning is a good one.  Here is a quote from Kim Hubbard about honesty which is a virtue that we are all capable of “Honesty pays, but it doesn't seem to pay enough to suit some people.”  Yes, indeed.  Don’t go way; “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103 will be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 4
            It is great to have you back with us.  Thank you for joining us this morning, and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of the present and the past.  I’m Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of its kind in this area, the show that takes the top songs and explains their messages, and then we call the show “Message at the Top,” the show that tells you all the time that we hope you enjoy the music, but we should at the same time listen to the message because often the message can help us.  The topic of our show this morning was given to us by birthday person today, The Weeknd, that topic being the question: what are we capable of?
            What does the group Gym Class Heroes have to say about that in their song “Stereo Hearts”?  The refrain of their song is this: “My heart’s a stereo.  It beats for you, so listen close, hear my thoughts in every note; make me your radio, and turn me up when you feel low.  The melody was meant for you; just sing along to my stereo.”  I think that they are very clever lyrics reflecting a situation in which the man in the relationship experienced some difficult times with past love relationships.  Now, as he sings, “Thought love was dead; now, you’re changing my mind.”  So, a love song that is a pretty neat way of saying that he loves his girlfriend.  And for most people in our world, finding a true love forever is something we are all capable of, if we want, being capable, our theme today.  This is the group Gym Class Heroes who broke up last year I understand, here featuring Adam Levine of Maroon 5 and their song from their album “The Papercut Chronicles 2”, “Stereo Hearts” from 2011 on MATT.
(double)    STEREO HEARTS / Gym Class Heroes
                               6 THE BONES / Maren Morris
 
Part 5
            MATT presenting Maren Larae Morris from her album named “Girl”, and her song, number 6 this week, “The Bones”.  It is a song about making a true commitment and a great song of a husband and a wife or between lovers if you think beyond her relationship.  “We’re in the homestretch of the hard times,” she begins her song, “We took a hard left, but we’re alright.  Yeah, life sure can try to put love through it, but we built this right, so nothing’s ever gonna move it.  When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter.  Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter.  Let it rain ‘cause you and I remain the same.  When there ain’t a crack in the foundation, I know any storm we’re facing will blow right over while we stay put.  The house don’t fall when the bones are good.”  Speaking with our theme of what we are capable of, we are all capable of making a serious commitment like they have in the song, but it always takes a lot of work and effort. 
            This triple play begins with a story about a person having a dream.  The dream suddenly turns to terror, but instead of running from it, the person embraces it.  “I’ve been having dreams jumping on a trampoline,” they sing, “flipping in the air; I never land, just float there.  As I’m looking up, suddenly the sky erupts.  Flames alight the trees, spread to falling leaves, now they’re right upon me.  Wait if I’m on fire, how am I so deep in love?  When I dream of dying, I never feel so loved.”  I call it a song of some negative coming upon the person, but he/she accepts it and actually makes it a positive.  And that is something we all are capable of—our theme today—accept the negatives in our lives by making them, if at all possible, something positive.  MATT presenting here the trio Shaed from Washington DC and their song at number 7, “Trampoline” on MATT.
(triple)     7 TRAMPOLINE / Shaed
                               I TOOK A PILL IN IBIZA / Mike Posner
                                    2 CIRCLES / Post Malone
 
Part 6
            Moving up to number 2, rapper/singer/songwriter Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, from his album “Hollywood’s Bleeding” and his song “Circles” on MATT.  It is about a break-up that has occurred and you’re not really sure whether the man in the relationship feels it is worth working at it again or not.  “Seasons change,” he sings, “and our love went cold, feed the flame ‘cause we can’t let go.  Run away, but we’re running in circles. Run away. I dare you to do something, I’m waiting on you again, so I don’t take the blame.  Let go, I got a feeling that it’s time to let go. I knew that this was doomed from the get-go.  You thought that it was special.  But it was just the sex though.  I got a feeling that it’s time to let it go.”  It is the situation of so many relationships, moving into the physical too soon, and in terms of our theme today, we are all capable of physical love, but it may mean that we are not ready for real love then.  My opinion, of course. 
            Before him, we heard from Mike Posner, and his interesting song, “I took a Pill in Ibiza”, from his album “At Night Alone” from 2015.  Happy birthday to him—he was 32 last Wednesday.  He says in his commentary about the song that he was listening to the artist Avicii in the country of Ibiza as he was thinking emotionally about his life, and the song is the result.  “I took a pill in Ibiza to show Avicii I was cool, and when I finally got sober, felt 10 years older.  But you don't wanna be high like me, never really knowing why like me.  You don't ever wanna step off that roller coaster and be all alone.  You don't wanna be stuck up on that stage singing.  All I know are sad songs.  And I can't keep a girl, 'cause as soon as the sun comes up, I cut 'em all loose and work's my excuse.  But the truth is I can't open up.”  It seems that the person in the song is close to depression, and such a person will never be happy, unless he finally realizes that he is capable of being better than he is, being capable, our theme today.
            Important things being said here this morning not because I said them, but because it is an important theme, namely, “What are we capable of?”.  We will continue with that thought generated by birthday person The Weeknd.”  Before our break, a thought from George Bernard Shaw: “When I was young I observed that nine out of every ten things I did were failures, so I did ten times more work.”  And we are all capable of that if we want.  I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.  Why not stay right where you are as you enjoy life with us on this Winter Sunday morning.  We’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 7
            Every song has a message and usually that message can help us.  That is what we believe on MATT and we are back for the second hour of that show which gives you the top rock songs of our area that have been most popular during the week which ends today, the third Sunday of the usually cold month of February although it’s pretty mild today in Eastern Kansas.  I’m your host, Fr. Mike.  Thank you for joining us again this morning.  Get ready for some more songs from our top 10, in fact numbers 10 and 3 as well as some music from The Calling, Ellie Goulding, Macklemore together with Ryan Lewis and Adele.  They will all fit into a theme that comes from The Weeknd and that theme is “What are we capable of?”
            To begin this second hour, let’s go to Ms. Ellie Goulding.  It is a song of wonder about a relationship, a common enough situation of these songs.  “It’s a little dirty how the whole thing started,” she sings, “I don’t even know what you really intended.  Thought that you were cute and you could make me jealous, poured it down.  Next thing that I know you were talking deep, like it was mad love to you.  You wanted my heart, but I just liked your tattoos.  And now I don’t understand it: you don’t mess with love, you mess with the truth, and I know I shouldn’t say it, but my heart don’t understand why I got you on my mind.  You didn’t love me, no, not really.  Wait, I could have really liked you.  I’ll bet that’s why I keep thinking about you.”  Like I say, the lady in the song is wondering about the relationship, and indeed she should—it doesn’t seem like a very good one.  In terms of our theme, we are all capable of thinking poorly of ourselves, and we all should work on our self-esteem.  From the album called “Delirium,” Ellie Goulding, and her song “On My Mind” from 2015 on MATT. 
(triple)       ON MY MIND / Ellie Goulding
                   OUR LIVES / The Calling
                               3 SOMEONE YOU LOVED / Lewis Capaldi
 
Part 8
            Nominated for Song of the Year from this year’s Grammys, that was from his album “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent,” Mr. Lewis Capaldi and his song “Someone You Loved” former number 1, now at number 3 on MATT.  It is a story of pain because it is a song about the close of a romantic relationship.  “I'm going under,” the man in the relationship sings, “and this time I fear there's no one to save me.  This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy. I need somebody to heal, somebody to know, somebody to have, somebody to hold. I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain.  Now the day bleeds into nightfall.  And you're not here to get me through it all.  I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug.  I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved.”  We are all capable of, our theme today, of bearing with the pain of a break up, but it will never be easy.
            Before him, we heard from the group The Calling who are still on the music scene from their album simply entitled “Two”, and their song entitled “Our Lives”, a very good song, the number 5 song of meaning of 2004.  During it, we heard the words: “These are the days worth living,” they sing, “these are the years we’re given and these are the moments.  These are the times.  Let’s make the best out of our lives.  See the truth all around.  Our faith can be broken and our hands can be bound, but open our hearts and fill up the emptiness with nothing to stop us—is it not worth the risk?”  Amen, The Calling.  What a wonderful incentive to fire ourselves up to overcome the problems of our own lives and the world around us.  And we are all capable of it, our theme today.  Good song.
            Yet another triple play is coming up for you right now, and we will begin it with Benjamin Hammond Haggerty better known as Macklemore.  Macklemore’s real name is Ben Haggerty born in Seattle, Washington, and now works with producer Ryan Lewis in all of his songs.  In this song, he is joined by Seattle-based singer Ray Dalton.  The words are difficult to hear because like most rap productions, they move very fast.  Studied as a whole, the song seems to say that we will face the difficulties in the world, and that even the ceiling will not keep us from doing our best to work with the courage it takes to live well.  “Can we go back?  This is the moment.  Tonight is the night; we’ll fight til it’s over.  So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us.”  I think that the song is a statement of good leadership.  It lends itself to some good thought because we are all capable of, our theme today, of being good leaders.  This is rapper Macklemore, producer Ryan Lewis & guest Ray Dalton, and their song “Can’t Hold Us” from the year 2012 on MATT.
(triple)       CAN’T HOLD US / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
                               WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE / Adele
                   10 DON’T START NOW / Dua Lipa
 
Part 9
            New to the top 10 and our theme next week, Ms. Dua Lipa from Westminster, London, England, and a song about recovering from a break-up, from her future album “Future Nostalgia,” and her song “Don’t Start Now” on MATT.  “Did a full one eighty.  Crazy, thinking about the way I was. Did the heartbreak change me? Maybe, but look at where I ended up. I'm all good already, so moved on. It's scary: I'm not where you left me at all. So if you don't wanna see me dancing with somebody, if you wanna believe that anything could stop me, don't show up, don't come out, don't start caring about me now.”  She showed she was capable of, our theme today, of outliving a breakup, and we all are, but it may take some time.
            Before her, MATT presented from her album “25” and her song “Water Under the Bridge” Adele Laurie Blue Adkins or simply Adele.  It is what I call a “want to be in love” song.  The lady in the relationship definitely wants the man to be the one for her, as she sings, but she seems realistic at the same time.  She sings “If you’re gonna let me down, then let me down gently.”  And she has good reason to believe that he is going to let her down because he doesn’t seem to be responding to her: “It’s so cold out here in your wilderness.  I want you to be my keeper, but not if you are so reckless.”  She doesn’t want to say that their love is just water under the bridge, and she begs him, “Say it ain’t so.”  Looking at our songs from our theme of what we are capable of, we are certainly capable of being honest with the one we love, even if it means a little confrontation.
            Our final segment is up next for you with some music from one birthday person among others including our number 1 song right now.  Leading us to break, here is a thought from Wilson Mizner: “Be nice to people on your way up because you'll meet them on your way down.”  Words of wisdom, there, and something that we are all capable of, namely being nice.  I’m Fr. Mike, our show is MATT, this excellent radio station is Mix 103, and we’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 10
            If it is in the top 10, you will hear it here—on the MATT music network.  Good morning, everyone.  We are back for your top 10 show on Mix 103 that gives you the songs as well as their messages.  I’m your host Fr. Mike.  Thanks for taking the time to join us today.  Our plea to you as usual is to enjoy the music—which you are doing, or else you wouldn’t be here, but to listen to the message so it can help you in life.  Our final segment includes the talents of the group Maroon 5, the group Finger Eleven, birthday person Rob Thomas, Selena Gomez, Lizzo and an excellent song from Dido.
            Let’s begin this segment with a song that is the story in song of boosting self-confidence.  She’s not feeling very good because her boyfriend has left: “I do my hair toss, check my nails, baby how you feelin’?  Feeling good as hell.  Tired of the false words, go on dust your shoulders off, keep it moving.  If he don’t love you anymore, just walk your fine backside out the door.”  I cleaned up the words there a bit.  The lady in the song seems to want the relationship, but he has not cooperated, and so she is telling him to take a walk.  After she does, her self-confidence will improve, I think.  Speaking of what we are capable of, we are all capable of gaining more self-confidence, but some of us have to work at it a little more.  MATT presenting the latest from Lizzo, her song “Good as Hell” at number 4 this week on MATT.
(triple)       4 GOOD AS HELL / Lizzo
                   ONE THING / Finger Eleven
                               HER DIAMONDS / Rob Thomas
 
Part 11
            MATT presenting there from his album “Cradlesong”, and his song “Her Diamonds”, Mr. Rob Thomas on MATT whose birthday was last Friday—48 years old then.  The song was from the year 2009 and a song about a lady friend of the person in the song who is having a rough time with life.  “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” he sings, “but if she feels bad, then I do too.  So I let her be.  And she says, I can’t take no more, her tears like diamonds on the floor, and her diamonds bring me down ‘cause I can’t help her now.  She tried her best, and now she can’t win, it’s hard to see them on the ground, her diamonds falling down.”  He wants to help, but he doesn’t know what to do.  I think that he is actually doing what he should be doing—he is giving her his time, feeling with her pain.  That particular action is something that we all are capable of doing, our theme today.
            Before him, we heard from the group Finger Eleven who were formed in Burlington, Ontario, Canada in 1989 and are still active on the music scene and the song from 2003, “One Thing” from their album named after them.  The subject of their song is love or lack of love, perhaps.  “If I traded it all, if I gave it all away for one thing, just for one thing; if I sorted it out, if I knew all about this one thing, wouldn’t that be something.”  I’m not really sure about the meaning, but if I had to guess, I think it would be a love that has failed for some reason, and if the person in the song had one thing that he wanted, it would be that this love could work out.  When we used the song as one of our themes during that year when it was popular, we asked the question: “If you could do one thing, one thing that would better your life, what would it be?”  The answer for the person in the song is that love would work out on a romantic level.  We are quite capable of bringing that about, our theme today, but it always takes a little bit of work to get it done.
            Now, let’s go that excellent song from Dido.  She is an English singer/songwriter born in London in 1971.  “My tea’s gone cold,” she begins her song here, “I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all.  The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all, and even if I could, it’d all be gray”—now that is excellent imagery of real negativity, but the song is just the opposite, because even though she has those negative feelings, she goes on to say, “But your picture on my wall—it reminds me that it’s not so bad.”  And the person in the song goes on to thank her boyfriend.  It is what we are all capable of, our theme today, to thank someone important to us.  This is a former number 1, the number 1 song of meaning of 2001 in MATT’s opinion from her album “No Angel,” Dido, and her actual name is quite long, but she goes by the name of Dido, actually her first name.  Her song is “Thank You” a great song on MATT. 
(double)    THANK YOU / Dido
                               5 LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME / Selena Gomez
 
Part 12
            MATT presenting Ms. Selena Gomez, from her album “Rare” and her song “Lose You to Love Me” number 5 in our top 10.  It is the story in song of the necessity of leaving a boyfriend or girlfriend.  The lady in the relationship apparently did not feel good about herself because she gave too much to a friend.  “You promised the world and I fell for it,” she begins the song, “Set fire to my forest and you let it burn, sang off key in my chorus, cause it wasn’t yours.  I saw the signs and I ignored it, rose colored glasses all distorted set fire to my purpose and I let it burn.  You got off on my hurtin’ when it wasn’t yours.  To love, I needed to lose you.”  Her line that struck me especially is: “I saw the signs and I ignored it.”  Using our theme today, unfortunately, we are all capable of ignoring the signs that are around us, but one of the things we should work on, I believe, is being able to read the signs of the times a little better.
            And the number 1 song for twelve weeks in a row is from Maroon 5 and their song “Memories”.  “Here’s to the ones that we got,” they sing, “Cheers to the wish you were here but you’re not.  ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories of everything we’ve been through. Toast to the ones here today, toast to the ones we lost on the way ‘cause the drinks bring back all the memories and the memories bring back you.  There’s a time that I remember when I did not know pain, when I believed in forever and everything would stay the same.  Now my heart feels like December when somebody says your name ‘cause I can’t reach out to call you.  But I know I will one day.  Everybody hurts sometimes, everything will be alright.”  So some pain, but as I have mentioned with the song, I like their statement of hope—even though we have hurts, everything will be alright.  Good stuff there and we are all capable of, our theme today, of finding some positive in the negative, but we may have to work at it.
            Our theme has been that idea of finding what we are capable of as we have looked at the songs that we played.  My prayer for you and me is that we will be people who discover that we can do good things with our lives if we want.  If you would like to email me, my email address is: frmikescully@yahoo.com and at the radio station: KJLS-FM, Hays, 67601.  My website is www.frmikescully.com where I give you some Christian meditations on the songs of our show and movies and you can find a transcript of the program as well.  Thank you for being with us today.  Remember that you can join us on the web also every Sunday morning at 10 by tuning to www.hayspost.com on your internet device and choosing Mix 103.  My thanks to the producers of our show, and to our sponsors especially Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment.  A closing thought from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The sun shines and warms and lights us and we have no curiosity to know why this is so; / but we ask the reason for all evil, pain, and hunger, and mosquitoes and silly people.”  Such a great insight—we complain about things like crazy, but we don’t appreciate all the good things we have.  Like learning how we can get help from the popular music of today.  Great stuff.  Our number 1 song once again is “Memories” from Maroon 5 and as you listen to it, may I remind you to hold a good thought.  From beautiful downtown Lawrence, my name is Fr. Mike Scully.  Peace to you, and be good!
1 MEMORIES / Maroon 5

Part 1
            Hello Central Kansas and around the world!  Thank you for joining us this second Sunday of February morning.  All of Eastern Kansas is aglow these days.  It is amazing what a football win will do for people.  We are all happy for the Chiefs.  I’ll bet some of you are too.  And to those 49er fans, there is always next year.  Right now, our thought is music, and in particular Grammy award music.  Welcome to “Message at the Top.”  I am Fr. Mike Scully and get set for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by the research of Mediabase 24-7, and get ready for some top 10 songs from years past as well.  Our motto continues to be to enjoy the music, and to listen to the message.  During our show today we will feature some songs of the Grammy awards from this year and some from years past. 
            And if you follow music like I do, you know that Billie Eilish won all kinds of awards at the Grammys, and so let’s feature her song that was both Record and Song of the Year.  It contains the word “Bad” and I did some checking on that word.              In Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, there are listed 31 various meanings of that word.  Some of them are these: number 1—not good in any manner or degree; number 2—having a wicked or evil character, morally reprehensible; number 5—inaccurate or faulty, as in a bad guess; number 12—disagreeable, unpleasant as in a bad night; number 18—unfortunate or unfavorable as in bad news; number 23a—vulgar, obscene or blasphemous as in a bad word; number 23b—not observing rules or customs of grammar, usage, spelling, etc. as in bad English; and so forth.  Interestingly enough the number 28 designated as slang is the definition outstandingly excellent, first rate as in one bad drummer.
            The song is a very different sounding song with a message of the woman in the relationship taking advantage of the man in a way.  “So, you’re a tough guy,” the lady in the relationship sings, “like-it-really rough guy, just can’t get enough guy, chest-always-so puffed guy.  I’m that bad type, make-your-mama sad type, make-your-girlfriend-mad type.  I’m the bad guy.” 
            According to that dictionary that we used to introduce this song, it is definition number 8—injurious in effect, detrimental.  And the message of the song then seems to revolve around the fact that the lady is the type of person that can injure a situation. 
            This is Billie Eilish whose complete name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell and she was born on December 18, 2001 in Los Angeles.  She is the first and, to date, only artist born in the 2000s to record a #1 single in the United States.  And she is the youngest performer of the Grammys to receive Grammys for all four of the Grammys’ main categories: best record, best album, best song, and best new artist.
            That single is “Bad Guy.”  It introduces our show today which we will entitle “Some Bad Behavior and What to Do About It”.  Here is her amazing song from her best album of the year “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?”  Grammy winning Billie Eilish on MATT.
(double)    BAD GUY / Billie Eilish
                               TALK / Khalid
 
Part 2
            Nominated for Record of the Year in this year’s Grammys, MATT presenting there from his album “Free Spirit” and the name of the song, simply “Talk” from Khalid Donnel Robinson or simply Khalid on MATT.  You may want to know the difference between Record and Song of the Year.  The Record of the Year goes to the performer, but recipients can include the singer, producers, engineers and other team members that created the recording.  The Song of the Year, on the other hand, goes to the songwriter.  The performers sometimes write or co-write their biggest hits, but sometimes the songwriter or writers are someone else entirely and you may not recognize their names.  Billie Eilish, of course, won both Record and Song of the Year with her song “Bad Guy.”  That one, “Talk” was one of the nominees for Record of the Year.  I really like the song since I believe every relationship must be based on good communication.  The situation is that the lady sort of pulled away from the relationship, and his response is let’s talk about it—exactly what should happen.  “Can’t we just talk,” the man in the relationship sings, “Talk about where we’re going?  Lend me your thoughts, can’t get what we want without knowin’.  Started off right, I can see it in your eyes, I can tell you’re wanting more.  What’s on your mind?  There’s no reason we should hide, tell me somethin’ I ain’t heard before.”  The point is that she pulled away for some reason and they have to discover it.  The only way is direct communication.  In terms of our theme, the bad behavior is not talking when it should happen, and of course, what can be done about it is to start communicating.
            Our first triple of the day begins with our number 7 song right now which was a song nominated for Song of the Year at this year’s Grammys.  In the song, the lady in the relationship sings that true love is what her love is all about.  In the song, they are very close, as she sings “Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close forever and ever?  Take me out and take me home, you’re my lover.  With every guitar string scar on my hand I take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover.  All’s well that ends well to end up with you.”  Thinking with our theme today, saying the words are never bad, but it becomes bad behavior when they are not said seriously.  The song comes from her album “Lover,” the lead song from it, number 7 this week, Taylor Swift on MATT.
(triple)       7 LOVER / Taylor Swift
                               TRUTH HURTS / Lizzo
                      FIREWORK / Katy Perry
 
Part 3
            A great song, the number 1 song of meaning from 2011.  I call it the number one song of meaning between the years 2002 to 2012 which is high praise for the song, I believe.  It is from her album “Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection”, the excellent song “Firework” on MATT, Katy Perry.  I place it that high because I look at it as the theme song of how to live in this world.  She is singing about the potential of the human being.  She sings: “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?  Do you know that there’s still a chance for you, ‘cause there’s a spark in you.  You just gotta ignite the light, let it shine, just own the night like the 4^th of July, ‘cause you’re a firework: come on, show ‘em what you’re worth.  You’re original, cannot be replaced.  It’s always been inside of you, and now it’s time to let it through.”  What she is singing is that we can be so much more than we are now, and we shouldn’t be discouraged with who we are.  Speaking with our theme, the bad behavior that we run into a lot, is that we get too discouraged, and the way to overcome it is adopt the attitude of the song.  It has a great video connected with it as well.  
            Before her, we heard a song that was nominated for Record of the Year this year from her album “Cuz I Love You,” one of the songs used in the Netflix show “Someone Great,” Lizzo and, “Truth Hurts”.  It is the story of a young lady who has had it with her boyfriend.  “Why’re men great ‘til they gotta be great?” she begins her song, “turns out I’m 100% that gal even when I’m crying crazy.  Don’t text me, tell it straight to my face.  You tried to break my heart? Oh, that breaks my heart that you thought you ever had it.  No, you ain’t from the start.  Hey, I’m glad you’re back with that gal.  I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever be your side-chick.  I put the sing in single, ain’t worried ‘bout a ring on my finger.  Truth hurts, needed something more exciting.”  I cleaned up the language a little there as I do with all of her songs.  As I say, she is pretty fed up with him.  She is in a lot of pain, and in terms of our theme, that can cause bad behavior, and what should be done about it, well she is doing the right thing.  She is communicating with him directly to say the least.
            We have some more top 10 music in our next segment as we look at the theme of “Bad Behavior and What can be done about it”.  Rock music always seems to have an approach to life about it, and rock songs always contain something to talk about.  Let me take you to break with a thought from Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg, Prince of Bismarck, a German statesman who died in 1898, who was Minister-President of Prussia, who worked for the unification of Germany and served as their first Chancellor and was given the name of “Iron Chancellor”—now that’s quite an introduction to a simple quote.  Well, as Chancellor, Bismarck held an important role in German government and greatly influenced German politics during his time of service.  His words: “When you want to fool the world, tell the truth.”  Maybe a little cynical, but reality, and the person who tells the truth will often clear up bad behavior.  I’m Fr. Mike, inviting you to keep your dial right there as we continue shortly on MATT on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 4
            We continue with the only show of its kind in this area as we celebrate winter in the heartland, and specifically February 9, 2020.  It is great to have you with us on the station that plays the very best in rock music, and the show we have labeled as MATT, the show that takes the top 10 songs of today and yesterday, and discovers just what their approach to life is, often giving us some thoughts with which we can guide our lives toward the good.  Our guiding thought is to enjoy the music and listen to the message at the same time.  My name is Fr. Mike, your host, and we began speaking about bad behavior and what can be done about it.  The thought came from the song and record of the year according to the Grammys a couple weeks ago from Billie Eilish, and her song “Bad Guy.”
            We begin this segment of MATT with the number 5 song on our playlist right now.  It is the story in song of the necessity of leaving a boyfriend or girlfriend.  The lady in the relationship apparently did not feel good about herself because she gave too much to a friend.  “You promised the world and I fell for it,” she begins the song, “Set fire to my forest and you let it burn, sang off key in my chorus, cause it wasn’t yours.  I saw the signs and I ignored it, rose colored glasses all distorted set fire to my purpose and I let it burn.  You got off on my hurtin’ when it wasn’t yours.  To love, I needed to lose you.”  Her line that struck me especially is: “I saw the signs and I ignored it.”  Using our theme today, it is bad behavior to deliberately not read the signs of a love problem.  The way to fix it is to honestly figure out how both people feel in the relationship.  This is Selena Gomez, from her album “Rare” and her song “Lose You to Love Me” moving up to number 5 in our top 10 on MATT. 
 (double)   5 LOSE YOU TO LOVE ME / Selena Gomez
                               THANK YOU NEXT / Ariana Grande
 
Part 5
            A different Thanksgiving type song from Ariana Grande Butera better known as Ariana Grande, and her song, “Thank U Next”.  It is the lead song from her album of the same name, an album that was nominated album of the year in this year’s Grammys.  It is a clever song that one can study, maybe along with the video.  The message is a very good one but she approaches it in a different way.  The message is that of thanking all of the people who have helped her understand love a little more.  First of all, she thanks her boyfriends, then she seems to thank her girlfriends, and in particular one girlfriend named Ari.  The song makes us think one thing about her life which really isn’t true, but the message is the important thing.  I have problems with the language again, and how I wish artists did not use the language they do, but nonetheless it has a message that is a remedy to bad behavior, our theme today, namely be thankful for everything you have.
            Now, another triple play closes out our time together for the first hour.  It begins with our number 8 song right now.  It is the story about a person having a dream.  The dream suddenly turns to terror, but instead of running from it, the person embraces it.  “I’ve been having dreams jumping on a trampoline,” they sing, “flipping in the air; I never land, just float there.  As I’m looking up, suddenly the sky erupts.  Flames alight the trees, spread to falling leaves, now they’re right upon me.  Wait if I’m on fire, how am I so deep in love?  When I dream of dying, I never feel so loved.”  I call it a song of some negative coming upon the person, but he/she accepts it and actually makes it a positive.  And that is something we all should do—accept the negatives in our lives by making them, if at all possible, something positive.  In fact, we can label it “bad behavior” when a person does not do that, that being our theme today.  MATT presenting here the trio Shaed from Washington DC and their song at number 8, “Trampoline” on MATT.
(triple)      8 TRAMPOLINE / Shaed
                               I DON’T CARE / Ed Sheeran f/ Justin Bieber
                                    SENORITA / Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
 
Part 6
            Nominated for the Best Pop Duo performance in this year’s Grammys, Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, “Senorita” on MATT.  It is an interesting song of love, but it seems that the couple really don’t know for sure about each other yet.  “I love it when you call me Senorita,” the lady sings, “I wish I could pretend I don’t need you, but every touch is true.  Oh, I should be running.  You keep me coming for you.”  The man in the relationship sings, “Sapphire moonlight, we danced for hours in the sand.”  And she sings, “When you call me Senorita, I wish it wasn’t so hard to leave you.  Locked in the hotel, there’s some things that never change.  You say, ‘We’re just friends.’”  And all during the song, it feels as though things are just not quite right between them.  It is acted out in the video with the man leaving the girl. 
In terms of our theme, since neither of them are sure of their love, it leads to bad behavior, and the way to fix it is to communicate a little better about their love life.
            Before them, we heard a song from the nominated best pop vocal album namely “No. 6 Collaborations Project” from Ed Sheeran and the song “I Don’t Care” from Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber.  It is a story that speaks of the man in the relationship not being real happy with the situation he is in except for the fact that his significant other is there.  “I’m at a party I don’t wanna be at.  Don’t think I want to be at this party, I always feel like I’m nobody; who wants to fit in anyway ‘cause I don’t care when I’m with my baby, all the bad things disappear.  And you’re making me feel like maybe I am somebody.  I can deal with the bad nights when I’m with my baby.”  Before the two of them have true love, they had better have a little better knowledge of how they really feel.  It is bad when they don’t have it, our theme today.
            We will continue to look at the top 10 of this week, and some top 10’s from the past Grammys.  Right now, let’s pay some bills as DJ’s are wont to say.  Let me take you to break with a quote that someone gave me, and therefore I have to say it is anonymous: “The really happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery when on a detour.”  Now, think about that.  There are a lot of detours in relationships, and to be happy with all of them is quite a chore, but those detours can teach us an awful lot, and the more we learn from the negatives, the better we will be able to stay away from bad behavior.  I am Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top”, this radio station is Mix 103, and we’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 7
            We are back for “Message at the Top” and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as determined by our research at Mediabase 24-7.  We call our show MATT because we take those top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world.  I am Fr. Mike, your host for the top 10 show of Mix 103.  Our theme this morning is “Some Bad Behavior and What to Do About It” that theme having come from the Record and Song of the Year according to the people of the Grammys a couple of weeks ago, “Bad Guy” from Billie Eilish.
            Our first triple play this hour is a triple play of top 10 songs as we speak.  We will begin it with number 3 which is a song about a break-up that has occurred and you’re not really sure whether the man in the relationship feels it is worth working at it again or not.  “Seasons change,” he sings, “and our love went cold, feed the flame ‘cause we can’t let go.  Run away, but we’re running in circles. Run away. I dare you to do something, I’m waiting on you again, so I don’t take the blame.  Let go, I got a feeling that it’s time to let go. I knew that this was doomed from the get-go.  You thought that it was special.  But it was just the sex though.  I got a feeling that it’s time to let it go.”  It is the situation of so many relationships, moving into the physical too soon, and in terms of our theme today, could it be that moving into the physical too soon is bad behavior, and the way to work with it is simply to put a hold on the physical until there is true love.  My opinion, of course.  Moving up to number 3, rapper/singer/songwriter Austin Richard Post, better known as Post Malone, from his album “Hollywood’s Bleeding” and his song “Circles” on MATT.
(triple)         3 CIRCLES / Post Malone
                               10 ADORE YOU / Harry Styles
                               4 GOOD AS HELL / Lizzo
 
Part 8
            MATT presenting the latest from Lizzo, her song “Good as Hell” at number 4 this week.  It is the story in song of self-confidence according to the internet.  According to the Internet with the song, it is a song of boosting self-confidence.  She’s not feeling very good because her boyfriend has left: “I do my hair toss, check my nails, baby how you feelin’?  Feeling good as hell.  Tired of the false words, go on dust your shoulders off, keep it moving.  If he don’t love you anymore, just walk your fine backside out the door.”  I cleaned up the words there a bit.  The lady in the song seems to want the relationship, but he has not cooperated, and so she is telling him to take a walk.  After she does, her self-confidence will improve, I think.  Speaking of bad behavior and what to do about it, our theme today, not to have self-confidence is bad; too much of it is bad as well.  We’ve got to strive to have a healthy amount of it!
            Before her, we heard among other words, these: “Walk in your rainbow paradise,” he sings, “strawberry lipstick state of mind.  I get so lost inside your eyes.  Would you believe it?  You don’t have to say you love me, you don’t have to say nothing.  You don’t have to say you’re mine.  Honey, I’d walk through fire for you.  Just let me adore you.”  Notice that he sings that you don’t have to do things like communicate with your significant other.  To my mind, that is bad behavior as we think of that theme today, and what he should do is to learn to communicate with the other.  The song was from British singer/songwriter, and former member of the band One Direction and his album “Fine Line,” Mr. Harry Styles and “Adore You”, number 10 this week.
            And now the current song at number 2 with a story of pain because it is the song is about the close of a romantic relationship.  “I'm going under,” the man in the relationship sings, “and this time I fear there's no one to save me.  This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy. I need somebody to heal, somebody to know, somebody to have, somebody to hold. I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain.  Now the day bleeds into nightfall.  And you're not here to get me through it all.  I let my guard down and then you pulled the rug.  I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved.”  I believe that it is bad behavior, our theme today, to dwell too much on a negative.  Nominated for Song of the Year from this year’s Grammys, this is from his album “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent,” Mr. Lewis Capaldi and his song “Someone You Loved” former number 1, now at number 2 on MATT. 
(triple)       2 SOMEONE YOU LOVED / Lewis Capaldi
                               THAT’S WHAT I LIKE / Bruno Mars
                   HELLO / ADELE
 
Part 9
            The Record and Song of the year from 2017 according to the Grammys that year, what MATT called the number 18 song of meaning in 2016.  The artist was a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, a high honor in England, the first release from her Grammy award winning album “25”, and her song “Hello”, Adele.  Her song is a song of apology for hurting someone romantically.  “Hello, it's me,” she sings, “I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet, to go over everything.  They say that time's supposed to heal ya, but I ain't done much healing.  Hello, can you hear me?  I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be when we were younger and free.  I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet.  There's such a difference between us and a million miles.  Hello from the other side.  I must've called a thousand times to tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done.  But when I call / you never seem to be home.  Hello from the outside.  At least I can say that I've tried to tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart.  But it don't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart anymore.”  In terms of our theme, a person who does not apologize when he/she should is showing bad behavior, and the way to take care of it is to learn the art of apologizing when he/she should.
            Before her, we heard the Song of the Year according to the Grammys 2018 and his song “That’s What I Like” him being Mr. Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars.  It has a message of a man to his girlfriend to come and be with him wherever he is, and they can enjoy their time together.  “Jump in the Cadillac,” he sings, “Anything you want just to put a smile on it.  You deserve it, baby and I’m gonna give it to you.  Gold jewelry shining so bright, strawberry champagne on ice, lucky for you, that’s what I like.”  And he likes a bunch of other stuff that they can do together as well.  In terms of our theme, some of the things in the song suggests bad behavior to me, and the way to work with them is to control them a little better.
            And we have played our way to another break this second Sunday of February Sunday morning, 2020.  It’s great to have you with us this morning, and I hope you stay around for our final segment.  A thought to close out this segment: it comes from author Sam Keen: “We come to love not by finding a perfect person / but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”  Great statement, and really the way to look at our world with hope in the present and future—looking at the imperfect perfectly.  It will bring about good relationship and a pretty good attitude for life.  There is more good thought in front of you—stay with us here on MATT on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 10
            Good morning to all of you as we close out that morning, and welcome back to MATT, your top 10 show on Mix 103, a show that gives you the top 10 songs of the day in our area, but we also go into the top 10’s from the past, and with all of our songs, we not only play the music, but we give you their messages, often finding that the messages of rock music can help us live better lives in this complicated world that we are part of.  We always say that we should enjoy the music and listen to the message.  In fact, there are some pretty great messages in front of you as we work with the remaining top 10 and some more Grammy awards, this time from the past.
            Let’s begin this segment with yet another triple play beginning with a song about making a true commitment and a great song of a husband and a wife or between lovers if you think beyond her relationship.  “We’re in the homestretch of the hard times,” she begins her song, “We took a hard left, but we’re alright.  Yeah, life sure can try to put love through it, but we built this right, so nothing’s ever gonna move it.  When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter.  Yeah, the paint could peel, the glass could shatter.  Let it rain ‘cause you and I remain the same.  When there ain’t a crack in the foundation, I know any storm we’re facing will blow right over while we stay put.  The house don’t fall when the bones are good.”  Speaking with our theme of bad behavior, it is bad behavior to go into a serious commitment too soon, but if we do, to make it permanent.  MATT presenting Maren Larae Morris from her album named “Girl”, and her song, number 6 this week, “The Bones” on MATT.
(triple)       6 THE BONES / Maren Morris
                   STAY WITH ME / Sam Smith
                   GET LUCKY / Daft Punk
 
Part 11
            MATT presenting the Record of the Year from the Grammys of 2013 from their award winning album “Random Access Memories”, a duo from France called Daft Punk, that is Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter, performing with American singer/songwriters Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers and their song “Get Lucky”.  The song itself is a love song with as poetic a beginning of a song that you are ever going to hear.  “Like the legend of the phoenix,” they sing, “all ends with beginnings.  What keeps the planet spinning, the force of love beginning.  We’ve come too far to give up who we are.  So let’s raise the bar and our cups to the stars.  She’s up all night ‘til the sun, I’m up all night to get lucky.”  And that last line is sung a number of times.  I don’t think that one can speak about “getting lucky” in love because it takes some hard work, and as we think of overcoming bad behavior, there is a lot of bad behavior when people deal with love, and the way to overcome it is to really work at loving well.
            Before them, we heard a song from the Grammys of 2015, the record and song of the year that year, and a bunch of other awards for him, from Sam Smith’s album “In the Lonely Hour,” and his song “Stay With Me”.  It is a beautiful / sad song.  The man in the relationship has made a mistake, and now she has left, and he is begging her to stay.  “Guess it’s true, I’m not good at a one-night stand.  These nights never seem to go to plan.  I don’t want you to leave, will you hold my hand?  Won’t you stay with me?  ‘Cause you’re all I need.  This ain’t love, it’s clear to see, but, stay with me.”  Interesting—he admits that it is not love, and all he wants is someone to stay with him so that he doesn’t hurt, as he sings later in the song.  It is the situation of someone begging another, and generally speaking, in terms of our theme, that is bad behavior, and can be overcome once again by the true meaning of love.
            Back to our top 10 we go now and hear from the number 9 song, a song about the good feelings we have in love.  “You got all my love to spend,” the man in the relationship sings, “We gonna dance in my living room, slave to the way you move, hurts when I’m leaving you.  Love with an attitude, drunk to an 80’s groove.  It’s only human, you know that it’s real, so why would you fight or try to deny the way you feel?  You can’t fool me, stop pretending you’re shy, just come on and dance.”  The song extols the feelings of love as expressed especially by dancing.  As we think of our theme of bad behavior, it is not bad behavior if we do not dance, but it is bad behavior if our significant other asks us to dance, and we refuse.  My opinion.  MATT presenting the song “Only Human” from their album “Happiness Begins,” the Jonas Brothers, number 9 this week on MATT.
(double)    9 ONLY HUMAN / Jonas Brothers
                               SUCKER / Jonas Brothers
 
Part 12
            Closing off a double play from them, the last one nominated for Best Pop Duo Performance from this year’s Grammys, they were the Jonas Brothers from their album “Happiness Begins” and “Sucker” on MATT.  “We go together,” they begin their song, “Better than birds of a feather, you and me.  We change the weather: I’m feeling heat in December when you’re ‘round me.  I’ve been dancing on top of cars and stumbling out of bars.  I follow you through the dark, can’t get enough.  You’re the medicine and the pain, the tattoo inside my brain.  It’s obvious, I’m a sucker for you.  Say the word and I’ll go anywhere blindly.  Any road you take you know that you’ll find me.  I’m a sucker for all the subliminal things.”  I’ve spent a lot of time with the song to talk about subliminal things.  Speaking with our theme, it could turn into bad behavior to ignore the subliminal things in a person’s personality.
            And the number 1 song for eleven weeks in a row is from Maroon 5 and their song “Memories”.  “Here’s to the ones that we got,” they sing, “Cheers to the wish you were here but you’re not.  ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories of everything we’ve been through. Toast to the ones here today, toast to the ones we lost on the way ‘cause the drinks bring back all the memories and the memories bring back you.  There’s a time that I remember when I did not know pain, when I believed in forever and everything would stay the same.  Now my heart feels like December when somebody says your name ‘cause I can’t reach out to call you.  But I know I will one day.  Everybody hurts sometimes, everything will be alright.”  So some pain, but as I have mentioned with the song, I like their statement of hope—even though we have hurts, everything will be alright.  Good stuff there and it would be bad behavior, our theme today, if we did not show hope in what we do.
            Our theme today has been that thought of bad behavior and what to do about it.  The thought came from the Record and Song of the year this year according to the 2020 Grammys, Billie Eilish and her song “Bad Guy”.  My prayer for you and me is that we recognize the bad behavior in our lives and want to do something about it.  My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top,” to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, some of whom include my friends at Hays Car and Truck Alignment, at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays.  If you have any suggestions for me, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com.  My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of the show and some great meditations on these songs and some good movies.  Remember that you can join us on the web by choosing www.hayspost.com every Sunday morning at 10 Central Time and clicking on Mix 103.  A thought to lead us out comes from my favorite author, Mr. Mark Twain: “The reason we hold truth in such respect is because we have so little opportunity to get familiar with it.”  Whoa, cynical as always, but a truth—pun intended—that we should learn, and if we remember it, and a way to overcome bad behavior.  Right now, the number 1 song in our land from Maroon 5 and their song “Memories”.  And, as you listen, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103, and our advice to you among the other things that we have said is to hold a good thought.  From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully.  Peace to you, and be good.
1 MEMORIES / Maroon 5

Part 1
            Hello Central Kansas and around the world; thank you for joining us this first Sunday of the new year of 2020.  Happy January, and happy winter although we haven’t seen too much of it so far.  Thank you for joining us and welcome to MATT on Mix 103, the number 1 rock station in central Kansas.  It’s great to have you with us this Sunday morning as we study the top 10 of today and yesterday, not only listening to the songs, but studying their meanings as well.  I am Fr. Mike Scully, your host for MATT and it’s my pleasure to give you some great songs and some great messages.  And especially today—we’ll begin the new year with the number 1 songs of every year from 1998 til 2019.  Therefore every song here I consider to be a 10+ category song of meaning.  Putting them altogether means that we will hear great meaning with every song.  I’ll be tempted to talk about all of them for a long time, but I will restrain myself.  This is a great show today.
            And we will begin with 2019 and talk about hope because the number 1 song last year was all about hope.  I did some checking on the idea of hope, and something I didn’t know came to light—in my mind anyway. 
            Elpis is Greek for “Hope” and it appears in ancient Greek mythology with the story of Zeus and Prometheus.  Prometheus stole fire from the god Zeus which infuriated Zeus of course.  In turn Zeus created a box that contained all manners of evil, unbeknownst to the receiver of the box.  Pandora opened the box after being warned not to, and unleashed a multitude of harmful spirits that inflicted plagues, diseases, and illnesses on humankind.  Spirits of greed, hatred, revenge, despair and other spirits scattered far and wide looking for humans to torment.  Inside the box, however, there was also an unreleased healing spirit named Hope.  From ancient times, people have recognized that a spirit of hope had the power to heal afflictions and helps them bear times of great suffering caused by malevolent spirits and events.
            Now I did not know that Greek mythology was the source of Pandora’s box and within it not only were bad things, but Hope was there also, and it had the power to heal from all the evil.
            Well, I doubt that the group Panic! At The Disco had any idea about Pandora’s Box and Hope but they certainly see the importance of hope for the world.  “Had to have high hopes for living,” they sing, “shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing.  Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision, always had high hopes.  Mama said, fulfill the prophecy, be something greater, go make a legacy, rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams.”  Smart Mama, indeed, who is inspiring him.  And that is one of the elements of being hopeful—that you have some inspiration to turn to in order to give one hope.
            The theme for the number 1 song of 2019 translates to all of our songs today: “There is hope in every situation of our lives.”  Panic! At The Disco, their song “High Hopes”, number 1 in 2019 on MATT.
(double)    19 HIGH HOPES / Panic! At the Disco
                               15 SEE YOU AGAIN / Wiz Khalifa f/ Charlie Puth
 
Part 2
            The number 1 song of meaning from 2015, Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth from the “Furious 7” soundtrack and a tribute to actor Paul Walker who died before the movie was released, and their song “See You Again” on MATT.  “It's been a long day without you, my friend,” they sing, “And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.  We've come a long way from where we began.  Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.  Who knew?  All the planes we flew, good things we've been through that I'll be standing right here talking to you about another path.  I know we loved to hit the road and laugh, but something told me that it wouldn't last, had to switch up, look at things different, see the bigger picture.  Those were the days, hard work forever pays.  Now I see you in a better place.”  I love it when popular music refers to faith in God and heaven, and the song is very clear in its statement about it.  We will all be together again in our soul world.  If we really understand that, all of us would have a better life, I believe.  Of course, you would expect me to say that.
            A likewise great song is the number 1 song from 2011 which will be followed by the number 1 song from 2010 and 2008.  First to 2011.  I call it the number one song of meaning between the years 2002 to 2012 which is high praise for the song, I believe.  I place it that high because I look at it as the theme song of how to live in this world.  She is singing about the potential of the human being.  She sings: “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?  Do you know that there’s still a chance for you, ‘cause there’s a spark in you.  You just gotta ignite the light, let it shine, just own the night like the 4^th of July, ‘cause you’re a firework: come on, show ‘em what you’re worth.  You’re original, cannot be replaced.  It’s always been inside of you, and now it’s time to let it through.”  What she is singing is that we can be so much more than we are now, and we shouldn’t be discouraged with who we are.  It has a great video connected with it as well.  From her album “Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection”, the excellent song “Firework” number 1 in 2011 on MATT. 
(triple)       11 FIREWORK / Katy Perry
                               10 LIVE LIKE WE’RE DYING / Kris Allen
                                    08 IT’S NOT MY TIME / 3 Doors Down
 
Part 3
            They have two songs of meaning among the songs of meaning from 1998 til 2019.  The number 1 song from 2008 from 3 Doors Down.  This is the group 3 Doors Down from their album simply named “3 Doors Down”, a great song with a great video “It’s Not My Time” on MATT.  “Looking back at the beginning of this,” they begin the song, “and how life was, just you and me and love and all of our friends, living life like an ocean.  Now the current’s slowly pulling me down.  It’s getting harder to breathe; it won’t be too long and I’ll be going under.  Can you save me from this?  It’s not my time, I’m not going.  All this time I’ve just been too blind to understand what should matter to me.  My friend, this life we live is not what we have, it’s what we believe.”  Determination to stay alive, and in the video, to prevent a death, is the topic of the song, even though life is tough and things don’t seem to be going the way we want.  The song is a plea for help as the man in the song tries to stay alive, as he sings, and he sings a very important line for a believer—“This life we live is not what we have, it’s what we believe.”  That which will bring about help, I believe, is finding a belief in a Higher Power. 
            Before them, we heard the number 1 song of 2010 from Mr. Kris Allen, American Idol first series number 8 from his album named after him, and his song “Live Like We’re Dying”.  Tremendous words here: “Sometimes we fall down and can’t get back up; we’re hiding behind skin that’s too tough.  How come we don’t say 'I love you' enough 'til it’s too late.  It's not too late.  If your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done.  We gotta start looking at the hands of the time we’ve been given here.  This is all we got and we gotta start pickin’ it.  Every second counts on a clock that’s tickin’, gotta live like we’re dying.”  If we live like we're dying, every second will count as we live our day, and we will spend those seconds developing love and life.
            Magnificent thoughts from magnificent songs today since we are playing all the number 1 songs of the years 1998-2019.  Rock music always seems to have an approach to life about it, and rock songs always contain something to talk about, especially the songs of our show today.  Let me take you to break with a thought from Jacopo Sannazaro: “Man is only miserable so far as he thinks himself so.”  Now, that is one great thought—and it certainly addresses an attitude that can lead to being determined to do good things in life.  I’m Fr. Mike, inviting you to keep your dial right there as we continue shortly on MATT on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 4
            We continue with the only show of its kind in this area as we celebrate winter in the Heartland of America.  It is great to have you with us on the station that plays the very best in rock music, and the show we have labeled as MATT, the show that takes the top 10 songs of today and yesterday, and discovers just what their approach to life is, often giving us some thoughts with which we can guide our lives toward the good, the show where our motto is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us.  My name is Fr. Mike, your host, and we are featuring the thoughts of the number 1 songs of every year from 1998 til 2019. 
            Let’s go back to the 90’s, this time to the number 1 song of meaning in 1999.  “Your brain gets smart,” they sing, “but your head gets dumb.  So much to do, so much to see.  You’ll never know if you don’t go.  Hey, now, you’re an all star, only shooting stars break the mold.  Go for the moon.”  I interpret the song this way: the group seems to be entreating us to carefully weigh our behavior, and eventually choose to motivate ourselves toward change since “the ice we skate is getting pretty thin.”  The song tells us to look carefully at what we are doing, and go for the moon—do the best that we can.  The group is Smash Mouth, an American rock band formed in San Jose, California in 1994, and still active in the music scene.  From their album named after them, Smash Mouth and their song “All Star” number 1 in 1999 on MATT. 
(double)    99 ALL STAR / Smash Mouth
                                    01 THANK YOU / Dido
 
Part 5
            We play it every Thanksgiving show on MATT, the number 1 song of meaning of 2001, from her album “No Angel,” Dido, and her actual name is quite long, but she goes by the name of Dido, actually her first name.  Her song is “Thank You.” “My tea’s gone cold,” she begins her song there, “I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all.  The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all, and even if I could, it’d all be gray”—now that is excellent imagery of real negativity, but the song is just the opposite, because even though she has those negative feelings, she goes on to say, “But your picture on my wall—it reminds me that it’s not so bad.”  And the person in the song goes on to thank her boyfriend, a great song of thanksgiving, something we should all be into.
            Another triple closes off our first hour of the number 1 songs of the year from 1998 to 2019.  We begin the triple with the highest song of meaning from 2012.  It is a song that describes a situation that could bring about real anger and revenge, and there seems to be a little of that, but mainly, it is about a breakup that made the person in the song stronger.  “You know the bed feels warmer,” she begins the song, “sleeping here alone.  You think you got the best of me, think you had the last laugh, bet you think that everything good is gone, but you’re dead wrong.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller.  Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone.  What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter, footsteps even lighter, doesn’t mean I’m over ‘cause you’re gone.”  As we work to find those things that can give us help, one of them would be to take the negative things that happen, work on them, and let them make you better than you are right now.  From her album named after the song, American Idol number 1 Kelly Clarkson, and “Stronger”, the number 1 song of meaning of 2012, on MATT. 
(triple)        12 STRONGER / Kelly Clarkson
                                    17 SCARS TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL / Alessia Cara
                                    06 UNWRITTEN / Natasha Bedingfield
 
Part 6
            MATT presenting a super song from Natasha Bedingfield, from her album named after the song, the number 1 song of meaning in 2006, “Unwritten”.  It is a poetic statement about the fact that we are determining what kind of life we are going to lead.  “I am unwritten,” she sings, “can’t read my mind, I’m undefined.  I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplanned.  Staring at the blank page before you, let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find.  Release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in.  No one else can speak the words on your lips, drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open.  Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.”  Marvelous words.  I look at it as a statement of where we are / and that from now on, no matter what has happened in our lives before, from now on, we will be able to live our future with arms wide open.  We can begin again.
            Before her, we heard from the number 1 song of all the songs of 2017, from Alessia Cara’s album “Know-It-All,” and “Scars to Your Beautiful”.  On the video, the song closes with her personal statement about the song which reads: “Oftentimes the world both directly and indirectly tells us that we shouldn’t be happy with ourselves if we don’t fit certain beauty standards.  ‘Scars to Your Beautiful’ is a reminder that beauty isn’t only one look, shape, size or color.  It isn’t even always tangible.  It comes in an endless amount of forms, and we need to recognize that.”  Indeed we should.  And so she sings her refrain: “But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark.  You should know you're beautiful just the way you are.  And you don't have to change a thing; the world could change its heart.  No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful.”  We are all beautiful simply because we are created by a loving God.
            There are important things being said here this morning, not because I said them, but as a result of the songs that we are playing today, the number 1 songs of meaning from the years 1998 to 2019.  Before our break, here is a thought about forgiveness from a man by the name of Paul Boese: “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”  You bet.  I’m Fr. Mike for MATT on Mix 103.  Why not stay right where you are as you enjoy life with us on this rather mild January Sunday morning.  We’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 7
            Every song has a message and with a little bit of help that message will usually help our lives.  Such is our philosophy on MATT.  We don’t need a lot of help to these songs today because they are so good with words.  We are back for the second hour which usually gives you the top 10 rock songs of our area that have been most popular during the week but today we have a special show, a super one I believe, since we are playing all of the number 1 songs of meaning since 1998.  I am your host, Fr. Mike.  Thank you for joining us again this morning.  Let’s begin here with the number 1 song of meaning of the whole year of 2007.
            It comes from a group that is the only artist or artists that have more than one song in this elite set of songs, the Canadian group by the name of Nickelback and this number 1 song of 2007, a song whose setting is a man in the relationship who is sharing real love with his friend, and having that love inspires him to think about the complicated world he is in.  The words of the refrain are: “If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we’d see the day when nobody died.  And I’m singing, amen, I’m alive.”  And they sing: “As we lie beneath the stars, we realize how small we are.  If they could love like you and me, imagine what the world could be.”  That is, we will have eternal life when we learn to love each other.  That is great theology and it gives rise to great thinking.  If we sense that there really is caring about another, it is a good indication that love is present.  This is the group Nickelback from their album “All The Right Reasons,” and the song “If Everyone Cared” number 1 in 2007 on MATT.
(triple)       07 IF EVERYONE CARED / Nickelback
                               00 WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN / Creed
                               98 IRIS / Goo Goo Dolls
 
Part 8
            The number 1 song of meaning from 1998, the Goo Goo Dolls, formed in 1986.  The song comes from the 1998 movie “City of Angels” soundtrack and was on the Billboard top 100 for almost a whole year.  It came from their album, “Dizzy Up the Girl,” and the song “Iris” on MATT. “I don’t want the world to see me,” they sing the thoughts of the angel in the song, “cause I don’t think that they’d understand.  When everything’s made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am.”  I really like that thought.  We do live in a world where a lot of things are expected not to last or be broken—as they sing.  “I just want you to know who I am,” the person sings, as if to say, you can count on me—I’m not going to break, and his love is going to be real, no matter what the circumstances.  One of the ingredients for a love to be real is that it be a giving love. 
            Before them, we heard the number 1 song of the year 2K, “With Arms Wide Open” from their album “Human Clay” from the group Creed.  They sing the thoughts of a man in a marriage: “Well, I just heard the news today.  It seems my life is gonna change.  I close my eyes, begin to pray, as tears of joy stream down my face.”  And how is his life going to change?  He and his wife are going to have a child.  “We’ve created life,” they sing.  And so they sing that everything has changed.  Anyone who has a child for the first time will tell you how true that is!  A couple who really wants a child, and experiences that miracle in their lives, really understands what the power of love in life is all about. 
            Let’s go to another triple play right now, and begin this one with the number 1 song of 2002.  She begins the song: “My friend the communist holds meetings in his RV.  I can’t afford his gas, so I’m stuck here watching TV.  I don’t have digital, I don’t have diddley squat.  It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you’ve got.  I’m gonna soak up the sun, I’m gonna tell everyone to lighten up.  I’m gonna tell them that I’ve got no one to blame; for every time I feel lame, I’m lookin’ up.”  Now that is one great attitude, and what makes it more difficult is that her boyfriend doesn’t seem to have it—maybe something’s wrong with you, she says.  The songs says simply: adopt a positive attitude in life.  MATT presenting here Sheryl Crow from her album “C’mon, C’mon” the number 1 song of 2002, “Soak Up the Sun” on MATT.
(triple)       02 SOAK UP THE SUN / Sheryl Crow
                                    16 UNSTEADY / X Ambassadors
                                    03 I’M WITH YOU / Avril Lavigne
 
Part 9
            Going back to the year 2003 and the number 1 song of meaning then from Canadian singer/songwriter and her song “I’m With You” from her album “Let Go,” Avril Lavigne on MATT.  It is a cry for help as I look at it, and a significant song, what I call poignant words that every adult and youth minister should study carefully.  In many ways, this song is the philosophical description of teenage thinking, and may be the best top 40 song that has been produced that helps the parent and youth minister to understand the specific situation of a teenager in North American society.  It is a song of a teenager hoping that adults and other teenagers will be interested in her/him.  Young people want involvement.  In a sense, they want someone to take them “by the hand” because although they might not understand why things happen, they know first-hand what the world is doing to them, namely, causing a situation where “nothing’s going right and everything’s a mess” as she sings.  “Isn’t anyone trying to find me,” she sings, “Won’t somebody come take me home.  It’s a damn cold night, trying to figure out this life.  Won’t you take me by the hand.  I don’t know who you are, but I’m with you.  I’m looking for a place; I’m searching for a face.  Is anybody here I know, ‘cause nothing’s going right and everything’s a mess.  And no one likes to be alone.”  Great song, as all of these are.
            Before her, another song about young people, I believe, and just as important as Avril Lavigne’s, the number 1 song of 2016.  It was from the group X Ambassadors and a song that talks about the importance of Moms and Dads.  It is from their album “VHS”, and their song “Unsteady”.  In my humble opinion, it should be required listening for everyone who decides to have a family.  “Hold on,” the young person sings because he/she is a little unsteady.  “Mama,” the child sings, “come here.  Daddy, I’m alone ‘cause this house don’t feel like home.  If you love me, don’t let go.  Hold on to me.”  One of the great hopes for everyone’s future in life, is that parents will treat their children with great care.  Unfortunately, it will cause great hurt when that does not happen.
            What great songs these songs are, the number 1 songs from the years 1998 through 2019.  And we have made it to our final segment of this first Sunday of the winter month of January of the year 2020—ah, the beginning of a new year.  What will that new year bring for each of us?  Interesting question, and something to think about.  During this next segment, you will hear and hopefully enjoy the artistry of Swedish House Mafia, the group Nickelback again, the group Los Lonely Boys, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry and 3 Doors Down.  I take you to break with another thought, this one from the Roman satirist Juvenal—many moons ago: “All wish to possess knowledge, but few, comparatively speaking, are willing to pay the price.”  Paying the price involves a lot of work and effort but if we want to have a good life, it is worth it.  I’m Fr. Mike, and you’re listening to “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
 
Part 10
            We are back for our final segment of the number 1 songs of meaning of the years 1998 through 2019.  And we always give you the meanings of the songs we play.  I hope this beginning of the cold month of January has been good for you, and that your new year will be one of good things.  I’m your host, Fr. Mike on “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103.  Thank you for joining us again this morning.  It’s great to have you with us, as we have taken a theme of the meanings of the number 1 songs of the years 1998-2019.  Great songs on our show today, even super-great if there is a category like that.
            The number 1 song of meaning in the year 2004 was from the group Los Lonely Boys and a song that calls to mind the virtue of hope as it calls upon our Supreme Being.  They sing a prayer to God: “Save me from this prison; Lord, help me get away ‘cause only you can save me now from this misery.  Well, I’ve been lost in my own place, and I’m getting weary—How far is heaven—And I know that I need to change my ways of living—How far is heaven—Lord, can you tell me.”  You can bet that I like this song because I firmly believe that one of the things that we must hope for is a better place which might just require some changes in ourselves.  This is the group Los Lonely Boys, from their self-named album, and “Heaven”, the number 1 song of 2004 on MATT.
(triple)       04 HEAVEN / Los Lonely Boys
                                    13 DON’T YOU WORRY CHILD / Swedish House Mafia
                                    09 IF TODAY WAS YOUR LAST DAY / Nickelback
 
Part 11
            Another group who have two songs among the songs of meaning over the past 22 years.  That one was another great song from the group Nickelback, and their song “If Today Was Your Last Day”, one of the most meaningful songs of the past decade and the number 1 song of 2009 from their album “Dark Horse”.  “My best friend gave me the best advice;” they began their song, “he said each day’s a gift and not a given right; leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind, and try to take the path less traveled by.  That first step you take is the longest stride.  If today was your last day and tomorrow was too late, could you say goodbye to yesterday?  Would you live each moment like your last, leave old pictures in the past?  Donate every dime you had, if today was your last day?”  What a great song!  Their advice: “Do whatever it takes, ‘cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life.  Would you call those friends you never see, reminisce old memories?  Would you forgive your enemies?”  One of the indications of love is the fact that we are living every moment as if it were our last.  Super stuff there.
            In fact, all of these song give us super stuff.  Before them, we heard the number 1 song of meaning from 2013.  It is a song about a breakup and learning from it.  The lesson the person in the song learns is that things will work out well.  “There was a time I used to look into my father's eyes,” he sings.  “In a happy home, I was a king, I had a golden throne.  Those days are gone, now the memory's on the wall.  I hear the songs from the places where I was born.  Upon a hill across a blue lake, that's where I had my first heartbreak.  I still remember how it all changed.  My father said, 'Don't you worry, child.  See heaven's got a plan for you.”  The song points out the theological thought that God is at work even in the most dire of circumstances for young people in love and for all people really.  Even though there is a breakdown of a relationship in which love was present and no longer is, God or heaven is at work.  In fact, God will always be at work in every part of our lives, helping us achieve a good life.  A way to help us from worrying in life and love—turn to God in your life.  Of course, you know that I would say that.  Great song here, from Swedish House Mafia, and singer John Martin, and their song “Don’t You Worry Child”, number 1 in 2013 on MATT. 
            Number 1 the following year is next for your listening pleasures.  It is a statement by the girl in the relationship that if the man wants a commitment from her, she will give it, but he’d better be sure of what he’s doing.  “I knew you were gonna come to me,” the lady in the relationship sings, “and here you are, but you better choose carefully ‘cause I’m capable of anything and everything.  So you wanna play with magic, boy, you should know what you’re falling for.  I’m coming at you like a dark horse.  Are you ready for a perfect storm ‘cause once you’re mine, there’s no going back.”  Her words are excellent for anyone who wants to have a sincere relationship with commitment—you don’t enter it lightly, and you’d better be ready to back up your words.  And it really is up to both of them whether the relationship will work or not, and each of them should spend time doing it.  A song nominated for a Grammy, Ms. Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson better known as Katy Perry, the second song among the top songs of meaning from 1998 till 2019, this one with Jordan Michael Houston better known as Juicy J and their song “Dark Horse” from Katy Perry’s album “Prism”, number 1 in 2014 on MATT. 
(double)    14 DARK HORSE / Katy Perry f/ Juicy J
                                    05 LET ME GO / 3 Doors Down
 
Part 12
            The second song from them in our top songs of meaning of the past 22 years.  Going back to 2005, from the album “Seventeen Days” from 3 Doors Down, the number 1 song of meaning that year, “Let Me Go” on MATT. “One more kiss,” they sing the thoughts of the man in the relationship, “could be the best thing, but one more lie could be the worst.  And all these thoughts are never resting, and you’re not something I deserve.  In my head there’s only you now.  In this world there’s real and make believe, and this seems real to me.  I’m torn between this life I lead and where I stand.  And you love me, but you don’t know who I am.  So let me go.”  This is a really important message especially for the marriages of our world.  Before we can say that we love someone, we really have to know them—the reason why so many marriage counselors suggest dating for a long time before marriage takes place.  During that time, one will have to learn many things about the other, and learn to be completely satisfied with the other.  Super song for people in love.
            As is this final song of our show today from Ed Sheeran, the number 1 song of 2018.  It actually began its air time in 2017, but it was so popular that it took the number 1 song of all the songs that were played in 2018.  His song “Perfect” from his album which is just a division sign.  “I found a love for me,” he begins the song, “just dive right in and follow my lead.  I found a girl, beautiful and sweet, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me ‘cause we were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was.  I will not give you up this time, your heart is all I own and in your eyes you’re holding mine.  When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath, but you heard it, you look perfect tonight.”  Something that people in love must remember is that they show that love in as perfect a way as possible.  And for those who are not in love in a romantic way, we ought to learn love of others in as perfect a way as possible also.  
            And there you have it, a number of great songs today, 22 of them, the number one songs of meaning of the years 1998 to 2019.  This was an important show for all of us because the number 1 songs of those years had truly important things to say to us.  My prayer for you and me is that we continue to learn from the songs that we play here.  My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top” and to our sponsors, especially Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School and Holy Family Elementary School, all three in Hays, and all three places with great products.  If you have some song suggestions or want to comment on anything that I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com.  My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find some meditations on these songs and some great movies and a transcript of the show.  Remember that you can join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 am by going to www.hayspost.com and choosing Mix 103.  We invite you to be here next Sunday, same time, same station.  One final quotation from Albert Einstein.  “Only a life lived for others is a life worth-while.”  How about that!—Albert Einstein.  The number 1 song of 2018 was from Ed Sheeran.  And as you listen, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103 and part of our advice is to hold a good thought.  My name is Fr. Mike Scully.  Peace to you, and be good!
18 PERFECT / Ed Sheeran