KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays
October 19, 2025
“Negative Feelings and Working With Them”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top,” and happy Fall again—such a beautiful time of year. Welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, your host; get ready for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by our own research and Mediabase 24-7. We here at Mix 103 continue to give you only the very best in radio entertainment, / and that includes not only the songs that we play, but their messages as well. If you listened to last week’s show, I made a couple mistakes with some songs out of place. I apologize for that. This morning, I’ve double checked everything and we have top 10 songs from today and yesterday, concentrating on the current top 10 and songs of the past top 10’s that include music from Taylor Swift’s latest album and birthday people Doja Cat, Dean Lewis, Drake and Katy Perry.
Last week, Ed Sheeran debuted a new song in our top 10 named “Camera,” that was all about the feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks.
A couple of things interest me about the words of the song, and one of them is his words about how the other feels about her own beauty. “You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do,” he sings. That’s a relatively common problem that people have, especially younger females. They don’t think that they are pretty enough and they live out that fact in their lives. The problem is not the truth, but it is merely negative thinking about the truth.
Somehow we must learn to think in more positive ways about ourselves, and thus come closer to the truth perhaps. So, let’s talk about negative feelings today and how to react with them. Here, the man in the relationship must remind the other of just how wrong her negative thinking may be, and she has to spend some time thinking about that.
This is the latest from Ed Sheeran hovering around the top 10 this morning; he also has a similar song in his music called “Photograph” which we will play along after this one. This is from his album “Play,” and his song “Camera” on MATT.
(double) CAMERA / Ed Sheeran
PHOTOGRAPH / Ed Sheeran
Part 2
Fulfilling our promise of the song “Photograph” from his album which is a multiplication sign from Ed Sheeran from 2015. It is a beautiful love song extolling the essence of love, I believe. “Loving can hurt,” he sings. “Loving can hurt sometimes, but it's the only thing that I know. When it gets hard, you know it can get hard sometimes. It is the only thing that makes us feel alive. We keep this love in a photograph. We made these memories for ourselves, where our eyes are never closing, hearts are never broken, times forever frozen still. So you can keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans, holdin' me closer ‘til our eyes meet.” Beautiful statement of love to another, and it is still possible that the lady in the relationship can have negative feelings about what the man sings, but again the possibility of truth must prevail. His job, so to speak, is to convince her that she looks just fine, even if she wonders and to make sure that no negative feelings will develop about her looks.
Let’s close off this segment of our show with the statement in song of our theme in this first song of the triple. It is a song of pain, and revolves around the fact that her boyfriend broke up with her. She doesn’t mean literally what she sings and she tells us that at the very beginning: “I’m still a fan,” she says and she says that she was just so upset to see him with another person. Then she sings what she feels like, saying in sarcasm that she is so mature because she has a therapist. She sings: “I might kill my ex, not the best idea; his new girlfriend’s next. I still love him, rather be in jail alone.” And she knows what she is doing—“I did it all for love, I did it all on no drugs, I did all of this sober; don’t you know I did it all for us.” And in the last verse she actually does it, closing with her words, “Rather be in hell than alone.” As I say a song of pain, and the feeling of being alone. In terms of our theme, she has let the negative control her life, and that has severe consequences. The song comes out of the movies of the same name, Solana Imani Rowe better known as SZA from her album “SOS” and her song “Kill Bill” from 2023 on MATT.
(triple) KILL BILL / SZA
BEAUTIFUL THINGS / Benson Boone
8 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish
Part 3
Sneaking back into our top 10 playlist at number 8, Billie Eilish from her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, and her song “Birds of a Feather” on MATT. It is a song about falling in love with a person that she wants to "stick together" with. The love to her significant other brings her to tears and begs the lover to never end their relationship. “I want you to stay 'til I'm in the grave”, she begins, “'til I rot away, dead and buried, ‘til I'm in the casket you carry. If you go, I'm goin' too / 'cause it was always you and if I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me. Nothin' left to lose without my baby. Birds of a feather we should stick together. And I don't know what I'm cryin' for; I don't think I could love you more. It might not be long, but I'll love you 'til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘til the day that I die.” The lady in the relationship is truly committed to the other and if it is a mature love, presuming that the other in the relationship feels the same way, that commitment will stay there, and they will be able to overcome any negative feelings which may arise, our theme today.
Before her, I made up for a mistake that I made last week. I said that I played all of Benson Boone’s songs and I left this one out, “Beautiful Things” from his album “Fireworks and Rollerblades,” from earlier this year. It is a song about a man in a relationship who has discovered a person that he really likes and he wants to keep it that way. “For a while there, it was rough,” he sings, “but lately I’ve been doing better than the last four Decembers I recall. And I see my family every month and I found a girl my parents love. She’ll come and stay the night, and I think I might have it all, and I thank God every day for the girl He sent my way. But I know the things He gives me, He can take away, and I hold you every night and that’s a feeling I wanna get used to. But there’s no man as terrified as the man who stands to lose you. I hope I don’t lose you. Please stay. I want you, I need you. God, don’t take these beautiful things that I’ve got.” I’ve mentioned before that it is evident that the person is tuned into God, and from my point of view anyway, that is one of the ways to stay away from negative feelings, our theme today, because we should know that God is only interested in giving us good things according to the Christian theology.
We have taken that theme of overcoming negative feelings from Ed Sheeran’s latest song “Camera” and we will pursue some more thinking about that theme in just a couple of minutes with music from in order of appearance Sabrina Carpenter, Enya, Huntrix, the band Glass Animals, and Justin Bieber. First, a thought from Vince Lombardi who knew something about football and life: “Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” That’s one of the major ways to bring about negative feelings. I’m Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top”, this radio station is Mix 103, and we’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
We are back for “Message at the Top” and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of today and yesterday as determined by our research and your requests. 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 today’s best music, Mix 103, and we are asking each song of our show how they react to negative feelings in a person’s life.
Number 6 on our playlist this week is a former number 1. It is a song that talks especially to the men in the lady’s life. She sings, “You said your phone was broken, just forgot to charge it; Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started. It’s all just so familiar, what do you call it? Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless? But there’s a cuter word for it, I know, Man-child. Why you always come a-running to me? Won’t you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there. Man-child, why you always come a-running, taking all my loving from me?” It is a song that is speaking of the immaturity of young adult love, especially men and it is a picture of what can happen when one is only out for fun in a relationship. In terms of our theme this morning, enjoying ourselves is part of life, and it is a characteristic of someone who can make a permanent commitment. Unfortunately, sometimes negative feelings accompany that making of the commitment. Incidentally, I just placed this song on my website www.frmikescully.com and you can find it under the heading of “index of songs”. This is from her latest album “Man’s Best Friend,” and the name of it is “Manchild” from Sabrina Carpenter, number 6 on MATT.
(double) 6 MANCHILD / Sabrina Carpenter
ONLY TIME/ Enya
Part 5
The number 2 song of meaning from 2001 according to MATT from Irish singer Enya whose real name I would never be able to pronounce correctly. She speaks of how important the concept of time is / in her song “Only Time." She begins her song: “Who can say where the road goes, where the day flows—only time. And who can say if your love grows as your heart chose—only time. Who can say why your heart sighs as your love flies—only time. And who can say why your heart cries when your love lies—only time.” It is an ode to time, a poetic statement about how time determines whether love is real or not. As we think of the song with our theme, namely looking at things from a possible negative point of view, if we convince ourselves in time that there are negative things in our lives, we will have a difficult time trying to correct them.
Back to our playlist, let’s begin this triple with our number 10 song right now. It is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntrix—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. Admittedly, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and it fits into our theme very well this morning: if we really strive to do the right thing always, we will have very few negative feelings. This is the fictional K-Pop girl group Huntrix from the 2025 animated musical fantasy film “KPop Demon Hunters” a film inspired by Korean heroines and their song “Golden”, number 10 today on MATT.
(triple) 10 GOLDEN/ Hundr/X
Heat Waves / Glass Animals
4 DAISIES / Justin Bieber
Part 6
From his latest album “Swag”, number 4 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. The song speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?’ he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever,’ babe, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, babe, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. Honey, I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Think I'd rather you in my bed. Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point: even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment. They consist usually of negative feelings for one reason or another, our theme today, and usually the commitment will take care of them, but we have to be careful that we don’t let them get us too much in the negative.
Before him, we heard the number 2 song for the whole year of 2020, from the British band Glass Animals from their album “Dreamland” and their song “Heat Waves”. It is the story in song of a man in the relationship who broke up with his fiancée for some reason and now is looking at that relationship in a philosophical way. “Last night all I think about is you; can’t make you happier now. Usually I put something on TV so I never think about you and me, but today I see our reflections clearly; in Hollywood, laying on the screen. You just need a better life than this. Heat waves been faking me out.” According to the leader of the group, the song is about realizing you can’t make everyone happy. And when we try to, then we have to cover up our feelings and hide inside TV shows or video games or drink or drugs. It is the statement of our theme today—there will be negative feelings in life, and the solution must be something other than activities which hurt us in the long run.
We will continue with that thought of how negative feelings can mess up our lives as spoken by our songs today. Get ready for a second hour which will continue to give us the best songs together with their feelings. Let me take you to that second hour with this thought from Mr. or Mrs. Google, and really the problem with communication. “The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.” And when we do that, we often think negative thoughts that can hurt us. Your dial is set for “Message at the Top”; may I implore you to keep it there. Like MacArthur, we will return.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
Every song has a message, and most of the time that message can make us do some serious thinking about life. Such is our thinking here. Hi again, everyone. You are in tune with “Message at the Top,” on Mix 103, your top 10 show that plays the top 10 songs in our land right now, and we also play great songs of meaning from past top 10’s. We take the top 10 of the present and the past, study their messages, and then call our show MATT. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We’re concentrating on a problem during our show today. That problem: we often allow negative feelings into our lives when there should be no negative feelings at all.
We begin this second hour with our number 9 song as we speak. It is the story of what happens when a person is lonely. He sings “Something’s got a hold of me lately. No, I don’t know myself anymore, feels like the walls are all closing in and the devil’s knocking at my door. Outta my mind, how many times did I tell you I’m no good at being alone? It’s taking a toll on me, trying my best to keep from tearing the skin off my bones. Don’t you know I lose control when you’re not next to me. I’m falling apart right in front of you. You’re breaking my heart. You make a mess of me.” So it is loneliness, but it is loneliness because one special person is no longer there for him. A person who is lonely in today’s world has a serious problem, and in general, a simple resolution to get over it will not work. It will cause further negative feelings, our theme today, and it will take real work to get out of them. Teddy Swims here, the number 1 song of popularity for the whole year of 2024 and at number 9 this week on our playlist. It comes from his album “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, part 1”, his song “Lose Control” on MATT.
(triple) 9 LOSE CONTROL / Teddy Swims
BEFORE YOU GO/ Lewis Capaldi
5 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Part 8
A song featuring the artist of the year on the MTV-VMA awards, a song about true commitment to another, from Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga along with Peter Gene Hernandez that is Bruno Mars, and their song of the year for a duo this year “Die With a Smile” at number 4 this week on MATT. And it is another record-setting song for MATT--in our top 10 for over a year, and a song of true commitment to another. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment to one another, and celebrating then and there a great moment together. In terms of our theme this week, as we think of negative feelings that sometimes plague our lives, if we have made a commitment that is truly permanent, we will be able to overcome those negative feelings well. Good song.
Before them we heard from the songs of meaning of 2021 from Lewis Capaldi’s album “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent” and his song “Before You Go” on MATT. It is a song that speaks of good human behavior. “All I hear were the words I needed to say. When you hurt under the surface like troubled water running cold, well, time can heal but this won’t. So, before you go, was there something I could have said to make your heart beat better? If only I’d had known you had a storm to weather. So before you go, was there something I could have said to make it all stop hurting.” That is a tremendous attitude. He is trying to figure out how he hurt her, hopefully so he wouldn’t do it again in another relationship. This is a way to correct selfish behavior, and is a perfect way to figure out negative feelings which others including oneself show, and presumably then do something about them.
Back to our current playlist now and the beginning of another triple play and a song that almost demands an explanation, and the internet is full of them. The song involves Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” and his presumed future wife Ophelia. In the story, Mr. Shakespeare has Ophelia drown herself after a rejection from Prince Hamlet and her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. So a little trajic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover who is a literal resurrection and according to the people who should know about such things, resembles the likes of number 87 of the Kansas City Chiefs. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” We will make it our theme next week, but in terms of our theme this week, this lover of hers was able to get rid of all the negative feelings of despair, and turn it into a real love affair. From her latest album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” the first release from it, “The Fate of Ophelia”, Ms. Taylor Swift at number 7 on MATT.
(triple) 7 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
FEEL IT STILL / Portugal the Man
FIREWORK / Katy Perry
Part 9
We have four birthdays to celebrate today, and that is the first one, one of the songs with the most meaning of the early 2000’s according to us, that was Ms. Katy Perry, from her album “Teenage Dream”, and her song from 2010, “Firework” on MATT. Katherine Elizabeth Hudson or Katy Perry will be 41 years old on Saturday. The song is a 10+ category of meaning song for me, the highest I get and one of the 6 songs of the most meaning since 1980. She is singing about the potential that we all have in life, no matter how bad the circumstances are. It has a great video also that says the same thing. Listen to these great words: “Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind,” she begins her song, “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 4th 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.” She is singing that we can be so much more than we are now, and we shouldn’t be discouraged with who we are. In fact, she sings, “maybe you’re the reason why all the doors are closed: so, you could open one that leads you to the perfect road.” Her point is: discover your potential, and don’t let the problems keep you away from everything you can be. Or put into our theme, don’t let the negative feelings dictate to us.
Before her, we heard the song featured on my website today www.frmikecully.com and the song “Feel It Still” from the band Portugal the Man. The song was from 2017. “Can’t keep my hands to myself,” they sing, “think I’ll dust ‘em off, put ‘em back up on the shelf in case my little baby girl is in need. Am I coming out of left field? I’m a rebel just for kicks, now I been feeling it since 1966, now might be over now, but I feel it still. Let me kick it like it’s 1986, now might be over now, but I feel it still. Is it coming?” It seems to be a song in which the person is remembering what it was like before and now it’s over, but he would like the feeling again. In terms of our theme today, one of the things that should be taught to all of us is to realize that the past was good, even if there was some negative feelings because you learn from them.
Which brings us to our final break of the day. Our final session will include three more birthday wishes and the top 3 songs in our world today. To break with a quote from author Marthe Troly-Curtin: “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” Now that is encouraging and a statement that some wasting time might be necessary for a good life. Our show is MATT, and we’ll be right back. I invite you to stay right where you are.
Part 10
We welcome you back to MATT as we celebrate the third Sunday of October together. We get closer to Halloween as all the stores around us keep reminding us. This show plays the top 10 songs of America, as well as some of the top 10 of the past, and we talk about their meanings, and how they can make us be a little better than we are already. I’m Fr. Mike, and we are ready to pursue our final portion of MATT together as we consider some thoughts about negative feelings.
As promised, let’s wish three more birthdays right now. Drake will be 39 years old this Friday, and let’s remember that fact with his song of a breakup that has happened, and the man in the relationship is not sure what really happened. “You used to call me on my cell phone late night when you need my love. And I know when that hotline bling that can only mean one thing. Since I left the city you got a reputation for yourself now. Everybody knows and I feel left out. You got me down, you got me stressed out, ‘cause ever since I left the city, you started goin' out more, glasses of champagne out on the dance floor, hangin' with some girls I've never seen before. Ever since I left the city, you and me we just don't get along. You make me feel like I did you wrong, going places where you don't belong.” So, a break up initiated by the lady in the relationship, one would assume, and it is extremely difficult for the man to handle. It is one of those songs of negative feelings our theme today, and what must happen with all negative feelings is to think seriously about them in the hopes of getting rid of them. This is the Grammy -award winning Best Rap Song in 2016 from Canadian singer/songwriter/rapper/actor Aubrey Drake Graham, better known simply as Drake and his song “Hotline Bling”. Happy birthday, Mr. Drake, on MATT.
(triple) HOTLINE BLING / Drake
I LIKE YOU / Post Malone & Doja Cat
BE ALRIGHT / Dean Lewis
Part 11
A singer / songwriter from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Mr. Dean Lewis and his song “Be Alright” from 2019 as we celebrate his birthday on Tuesday of this week. He will be 38 years old. It is a song of wondering what to do when your girlfriend has cheated. “I look up from the ground to see your sad eyes. You look away from me, and I see there’s something you’re trying to hide. And then you say to me you made a dumb mistake. And I feel the color draining from my face. And my friend said, ‘I know you love her, but it’s over. It doesn’t matter, put the phone away. It’s never easy to walk away. Let her go, it’ll be alright.” Smart friend and a little later he sings: “Nothing heals the past like time. They can’t steal the love you’re born to find.” Great advice, and it will be alright, but he has to make the move first to move on unless she really means her love this time. Sometimes negative feelings, our theme today, are true feelings and we have to pay attention to them.
Let’s also wish happy birthday to Doja Cat. She will be 30 years old this Tuesday She sang with Post Malone in this song. It is from Post Malone’s album, “Twelve Carat Toothache” and the song “I Like You” and in parenthesis (“A Happier Song”). The words signify some type of friendship, a song of feeling good about someone else. “I like you, I do,” they begin the song, “I wanna be your friend, go shoppin’ in the Benz, I like you, I do. I’ll hit you when I land, can you fit me in your plans? I need a good girl, I need someone to ground me, so please be true, don’t mess around with me. I need someone to share this heart with me.” I cleaned up the words a little; it is a statement of feeling love toward another. In terms of our theme today, one of the ways to overcome negative feelings is to continually pursue love for the person that we like.
As usual, as we close our show, we have the top 3 songs of our area right now. At number 3 was our theme last week when we talked of self-confidence, exactly what the song is all about. It is the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but he must watch being over-confident. Over-confidence can easily lead to negative feelings, our theme this week, but self-confidence is certainly a virtue to be worked at. This is Benson Boone again, here at number 3, from his album “American Heart” and “Mystical Magical” on MATT.
(double) 3 MYSTICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone
2 LOVE ME NOT / Ravyn Lenae
Part 12
Remaining at number 2 on our playlist, a song of permanent commitment again, but also the art of remaining independent. Ravyn Lenae and her song from her album “Bird’s Eye”, and the name of it, “Love Me Not” on MATT. “See, right now,” she begins her song, “I need you, I'll meet you somewhere now; slow down, be cool, I miss you, come here now. I need you right now, once I leave you I'm strung out; if I get you, I'm slowly breaking down. Oh, it's hard to see you, but I wish you were right here. Oh, it's hard to leave you when I get you everywhere. All this time I'm thinking we could never be a pair; Oh, no, I don't need you, but I miss you, come here. He love me not, he loves me. He holds me tight, then lets me go.” Generally speaking, we like our independence, but at the same time, we like the fact of choosing a commitment that will bind loved ones together. In terms of our theme this week, a person who is able to develop a permanent commitment but at the same time remain somewhat independent will conquer the negative feelings involved in life.
And continuing at number 1—what a popular song this is--making it the longest recipient of being number 1 at 17 weeks since we began the show in 1980, the song “Ordinary,” from Alex Warren. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to conquer the negative feelings connected with life—make the mundane true masterpeices. Good song.
And that has been our theme today, what do the songs of our show suggest about negative feelings. It came from Ed Sheeran’s latest song “Camera” in which he talked about the negative feelings of a girlfriend. My prayer for you and for me is that we will address the negative feelings that come into our thoughts and realize that really we are pretty good people as we try to live well in our world. Thanks for your time today and thanks to our producers and to our sponsors, especially Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, and Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays. If you would like to request a song to be studied or want to comment on any of my comments, 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 meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some great movies. Our media meditation today is on the song “Feel It Still” which we played earlier. A reminder that you can join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 wherever you are: simply choose www.hayspost.com on your internet provider and click on Mix 103 at 10 am CDT for another couple weeks anyway. Before we take our leave, one final thought from Wayne Gretzky of hockey fame: “You miss 100 percent of shots you never take.” Yes, indeed. As you listen to the number 1 song in our area, from Alex Warren again and his song “Ordinary” and as we lead into it, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103 and our advice to you is, among the other things we have said, hold a good thought. From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
October 12, 2025
“Confident”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top,” and happy Fall again, as we are aware of the beautiful about-to-turn landscape around us. Welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, your host; get ready for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by our own research and Mediabase 24-7. We here at Mix 103 continue to give you only the very best in radio entertainment, / and that includes not only the songs that we play, but their messages as well. This morning we have top 10 songs from among others, Ravyn Lenae, Lady Gaga, and Morgan Wallen; and we have past top 10’s as well from people like birthday people John Mayer and Paul Simon.
How about a lead question today of “How confident are you?” Good guiding question because some of us are quite confident in what we do. Some not so much. The website from Psychology Today speaks of confidence this way: Confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life's challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of one’s capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. Projecting confidence helps people gain credibility, make a strong first impression, deal with pressure, and tackle personal and professional challenges. It’s also an attractive trait, as confidence helps put others at ease.
And they suggest how to be stronger at it: Being confident, they say means knowing that you can handle the emotional outcome of whatever you’ll face. Begin by acknowledging every emotion, including difficult emotions, rather than avoiding them. Speaking up for yourself, and limiting self-criticism, confidence is not all-encompassing: You can have high confidence in some areas and low confidence in others. In whatever new domain you choose, hone your skills by watching others, practicing being yourself, and taking advice from the experts.
Well, Benson Boone sings about confidence in his latest song. It is the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but he must watch being over-confident. It’s a good topic for our show today, I believe. Let’s talk about “Confidence” and use as our lead song Benson Boone here, from his album “American Heart” and “Mystical Magical” number 7 on MATT.
(double) 7 MYSICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone
SLOW IT DOWN / Benson Boone
Part 2
Double Benson Boone there, that last one from his album “Fireworks and Rollerblades,” from last year, his song “Slow it Down” on MATT. It is a plea for stability and reassurance amidst the whirlwind of love emotions. “I’d never met you,” he begins his song, “but I wanted to invite you to the party. Then you walked in with those green eyes and they flicker to the future for a moment; then you touch me, and I come back and we’re talking on the staircase ‘bout your big dreams. Out 0f Georgia, now you’re lonely in this city. Lying with me, and you’re scared it’s moving quickly. I can feel it. Oh, I hate that I’m the reason that you’re in your head right now while your world is spinning out. So, slow it down, take a moment now. We’re too young to drown, deep in dirty waters, full of hopeless doubt. Let me pull you out, let me hold you now. Let me slow it down.” So, a song of a love that is moving too quickly, and the need to slow things. In terms of our theme, one of the traits of self-confidence is not to be too quick in determining things because a person with self-confidence knows that things will work out.
Let’s give us all three of Benson Boone’s top 10 songs and begin this next triple play with the last of the three. It has recently left the top 10 and a song as I have said whose story is told for all practical purposes by its title. The name of it is “Sorry I’m here for Someone Else.” And that’s the story. He’s waiting for his current fiancee, meets an old flame, realizes that the old flame is the one that he currently likes, and breaks up with the one he is waiting for. In terms of our theme, he is not completely in love with either of them, it seems. And it is perfectly okay to be searching for the right one, but he should do it in a little less hurtful way, I think. Thinking of his confidence level, our theme today, he can be confident that he has not chosen a partner yet, and realize that he will some day. This is from his album “American Heart,” again, Benson Boone again, “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else”, on MATT.
(triple) SORRY I’M HERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE/ Benson Boone
EX’S AND OH’S / Elle King
5 DAISES / Justin Bieber
Part 3
From his latest album “Swag”, number 5 this morning, and “Daisies”, Justin Bieber on MATT. The song speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?’ he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever,’ babe, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, babe, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. Honey, I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Think I'd rather you in my bed. Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point: even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment. And if you are confident in what you are doing, our theme today, you will overcome those question marks as you pursue that relationship.
Before him, we heard from Tanner Elle Schneider better known as Elle King, American singer/songwriter/actress and a song from her album “Love Stuff,” and the name of the song “Ex’s and Oh’s” from 2016. It is a song about self-confidence, our theme today. Self-confidence is necessary, but being over-confident can have the opposite effect, especially if you speak about it to others. Such is the case here. The lady in the song sings of strong confidence in her own abilities to have lovers. “Well, I had me a boy, turned him into a man,” she sings. “I showed him all the things that he didn't understand. And then I let him go. Now, there's one in California who's been cursing my name ‘cause I found me a better lover in the UK until I made my getaway. One, two, three, they gonna run back to me 'cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep. They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave. Ex's and the Oh’s, they haunt me like ghosts; they want me to love 'em all. They won't let go.” In terms of our theme this week, this type of over self-confidence is not part of love, and therefore one of those virtues that we should not have. But I’m very quick to say that self-confidence is a virtue that we should develop without the “over” part.
Important words being said there about self-confidence, not because I said them, but coming from these songs and if people would know them, we’d be able to understand our lives a little more, I believe. What great messages these songs have. We will continue our countdown and extras after our first break of the day. Let me take you to that break with a thought. It comes from Tullulah Bankhead from a number of years ago, and a really good statement of fact: “If I had my life to live again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.” Now, that is one true statement and the advice that should be taught: make it a point to try to stay away from the mistakes. Our show is called MATT; I am Fr. Mike, and I hope your Sunday is a good one. Don’t go way; “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103 will be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
This is MATT and it is so good to have you back with us. We welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending today, and we welcome you back to some top 10 songs of the past as well. And with our music, we always give the meanings of the songs. I’m Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of its kind in this area, maybe in the world, the show that takes the top songs and explains their messages, and then we call the show “Message at the Top.” The topic of our show this morning was given to us by Benson Boone and his song “Mystical Magical” and we are playing our songs as we think about self-confidence.
And let’s go to another song specifically about confidence. And in particular, lack of confidence. “She’s blood, flesh and bone,” Tal Bachman begins his song here, “She’s touch, smell, sight, taste and song. But somehow I can’t believe that anything should happen. I know where I belong, and nothing’s gonna happen cause she’s so high, high above me.” As I say, not a whole lot of confidence in that particular statement. In fact, one wonders whether the lack of confidence isn’t something that has plagued his life in other areas as well. One of the most important things we must learn to develop in life is a certain self-confidence in the way we conduct our lives. If we don’t learn it, chances are that things like anger and feeling sorry for ourselves can overcome us. This is Tal Bachman from 1999 from his album named after him, and his song “She’s So High” on MATT.
(double) SHE’S SO HIGH / Tal Bachman
9 LOSE CONTROL / Teddy Swims
Part 5
Teddy Swims there, the number 1 song of popularity for the whole year of 2024 and at number 9 this week on our playlist and a song of loneliness. It comes from his album “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, part 1”, his song “Lose Control” on MATT. It is the story of what happens when a person is lonely. He sings “Something’s got a hold of me lately. No, I don’t know myself anymore, feels like the walls are all closing in and the devil’s knocking at my door. Outta my mind, how many times did I tell you I’m no good at being alone? It’s taking a toll on me, trying my best to keep from tearing the skin off my bones. Don’t you know I lose control when you’re not next to me. I’m falling apart right in front of you. You’re breaking my heart. You make a mess of me.” So it is loneliness, but it is loneliness because one special person is no longer there for him. A person who is lonely in today’s world has a serious problem, and in general, a simple resolution to get over it will not work. It will take away the self-confidence we should have, our theme today, and working on that confidence just may help us to be less lonely.
Now, let’s direct our computers to play yet another triple play as we close out our first hour together on this October Fall morning. And yet another song specifically about confidence, a song that says that one must have energy to live and love well, and she feels that she has it. “Got that real big energy,” she begins her song, “I could be your fantasy. I can tell you got big energy. It ain’t too many people that can handle me, but I might let you try. I like what I see: a boss like you need a boss like me.” I cleaned up the language a little. Quite obviously, the lady in the relationship feels that she is just right for any man. And, as we think of our theme today, one of great feelings connected with life is the feeling of being really confident about that life. From her album “777”, her being Alyssa Michelle Stephens, better known as the American rapper Latto and her song “Big Energy” from 2021 on MATT.
(triple) BIG ENERGY / Latto
BROKEN / lovelytheband
10 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran
Part 6
A song of the feelings of love, and our theme next week, the latest from Ed Sheeran at number 10 on our playlist this morning, from his album “Play,” and his song “Camera” on MATT. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some poetry about the way his friend looks. The feelings we have of love of another are often part of building up one’s own self confidence, our theme today.
Before him, we heard from the group Lovelytheband, all one word, their song “Broken” from their album “Finding It Hard to Smile”. It is a song that actually was released in 2018, popular in 2019 as well and a song about loneliness and the couple is trying to get over the loneliness by spending time together. “I like that you’re broken,” they sing, “broken like me. Maybe that makes me a fool. I like that you’re lonely, lonely like me, I could be lonely with you.” They met at a party, and they sing “These aren’t my people, these aren’t my friends. She grabbed my face and said I like that you’re broken, broken like me, lonely like me.” So, both of them lonely and broken, but you get the feeling that they will not remain that way very long. They both seem to possess the self-confidence, our theme today, necessary to initiate the relationship.
As always, we have some interesting thoughts about some very real love and life situations in these songs. The theme of MATT this morning is the idea of self-confidence. Our next session of music and message will explore that theme with top 10 music at the present time and from the past as well. In fact, get ready for music from the top 10 present in the persons of Morgan Wallen singing with Tate McRae, Lady Gaga together with Bruno Mars and Shaboozey and also music from Taio Cruz, Joan Osborne and Shawn Mendes. Let me take you to break with this thought. It comes from Pearl S. Buck, the famous early advocate for women’s rights, born in Hillsboro, West Virginia by the way, not far from my home town: “Every great mistake has a half-way moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied.” Now that is encouraging—mistakes made about life have some time when we can re-think what we’re going to do. Advice to remember. You bet. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
This is “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103, and what we often call the MATT music network. Thank you for being here this morning. I am Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show, and songs that talk about life subjects that range from leaving a bad relationship to blaming others. We are pursuing a theme that is discovering what the songs of our show say in the form of advice concerning confidence. It came from Benson Boone’s current number 7 song “Mystical Magical.”
Let’s go back to our top 10 as we begin our second hour together on this Fall Sunday morning. It is a song that has been in our top 10 for over a year, and a song of true commitment to another. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment to one another, and celebrating then and there a great moment together. In terms of our theme this week, as we think of self-confidence, if we have made a commitment that is truly permanent, we will be quite confident in the way we act throughout our life. This is a song featuring the artist of the year on the MTV-VMA awards, a song about true commitment to another, from Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga along with Peter Gene Hernandez that is Bruno Mars, and their song of the year for a duo this year “Die With a Smile” at number 4 this week on MATT.
(triple) 4 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
TREAT YOU BETTER/ Shawn Mendes
8 GOOD NEWS / Shaboozey
Part 8
MATT presenting the number 8 song on our playlist this morning from Collins Obinna Chibueze better known as Shaboozey, country and pop artist, from his album “Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going: Deluxe edition,” and “Good News”. It is a song about something that the person in the song wishes he had, but it’s a long way from him. “Man, what a hell of a year it’s been,” he begins the song, “keep on bluffin’, but I just can’t win, drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim. Head in a bottle for my heart in a case. Yeah, it’s getting’ harder to act my age. I need some good news; sittin here, sippin’ on cold truth. Nobody knows what I’m going through; bet the devil wouldn’t walk in my shoes; wish someone told me. Still stuck singin’ these blues. All I really need is a little good news. Love keeps knockin’, but I just stay home.” There is nothing but bad news for the man in the relationship. He needs to understand the fact that he must work with the thought of bad news in his relationships because bad news unfortunately happens a lot, and in terms of our theme, a person with true self-confidence realizes that there will be bad news no matter what situation in life, and we will learn to put up with it.
Before him, we heard from Shawn Mendes and his song “Mercy” from 2017, from his “Illuminate” album, and his song “Mercy”. It is a song about a lady in his relationship who has a hold on the man in the relationship and he can’t let go of her although he should in my opinion. “Please have mercy on me,” he sings, “Even though you don’t mean to hurt me, you keep tearing me apart. I’m not asking for a lot—just that you’re honest with me. I’m a puppet on your strings, and even though you got good intentions, I need you to set me free. Consuming all the air inside my lungs, I’m prepared to sacrifice my life.” He definitely should get out of the relationship because all it is doing is hurting him. And when he finally realizes that, his confidence in himself, our theme today, just may be destroyed, and that spells disaster for a person.
Let’s go back to the year 2011 and a song of good times. “I throw my hands up in the air sometimes,” he sings, “saying AYO, gotta let go! I wanna celebrate and live my life. I came to dance. I hit the floor ‘cause that’s my plans. I’m wearing all my favorite brands, give me space for both my hands. ‘Cause we gonna rock this club, we gonna go all night. We gonna light it up, like it’s dynamite, ‘cause I told you once, now I told you twice, we gonna light it up like it’s dynamite. I came to move. Get out of the way for me and my crew. I’m in the club so I’m gonna do just what I came here to do.” And he came to celebrate, to have a good time, and that’s great, as long as we don’t hurt ourselves or others in the process. If we keep remembering that, we will be people who have a healthy self confidence, our theme today. This is Taio Cruz and his song “Dynamite,” from his album “Rokstarr” from the songs of meaning of 2011 on MATT.
(triple) DYNAMITE / Taio Cruz
ONE OF US / Joan Osborne
6 WHAT I WANT / Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae
Part 9
Our number 6 song on our playlist this week and a song about having fun, from Morgan Wallen’s album “I’m the Problem”, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae and their song “What I Want” on MATT. “She said ‘You don’t want this heart, boy, it’s already broke’” they sing, “told me everything she touch / just goes up in smoke, only stay a couple nights, then she’s gonna be gone. I said, ‘Baby, that’s what I want. And you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no trust issues with me. I got ‘em too; you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no exes that’s crazy, I got ‘em too. If you’re in a hurry, nah, you ain’t gonna hurt me tonight and it won’t be the worst thing if this is all it is and in the middle of a kiss.” The couple is only beginning their relationship and it sounds like they are being totally honest with each other, and they are not ready to be serious yet. And they are okay with that. It is an immature relationship, but it is something they are enjoying. In terms of our theme of developing self-confidence, the ability to enjoy ourselves is definitely part of it.
Before them, we heard quite a song for popular music from Joan Osborne, 1995, “One of Us” from her album “Relish”. The song asks questions about God. “If God had a name,” she sings, “what would it be? What would you ask if you had just one question? What if God was one of us. If God had a face, what would it look like? And would you want to see him if seeing meant that you would have to believe.” Joan Osborne does not give any answers in her song, but it does seem as though the questioning leads to a conclusion. The refrain states that “God is great, yeah. God is good.” What at first may sound like a mockery of God can be praise of God. It is an important song for the many critics of religion in our world, and there are many of them at this time especially. As we think of our theme today, I firmly believe that one of the helps to self-confidence is a belief that God created us. Of course, you probably figured that I would say that.
We are talking of self-confidence on our show today. It came from Benson Boone’s latest song “Mystical Magical”. We have another half hour to go yet as we listen to some more music and messages. A thought to take us out of this segment: it was attributed to Benjamin Franklin, and I just love this one. “He that waits upon fortune / is never sure of a dinner.” Think about that. My comment: we can’t just wait for life to happen—we have to work at it. It is part of learning self-confidence. Don’t go way—we’ll be right back with MATT on Mix 103.
Part 10
You, my friends, are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show on today’s best music Mix 103. Welcome back to the songs that have been most popular in this area during this week which ends today, the second Sunday in October 2025. Our show takes the top 10 from today and yesterday and studies their messages, and then, we call our show MATT. I’m your host Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We have taken our theme from the song “Mystical Magical” from Mr. Benson Boone and we are using it with the theme of the thought of confidence.
We close our show and as usual, we give you the top 3 songs of this week in this area. But before we do that, we will wish some happy birthdays to two people. John Clayton Mayer, Amerian singer/songwriter will be 48 years old on Thursday. Here in this first song of a double play from him. It won him a grammy award in 2007. It is a commentary on our world, placing some blame on who is responsible for some bad elements in that world. “Me and my friends,” he sings, “we’re all misunderstood. They say we stand for nothing and there’s no way we ever could. Now we see everything that’s going wrong with the world, and those who lead it. We just feel like we don’t have the means to rise above and beat it. So we keep waiting, waiting for the world to change.” And he gets critical: “It’s hard to beat the system,” he sings, “when we’re standing at a distance. Now if we had the power to bring our neighbors home from war, they would have never missed a Christmas, no more ribbons on their door.” And he says that his generation is going to change some things: “One day our generation is gonna rule the population,” he sings, and the implicit statement is that—then, things will change. One of the things that will help change our world is our own conviction that we are in control of our lives, and acting accordingly. This is from his album, “Continuum,” John Mayer, “Waiting for The World To Change” from the year 2006. Happy birthday to him on MATT.
(triple) WAITIN’ FOR THE WORLD TO CHANGE/ John Mayer
SAY / John Mayer
KODACHROME / Paul Simon
Part 11
One of the greatest living songwriters of all time, I believe, Paul Frederic Simon, that is Paul Simon. The song is from 1973 from his album “There Goes Rhymin’ Simon,” his song “Kodachrome” on MATT. His birthday is tomorrow when he will be 84 years old. The song says learning is important, and hopefully, those of you who are into education at this time can see that. He does it in a clever way saying that some of the things he learned were learned away from school—kodachrome and what he learned in school was only black and white. In terms of our theme, I believe every one of us should be taught to learn from any experience. I know the song is a little out of our usual genre of songs, but he sings it every time he has a concert in our modern day. How’s that for rationalization. And incidentally, I do not agree with his opening line.
Before him, we heard the close of a double play from another birthday person today, John Mayer, and his song “Say.” It was from the year 2008 from the soundtrack of the excellent movie “The Bucket List”. “If you could only say what you need to say,” he sings. “Take all of your wasted honor, every little past frustration, take all of your so-called problems, better put them in quotations, say what you need to say. Walking like a one man army, fighting with the shadows in your head, living out the same old moment, knowing you’d be better off instead if you could only say what you need to say.” His thought is that of the movie, namely we have to look at the problems that we have, and we have to work with them in such a way that we actually can solve them if we say and do what is necessary. I love the message because it is a statement about what we have to do in life and love, namely talk things out, and it is exactly what we need to have more confidence in ourselves, our theme today.
As promised, let’s go to our top 3 right now. At number 3 is a song which is a former number 1 that talks especially to the men in her life. She sings, “You said your phone was broken, just forgot to charge it; Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started. It’s all just so familiar, what do you call it? Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless? But there’s a cuter word for it, I know, Man-child. Why you always come a-running to me? Won’t you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there. Man-child, why you always come a-running, taking all my loving from me?” It is a song that is speaking of the immaturity of young adult love, especially men and it is a picture of what can happen when one is only out for fun in a relationship. In terms of our theme this morning, as we said before, enjoying ourselves is part of life, and it is a characteristic of someone who can make a permanent commitment. This is from her latest album “Man’s Best Friend,” and the name of it is “Manchild” from Sabrina Carpenter, number 3 on MATT. (double)
3 MANCHILD / Sabrina Carpenter
2 LOVE ME NOT / Ravyn Lenae
Part 12
Moving up to number 2 on our playlist, a song of permanent commitment again, but also the art of remaining independent. Ravyn Lenae and her song from her album “Bird’s Eye”, and the name of it, “Love Me Not” on MATT. “See, right now,” she begins her song, “I need you, I'll meet you somewhere now; slow down, be cool, I miss you, come here now. I need you right now, once I leave you I'm strung out; if I get you, I'm slowly breaking down. Oh, it's hard to see you, but I wish you were right here. Oh, it's hard to leave you when I get you everywhere. All this time I'm thinking we could never be a pair; Oh, no, I don't need you, but I miss you, come here. He love me not, he loves me. He holds me tight, then lets me go.” Generally speaking, we like our independence, but at the same time, we like the fact of choosing a commitment that will bind loved ones together. In terms of our theme this week, a person who is self-confident can show a permanent commitment to another, but at the same time remain somewhat independent in my opinion.
And continuing at number 1—what a popular song this is--making it the longest recipient of being number 1 at 16 weeks since we began the show in 1980, the song “Ordinary,” from Alex Warren. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of what a person with self-confidence, our theme today, will do—make the mundane true masterpeices. Good song.
That theme of “Confidence” was taken from Benson Boone and his song “Mystical Magical”. My prayer for you and me is that everyone of us will develop a self-confidence that will help us lead better lives. My thanks to our producers and sponsors, especially our sponsors at Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, and Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays. If you want to contact me by mail, I hope you do so at KJLS radio, Hays, KS, 67601 or my e-mail address is frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find some meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some great movies and a transcript of this show. On that website today is a meditation on the the beginning of the movie “Limitless”. Interesting movie. If you want to join us on the web, go to www.hayspost.com and click on Mix 103 at 10am Sunday morning. A final thought from leadership specialist Elbert Hubbard: “The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one.” We have to be cautious about our living, but we still have to live, and sometimes we will make mistakes, but we have to lift ourselves right up and go at life again as best as we can. As we close with Alex Warren’s “Ordinary”, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103, and among the other things that we have said today, our advice is to hold a good thought. From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good.
1 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
October 5, 2025
“What Can Make Us Thrive”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top” your top 10 show on Mix 103. This is the show that gives you the messages of the top 10 of today and yesterday, and, surprisingly enough, the songs enable us to see exactly what can help our lives be a bit better than they are already. I’m your host, Fr. Mike; thanks for being part of our show this morning. We have the top 10 music of today and some of the past 45 years all warmed up on our computers. Some of those songs today include music from Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and Sabrina Carpenter and many more. Our motto continues to be to enjoy the music which you are doing or else you wouldn’t listen to this great radio station, but at the same time—what our show adds—listen to the message, allowing that message to sink into our brains and actually guide us to better living.
Last month on September 7, the music world celebrated the MTV Video Music Awards, and a number of the people of our genere of music were part of them, of course, and I thought it would be good to review some of the winners as we play our songs and think of their meanings today. One of the headliners of the show was Lady Gaga who was chosen as artist of the year. Her song that contributed to that was her song “Abracadabra” whose video won “Best Direction” and “Best Art Direction.”
It is a song with a lot of meaning and a video that fits right in with the words. This is the way she explains it: “In many ways,” she writes, “the song is about how to deal with the challenge to yourself. I wanted to explore the question ‘What does it feel like to thrive rather than just survive all the time. Life presents obstacles everyone must overcome. But sometimes the barriers are self-imposed.” And so, she sings: “Pay the toll to the angels, drawing circles in the clouds, keep your mind on the distance when the devil turns around. Hold me in your heart tonight in the magic of the dark moonlight; save me from this empty fight, like a poem said by the lady in red. Now you’re both in a dance. It’s time to cast your spell on the night.” She describes the lady in red as the opposition one feels within, the internal pressure. Often the external world mirrors the cynical demands of one’s internal dialogue. But she wants more than endurance. She wants to thrive. Great thoughts, centering in on working on our inner selves to make them better than they are.
The video which everyone should watch on You-tube features two Gagas: one in white and another in red with really good dancing—two sides battle, pitting the good against the bad, the innocent vs. the wicked. She is describing what she calls “resilience,” the ability to hang in there. Great song and video as pointed out by the MTV Video Music Awards which we will honor today. We’ll use “Abracadabra” as our theme today, which we will call “What Should Make Us Thrive?” Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta here known as Lady Gaga answering that what should make us thrive should be our inner selves; from her new album “Mayhem,” and her song “Abracadabra” from earlier this year on MATT.
(double) ABRACADABRA / Lady Gaga
BLOODY MARY / Lady Gaga
Part 2
We will honor MTV-VMA’s Artist of the Year, namely Lady Gaga with 5 of her songs as we begin our show today. That last one was from her album “Born This Way,” and her intriguing song “Bloody Mary” from 2022 on MATT. I call it intriguing because Lady Gaga is singing about a person of the New Testament, Mary Magdalene, and places the context in terms of what she would say as Jesus died on the cross. The song seems to be saying that just as Mary Magdalene stayed with Jesus in his life, the person in the song will stay with a commitment. “Love is just a history” she sings, “that they may prove and when you’re gone, I’ll tell them my religion’s you. When Punktious comes to kill the king upon his throne, I’m ready for their stones. I’ll dance with my hands above my head like Jesus said. I won’t cry for you, I won’t crucify the things you do. See, when you’re gone, I’ll still be Bloody Mary.” In the artist’s interpretation, Mary Magdalene is still bleeding for Jesus after he’s gone. Put into a relationship point of view, the lady is still committed to the man no matter what happens. She is making a commitment no matter what, and in terms of our theme, that which would make her thrive is the fact that she keeps that commitment. Interesting song to study as many of hers are.
As promised, let’s do 3 more Lady Gaga songs, and begin it with a song about tears that the lady in the relationship is shedding because of a relationship, a song about persevering through troubles and accepting the pain. “I didn’t ask for a free ride,” they sing, “I only asked you to show me a real good time. I never asked for the rainfall; you showed me nothing at all. It’s coming down on me, water like misery. I’d rather be dry, but at least I’m alive. Living in a world where no one’s innocent. Oh, but at least we try. Gotta live my truth, not keep it bottled in so I don’t lose my mind. Rain on me.” The lady of the relationship is feeling very badly, but she seems to be ready to try to make the relationship work—“at least we try” they sing. As we study what should make us thrive as human beings, one of them should be that we keep trying to do what should be done. The song came from her album “Chromatica”, Lady Gaga along with Ariana Grande, from the year 2020 and “Rain on Me” on MATT.
(triple) RAIN ON ME / Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
THE EDGE OF GLORY / Lady Gaga
YOU AND I / Lady Gaga
Part 3
The extremely versatile Lady Gaga again and her song “You and I” on MATT, from her album “Born This Way” again from 2011. The lady in a relationship sings about her lover whom she calls “Nebraska.” “It’s been a long time,” she sings, “since I came around, been a long time but I’m back in town. This time I’m not leaving without you. Something about this place, something ‘bout lonely nights and my lipstick on your face, something about my cool Nebraska guy, yeah, something about you and I.” She is probably going back to her Catholic roots with the mention of the Lord as she sings about important men in her life—her daddy, her man Nebraska, and Jesus Christ. Her song is about determination to be with a lover, and one of the things that should thrive in our lives, our theme today, is the virtue of determination for the good things in life.
Before her, her again, as we open our show with 5 songs from her, the artist of the year according to this year’s MTV-VMA awards, this time with her song “The Edge of Glory” from her album “Born This Way,” from 2011. It is a song of discovering excitement in life. The woman in the relationship begins the song: “There ain’t no reason you and me should be alone tonight. And I got a reason that you’re who should take me home tonight. I need a man that thinks it’s right when it’s so wrong, right on the limits where we know we both belong tonight. It’s hard to feel the rush, to brush the dangerous. I’m gonna run to the edge with you, where we can both fall far in love. I’m on the edge of glory. I’m on the edge of something final we call life tonight.” Enjoying the excitement in life is just fine, and probably ought to be something we want to thrive in our lives, our theme today.
Today we are studying some songs that were honored on the MTV-VMA earlier this month. May I lead you to break with this proverb: “Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.” Amen to that. And MATT’s advice—keep your mouth shut if you don’t know what you are talking about. Your dial is set for “Message at the Top”; may I implore you to keep it there. As MacArthur, we will return.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
If the song is in the top 10, we will play it here, to be sure. Hi, everyone. You are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show that plays songs from the top 10 from the present and from the past, and we talk about their meanings in our world today. Welcome back to our show. We take the top 10 and study their messages, and then call our show MATT. Our motto is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us live better lives. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We’re concentrating on a theme from Lady Gaga’s song which inspired a great video production, “Abracadabra” and we are working with the theme of what should we strive for in our world today?
Let’s go to a couple of songs of popularity in our region, then spend some time specifically with the songs from this year’s MTV-VMA awards. Let’s begin this section of our show with Ms. Miley Cyrus. In her song, she sings “We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain. We jumped, never asking why. I fell under your spell, a love no one could deny. Don’t you ever say I just walked away, I will always want you. I can’t live a lie, running for my life. I came in like a wrecking ball, I never hit so hard in love. All I wanted was to break your walls. All you ever did was wreck me. You let me burn, and now, we’re ashes on the ground. Instead of using force, I guess I should’ve let you win.” What should she have done about the situation? She gives us the answer: “Instead of using force,” she sings, “I guess I should have let you win.” I think that that is a very important insight. When people are moving into romantic love, they can’t be bulldozers or wrecking balls. They have to be people who want the other person to win. I don’t agree that the other has to win in all of the situations that occur—we still have our own integrity to uphold—but in terms of our theme, we should thrive on giving the other in our relationships what he/she wants. This is a teen idol at one time—Ms. Miley Cyrus from her album “Bangerz,” and from 2013, her song “Wrecking Ball” on MATT.
(double) WRECKING BALL/ Miley Cyrus
SENORITA / Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello
Part 5
The song is sung with a former girlfriend according to the gossip, Shawn Mendes singing with Camilla Cabello, and their song “Senorita” from 2019 from his album “Shawn Mendes / Deluxe Edition.” 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. Considered with our theme today about what should thrive in our lives, well, that which should thrive between them is honesty.
Our closing triple play for our first hour together on this Fall Sunday morning begins with one of the singers of One Direction, Niall Horan. It is the story of two people in love who want their relationship to continue. “Slow hands,” he sings, “Like sweat dripping down our dirty laundry. No chance that I’m leaving here without you on me. I know that there ain’t no stopping your plans and those slow hands. I just wanna take my time. We could do this all night ‘cause I want you bad. Fingertips putting on a show, got me now and I can’t say ‘No,” wanna be with you all alone. Take me home. Can’t you tell that I want you.” So, both in the relationship really wanting the relationship, and you are led to believe that the time that they spend working on the relationship is well worth it for them. In terms of our theme this week, that which they should strive for is a better understanding of their growing love. This is the song “Slow Hands” from his album “Flicker” from 2017, Niall Horan on MATT.
(triple) SLOW HANDS / Niall Horan
WATERMELON SUGAR / Harry Styles
APT / Rose f/ Bruno Mars
Part 6
Moving into the songs honored at the MTV-VMA awards, that one was voted “song of the year” and nominated in a couple of other categories, quite a song with a lot of energy, to say the least. It is by New Zealand born and South Korean singer Rose whose real name is Roseanne Park. The song is from her album “Rosie” and sung with Bruno Mars. The song itself is described as a drinking game song sung in both English and Korean. The name of it is APT. It stands for the Korean phrase in the song APAPTEU, literally meaning “apartment” according to Wikipedia. “Kissy face, kissy face sent to your phone,” they sing, “but I’m tryna kiss your lips for real; red hearts, red hearts, that’s what I’m on. Come give me somethin' I can feel. Don’t you want me like I want you; don’t you need me like I need you now? Sleep tomorrow, but tonight go crazy. All you gotta do is just meet me at the apapteu.” So, not a whole lot of meaning, although certainly a love song, but the beat itself is something very positive, positive in terms of having a good time and truly enjoying life. In terms of our theme today, one of the things that we should thrive on is the thought of truly enjoying the life we have.
Before them, we heard from the album “Fine Line,” 30 year old British singer/songwriter Harry Styles and his song from 2020 “Watermelon Sugar.” It is a story in song of the desire for good feelings. “Tastes like strawberries on a summer evening. And it sounds like a summer feelin’, it’s so wonderful and warm. Breathe me in, breathe me out. I don’t know if I could ever go without. I’m just thinking out loud. Watermelon sugar high. I want that summer feelin’, getting washed away in you. I just wanna taste it, Watermelon sugar high.” It is a song about feelings, and there is little doubt that feelings are extremely important in any relationship, but we have to watch that one does not spend too much time on them, and not enough time on the make-up of the relationship, which is what we should thrive on, our theme today.
Great stuff to think about I believe. The title of MATT today concerns the thought of what we should thrive on. Our next hour of music and message will explore that theme with top 10 music, past and present in the form of the whole top 10 right now, one after another. Here is a thought to lead us to break from Alex Haley of “Roots” fame: “You have to deal with the fact that your life / is your life.” Yes indeed, and therefore, don’t blame others for the past, accept the responsibility of yourself, and you will grow in maturity even if you must face breakups. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top”. With all due respect, I say--Don’t even think about touching that dial!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
We are back, as we celebrate another Sunday together, this one in the beautiful Fall month of October and what beautiful weather these days, at least here in Eastern Kansas. I hope it is beautiful for you and I hope that the rest of your Sunday will be a good one for you as well. This is “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show today, a show that is concentrating on the winners of the MTV-Video Music Awards, and we will also give you the complete top 10 this week as well.
But
before we do that, let’s give you the best hip-hop song of the year
according to the MTV-VMA awards. It was also on our chart and its
meaning
is tangled with fear, fame, and frustration, and therefore quite
appropriately named “Anxiety.” “Anxiety
keep on trying me,” she begins her song, “I feel it quietly,
Tryna silence me, My anxiety, Can't shake it off of me, Somebody's
watching me And my anxiety.” And the lyrics dive straight into the
mess of modern life. Some of those messes include happiness and
unhappiness, success and failure, and continually a constant pressure
on her mind, body, and identity.
In
terms of our theme this week, one of the things that we should thrive
on is the ability to discern where the anxiety comes from, and then
to face it head on.
It
comes from rapper/singer/songwriter Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon better
known as Doechii and her song “Anxiety.” She uses as a
sample—that is a similar sound—Gotye’s 2011 song
“Somebody
That I Used to Know,”
and is on her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” on MATT.
(triple)
ANXIETY / Docheii
WHAT DO YOU MEAN / Justin Bieber
10 GOLDEN / Huntrix
Part 8
Beginning our countdown today, that is the fictional K-Pop girl group Huntrix from the 2025 anaimated musical fantasy film “KPop Demon Hunters” a film inspired by Korean heroes and their song “Golden”, number 10 today on MATT. The film is a Netflix film that follows this girls group who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. I will mispronounce their names, so let’s just call them the trio Huntrix. The words recall the story that I just gave you. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. Admittedly, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and it fits into our theme very well this morning: one of the things that should make us thrive is to be the type of person who wants to make things right.
Before them, I thought I would give you the song that is featured on my website today. It is a great song of the importance of communication from Justin Bieber from 2015, his album “Purpose” and his song “What Do You Mean”. “What do you mean?” he begins the song. “When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say no, what do you mean? When you don't want me to move, but you tell me to go, what do you mean? Said we're running out of time, what do you mean? Better make up your mind. What do you mean? You're so indecisive of what I'm saying, trying to catch the beat, make up your heart. Don't know if you're happy or complaining, don't want for us to end. Where do I start? First you wanna go to the left and you want to turn right. First you up then you're down and between. I really want to know. What do you mean?” Good question, and one that we should ask all the time as we try to determine the nature of our communication with another. Good song.
Back to our countdown now, and we give you the rest of the songs in countdown fashion till the end of our show. At number 9, we have the latest release from Benson Boone’s “American Heart” album. It is the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but he must watch being over-confident; nonetheless, one of the things that we should thrive on, our theme today, is the fact that we can be confident as we fall in love. Benson Boone here, from his album “American Heart” and “Mystical Magical” number 9 on MATT.
(triple) 9 MYSTICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone
8 GOOD NEWS / Shaboozey
7 LOSE CONTROL / Teddy Swims
Part 9
Teddy Swims there, the number 1 song of popularity for the whole year of 2024 and at number 7 this week on our countdown and a song of loneliness. It comes from his album “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, part 1”, his song “Lose Control” on MATT. It is the story of what happens when a person is lonely. He sings “Something’s got a hold of me lately. No, I don’t know myself anymore, feels like the walls are all closing in and the devil’s knocking at my door. Outta my mind, how many times did I tell you I’m no good at being alone? It’s taking a toll on me, trying my best to keep from tearing the skin off my bones. Don’t you know I lose control when you’re not next to me. I’m falling apart right in front of you. You’re breaking my heart. You make a mess of me.” So it is loneliness, but it is loneliness because one special person is no longer there for him. A person who is lonely in today’s world has a serious problem, and in general, a simple resolution to get over it will not work. We usually have to spend some time of therapy or the like to talk it out and decide what to do. It will mean that we should thrive, our theme today, on being just the opposite of lonely.
Before him, we heard our number 8 song on our countdown this morning from Collins Obinna Chibueze better known as Shaboozey, country and pop artist, from his album “Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going: Deluxe edition,” and his latest song in the top 10 at number 8, “Good News”. It is a song about something that the person in the song wishes he had, but it’s a long way from him. “Man, what a hell of a year it’s been,” he begins the song, “keep on bluffin’, but I just can’t win, drowned my sorrows, but they learned to swim. Head in a bottle for my heart in a case. Yeah, it’s getting’ harder to act my age. I need some good news; sittin here, sippin’ on cold truth. Nobody knows what I’m going through; bet the devil wouldn’t walk in my shoes; wish someone told me. Still stuck singin’ these blues. All I really need is a little good news. Love keeps knockin’, but I just stay home.” There is nothing but bad news for the man in the relationship. He needs to understand the fact that he must work with the thought of bad news in his relationships because bad news unfortunately happens a lot, and in terms of our theme, no matter what makes him thrive in life, there will no doubt be some bad news that he will have to put up with.
We have taken that theme of the question, what things should we thrive on in life. Here’s some advice to close this segment: “If you want to make the world smell a little better, you’ve got to do your own laundry first.” I love it, and I used it all the time on the parish retreats that I have given. It came from a billboard in front of a Laundromat in Denver. That’s pretty good. We will continue MATT in just a minute. I’m Fr. Mike for the MATT music network. Stay with us!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
We are back, my friends, for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103, your music station in Central Kansas, today’s best music Mix 103. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to give you the final segment of our show, this first Sunday of the beautiful month of October, 2025. It is great to have you with us once again as we are developing a theme that the artist of the year according to the MTV-VMA awards gave us—Lady Gaga—and that theme of what should we show that we are thriving for in life?
And we are up to number 6 in our countdown this morning. It speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?’ he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever,’ babe, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, babe, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. Honey, I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Think I'd rather you in my bed. Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point: even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment. Both making and keeping a permanent commitment is a good leadership principle to follow, and that idea of a permanent permanent commitment is a must as we thrive for things in our lives, our theme today. This is from his latest album “Swag”, number 6 this morning, and “Daisies”, Justin Bieber on MATT.
(triple) 6 DAISIES / Justin Bieber
5 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
4 WHAT I WANT / Morgan Wallen & Tate McRae
Part 11
Our number 4 song on our countdown and a song about having fun, from Morgan Wallen’s album “I’m the Problem”, Morgan Wallen and Tate McRae and their song “What I Want” on MATT. “She said ‘You don’t want this heart, boy, it’s already broke’” they sing, “told me everything she touch / just goes up in smoke, only stay a couple nights, then she’s gonna be gone. I said, ‘Baby, that’s what I want. And you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no trust issues with me. I got ‘em too; you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no exes that’s crazy, I got ‘em too. If you’re in a hurry, nah, you ain’t gonna hurt me tonight and it won’t be the worst thing if this is all it is and in the middle of a kiss.” The couple is only beginning their relationship and it sounds like they are being totally honest with each other, and they are not ready to be serious yet. And they are okay with that. It is an immature relationship, but it is something they are enjoying. In terms of our theme of what we should be thriving in our lives, having a good time is certainly just fine, but for true maturity, that which we really thrive on, our theme today, is certainly more than that.
Before them, we heard number 5 on our countdown, a song featuring again the artist of the year, but it was also a song which received the best collaboration award, a song about true commitment to one another that has been in our top 10 for a whole year plus. It is a song that has been in the top 10 over a year now from Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga along with Peter Gene Hernandez that is Bruno Mars, and their song of the year for a duo this year “Die With a Smile” at number 5 this week. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment to one another, and celebrating then and there a great moment together. In terms of our theme this week, as we think of what should people be thriving for in their achievements, one of them would be the ability to make and keep a permanent commitment. We’ve said that a couple of times this morning.
Right now as we move to the top 3, we move to a song that extols a permament commitment, but also the art of remaining independent in our reasoning. “See, right now,” she begins her song, “I need you, I'll meet you somewhere now; slow down, be cool, I miss you, come here now. I need you right now, once I leave you I'm strung out; if I get you, I'm slowly breaking down. Oh, it's hard to see you, but I wish you were right here. Oh, it's hard to leave you when I get you everywhere. All this time I'm thinking we could never be a pair; Oh, no, I don't need you, but I miss you, come here. He love me not, he loves me. He holds me tight, then lets me go.” Generally speaking, we like our independence, but at the same time, we like the fact of choosing a commitment that will bind loved ones together. In terms of our theme this week, both can be good leadership principles to thrive after—living out a permanent commitment well, and remaining somewhat independent. This is number 3 in our countdown from Ravyn Lenae Washington or simply Ravyn Lenae and her song from her latest album “Bird’s Eye”, and the name of it, “Love Me Not” on MATT.
(double) 3 LOVE ME NOT / Ravyn Renae
2 MANCHILD / Sabrina Carpenter
Part 12
Moving back to number 2 which causes quite an honor to number 1 today, but at number 2 is last week’s number 1, from her latest album “Man’s Best Friend,” and the name of it is “Manchild” from Sabrina Carpenter. Incidentally, her first album “Short ‘n Sweet” won the best album in this year’s MTV-VMA awards. In this song, “Manchild,” she sings, “You said your phone was broken, just forgot to charge it; Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started. It’s all just so familiar, what do you call it? Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless? But there’s a cuter word for it, I know, Man-child. Why you always come a-running to me? Won’t you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there. Man-child, why you always come a-running, taking all my loving from me?” It is a song that is speaking of the immaturity of young adult love, especially men and it is a picture of what can happen when one is only out for fun in a relationship. In terms of our theme this morning, as we said before, having fun is a leadership principle, and is just fine, but it is not something that we should want to thrive in our lives.
And moving back to number 1, making it the longest recipient of being number 1 at 15 weeks since we began the show in 1980, the song “Ordinary,” from Alex Warren. He is also the winner of the best new artist award on the MTV-VMA awards. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of something that should be thriving in our lives—make the mundane things of life true masterpieces. If we do, we will have exemplary lives. Good song.
That theme came from the artist of the year according to the MTV-VMA awards this year, Lady Gaga, and in particular her song “Abracadabra.” My prayer for you and me is that we will work at making the important things in life something that we truly thrive for. If you want to contact me for any reason, my e-mail address is: frmikescully@yahoo.com or the address at the radio station: KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601. I invite you to visit my website as well at www.frmikescully.com where you will find some meditations on the Gospels, songs and movies and a transcript of our show today. Our meditation on that website today is on the song “What Do You Mean” which we heard earlier. And you can hear us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 am by tuning to www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103.3. Thank you for being with us today. My thanks to Jeff, the producer of our show and to our sponsors, some of whom include Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment. Here is a thought to close with. It comes from Very Reverend Jonathan Swift, an English priest who died in 1745: “No wise person ever wished to be younger.” That’s interesting; of course, it means that we should be learning more and more as we grow older and become more mature—or we should anyway. We close our show with the number 1 song in our area which has now the honor of spending the longest time at number 1 since 1980, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” and as you listen to it, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music, Mix 103, and our advice to you among the other things we have said today is to hold a good thought. From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 ORDINARY / Alex Warren