KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays

April 20, 2025

“Some Qualities of Love”

Part 1

Good morning, Central Kansas, happy Easter and Passover to all of you in the Christian and Jewish world. Thank you for joining us this morning and welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, your host; get ready for top 10 songs of the past 45 years. 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 some great songs all warmed up on our computers, including our current top 10 here at Mix 103, the number one popular music station of Central Kansas. Our plea to you is to enjoy the music, and listen to the message so as to allow that message to be somewhat of a guide for you.

It is only fitting that on this day of Easter and Passover that we have a lead song about love. In those religious worlds, one of the most important concepts is the love of God. And in particular the love that God has for us. The man in Morgan Wallen’s lead song today wants someone to love him, a love that is real, not fake or governed by what human beings think of love. He sings: “Rumors goin' all over town, Can't keep my name out of their mouth these days. They say I live too fast to settle down. Truth is, I just ain't about these games they all play; Wanna find somethin' stronger than the whiskey, And I've tried, but every time I feel her kiss me, I keep comin' up empty. I just wanna love somebody Who won't leave a hole in my heart; I just wanna love somebody That don't want me fallin' apart. And I'll be lucky if I ever find Somethin' more than just a crazy night, Who ain't hypnotized By dollar signs and blindin' lights like they tend to; I need someone that I'd be proud To take on back to my hometown, Honest eyes that just ain't gonna lead To lonely nights, even when she's up against me. And I'm still empty; I just wanna love somebody.” He wants to love somebody himself with a real love, and he wants to be loved by someone with a real love as well.

Our religious feasts this weekend are all about those ideas. So, let’s choose a theme this Sunday that is a general one about love, and call it “Some Qualities of Love.” And to start us off, this is Morgan Wallen from his album “I’m the Problem,” number 8 this morning, “Love Somebody” on MATT.

(double) 8 LOVE SOMEBODY / Morgan Wallen

WAKE ME UP / Avicii f/ Aloe Blacc & Mike Einziger

Part 2

MATT presenting there a great song of leadership and totally fitting for this time of religious celebration from his album “True”, from Avicii and friends, “Wake Me Up”. Avicii was a young man by the name of Tim Bergling, a Swedish DJ, remixer and record-producer from Stockholm Sweden who died when he was 28 years old after a tough life. The song features singer Aloe Blacc and Incubus’s lead singer Mike Einziger and is a song about growing up well in our world. “Feeling my way through the darkness,” they sing, “guided by a beating heart, I can’t tell where the journey will end, but I know where to start. They tell me I’m too young to understand. They say I’m caught up in a dream. Well, life will pass me by if I don’t open up my eyes. So wake me up when it’s all over, when I’m wise and I’m older. All this time I was finding myself, and I didn’t know I was lost.” Some great words there—we must mature in life, and it is definitely something that every one of us should work toward and one of the qualities of love as we think of the love on these feast days.

Next, we begin a triple play with a song from this time two years ago. It is a song that suggests that there is a connection between an eating place and deep conversation. And it makes sense if the eating place is not especially interested in getting customers in and out right away. The place called “Waffle House” must have been a place like that. It allowed some brothers to sit down and relax after recording in a studio. At least that is the explanation from the Jonas Brothers as they spoke about a place they frequented called the Waffle House. They sing “We never knew how to perfect. Hey now, but we always knew it would work, cause if somethin’ misread, or if somethin’ got said, know before the night ends. No, don’t get stressed, it’s gonna get figured out. Oh, deep conversation at the Waffle House. Headstrong father and a determined mother. That’s why some nights we tried to kill each other, but you know it’s always love.” They said on social media that the song was born from a simple but powerful idea: namely when you sit down with the people that matter most, anything is possible. This song is about coming together with the people you love and making your dreams come true. In terms of our theme, one of the qualities of love is sincere communication. This is from their latest album simply called “The Album,” the Jonas Brothers and their song “Waffle House” on MATT.

(triple) WAFFLE HOUSE / Jonas Brothers

CARRY ON / Fun.

7 PINK PONY CLUB / Chappell Roan

Part 3

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better know as Chappell Roan, the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, and her song which was part of the Grammys this year and quite a dance routine, “Pink Pony Club,” number 7 on MATT. It is a song about a place, LA, and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream-- what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” Well, she may feel that she belongs at the Pink Pony Club, but the fact is that she is wasting her precious time trying to just have fun, because one of the qualities of love is indeed that you have fun, but having only fun is disastrous for a love relationship.

Before her, we heard from the band Fun. from their album “Some Nights,” and their song “Carry On”. It is a great song of meaning in that it begins with despair, and ends with happiness. “Well, I woke up to the sound of silence and cries were cutting like knives in a fist fight,” they sing, “and I found you with a bottle of wine. You swore and said, ‘We are not, we are not shining stars.’ This I know, I never said we are. Though I’ve never been through hell like that, I’ve closed enough windows to know you can never look back. / If you’re lost and alone or you’re sinking like a stone, carry on. May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on.” And they go on to sing just the opposite of the way they began: “We are shining stars, we are invincible, we are who we are on our darkest day when we’re miles away. Sun will come. We will find our way home.” As we think ab0ut the qualities of love during this Easter and Passover time, real hope is one of them—the sun will come! Good song.

We have taken that theme of the qualities of love as our theme today this Easter and Passover season, and we will pursue it in just a couple of minutes with music from current songs on our playlist from Teddy Swims and Lola Young as well as music from Kane and Katelyn Brown, Taylor Swift and MAX. First, a thought from John Bunyan, English author of “The Pilgrim’s Progress” who died in 1688, and this can be looked at as a truth that is helpful or harmful, I believe: “He that is down / need fear no fall.” If you are already down, you need not worry about falling, and you can accomplish great things because you would be willing to try them—that’s hopeful. If you are pessimistic, and you’re down, you can’t fall any lower, and you might as well feel sorry for yourself all the more. Hopefully we accept the former and not the latter. I’m Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top”, this radio station is Mix 103, happy Easter and Passover and we’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

We are back for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 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 the best mix of music, and we are pursuing a theme from the number 8 song “Love Somebody” and that theme quite fitting for this religious season, “Some Qualities of Love.”

We begin our second half hour with a song which fits right into our theme today. “I was lost,” Kane Brown begins, “you found a way to bring me back, needed forgiveness, you always gave me that. Girl, I’m a witness of your love ‘cause you don’t be giving up, and it’s crazy how you saved me. Hand on the Bible, don’t know how I got you, but I couldn’t ask for more. Girl, what we got’s worth thanking God for, So thank God.” And a little later, Katelyn Brown sings, “Never thought I’d find an angel undercover, that boy was Heaven sent, and every night when I close my eyes before I say Amen, I thank God for giving me you.” Obviously, I can’t say enough about this song. It is exactly right up my alley, as they say, and fits into our theme with one of the qualities of love, namely, “gratitude.” From Kane Brown’s album “Different Man,” a mainly country artist, Kane Brown and his wife Katelyn Brown and their song, “Thank God” from 2023 on MATT.

(double) THANK GOD / Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown

5 BAD DREAMS / Teddy Swims

Part 5

The latest song from Jaten Collin Dimsdale, that is Teddy Swims, and a song of desire for another, and you’re not sure whether that other comes or not. It comes from his second album, “I’ve tried everything but Therapy, part 2,” and his song at number 5 this morning, “Bad Dreams” on MATT. “Sun is going down,” he begins his song, “time is running out; no one else around but me, steady losing light, steady losing my mind, moving shadows and grinding teeth. Without you, there ain’t no place for me to hide; without you, there’s no way I can sleep tonight, what I’d do for a little bit of peace and quiet; without you I keep slippin’ into bad dreams where there’s no you and I.” In terms of our theme, the man in the relationship knows full well what he wants love to be with one particular person, but the problem is that she does not share his thinking. Therefore the phenomenon of knowing the qualities of love, but not being able to put them into practice as he is trying to love.

Let’s close out our first hour together with a triple play, and let’s begin that triple with the only musical artist to be called a Person of the Year by Time magazine. It is an interesting song about a relationship that seems to be good at the moment, but the lady in the relationship realizes that their time together is for the wrong reasons. She sings, “I like you; this ain’t for the best. My reputation’s never been worse, so you must like me for me. Yeah, I want you. We can’t make any promises now, but you can make me a drink. I know that it’s delicate, isn’t it?” The lady in the relationship wants the feeling of the man’s presence, but she wants it to be for the right reason—"you must like me for me.” That’s a great thought, and one of the qualities of love, our theme today, is to build that love with the right reason. This is Ms. Taylor Swift, from her album “Reputation,” her song from 2018, “Delicate” on MATT.

(triple) DELICATE/ Taylor Swift

LIGHTS DOWN LOW / MAX f/ gnash

4 MESSY / Lola Young

Part 6

Moving up to number 4 this morning Lola Young, a British singer from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song “Messy” on MATT. She spoke about the song, saying that it was a statement about the struggle she had to find a balance in herself. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed? And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in the song. Sounds to me that she should be looking for a different friend. Whatever. In terms of our theme this week, one of the qualities of love is that both share the same type of thinking. Now, that could be debatable, but I really think it should be a quality of love.

Before her, we heard from Maxwell George Schneider, better known simply as MAX, and singing with him Garret Charles Nash better known as gnash and the song from 2016 “Lights Down Low”. It comes from MAX’s album “Hell’s Kitchen Angel”. The song is an infatuation song. “Can I stop the flow of time?” they sing, “Can I swim in your divine?  ‘Cause I don’t think I’d ever leave this place.  Turn the lights down low.  I’m feeling you breathing slow.  ‘Cause, we’re just reckless kids trying to find an island in the flood.”  They are both searching for love as they discover their love for each other and in life, and as we think of the qualities of love this morning, one of them would be to get over the recklessness of growing up, and spend some quality time on understanding and then pursuing love.

“Some Qualities of Love” is the title of MATT this morning. The latest song from Morgan Wallen gave us the idea with his song “Love Somebody”. Our next segment of music and message will explore that theme with top 10 music from Gracie Abrams, Myles Smith and Billie Eilish, as well as music from the past in the persons of Pink, the band Coldplay and The Weeknd. Let me close this segment with this thought from a friend of mine: “We have happier days when we give others a bit of our heart rather than a piece of our mind.” And giving to others this way is certainly a quality of love. I’m Fr. Mike, listen to these great thoughts, and then I hope you come back for more … great thoughts.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

Good morning, everyone. Happy Easter and Passover. This is “Message at the Top”, on Mix 103. Thank you for joining us again on 100,000 watts of power. I am Fr. Mike, and our show gives you the top 10 songs of our area, as well as some top 10 of the past. And what is amazing about them is that with a little bit of help, those songs can actually teach us something about ourselves and about our behavior. The topic of our show today is the thought of finding qualities of love in our songs.

As promised, let’s begin our second hour with a song of wanting to remain together, at least from one of the people. The lady in the relationship has fallen in love with a person that she wants to "stick together" with for a long time. 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 hopefully, the partner feels the same way. And if that is the case, then they have probably found one of the qualities of love which involves a truly sincere commitment. The song is from her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, Billie Eilish and her song, former number 1, “Birds of a Feather”, number 6 on MATT.

(triple) 6 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish

PARADISE / Coldplay

10 THAT’S SO TRUE / Gracie Abrams

Part 8

California born and raised Gracie Abrams from her first album “The Secret of Us” and her song “That’s So True”, number 10 on MATT. It is a song about intense jealousy. “I could go and read your mind,” she addresses her words to her ex-boyfriend, “Think about your dumb face all the time. Living in your glass house, I’m outside, Looking into big blue eyes. Did you do it just to hurt me, make me cry, Smiling through it all? Yeah, that's my life. You're an idiot, Now I'm sure. Now I'm positive. I should go and warn her. Bet you're thinking, ‘She's so cool,’ Kicking back on your couch, making eyes from across the room. Wait, I think I've been there too.” So, revenge, almost hateful revenge. And, thinking about our theme of the qualities of love, obviously revenge and jealousy have no place for quality love.

Before her, we heard a 10+ category of meaning song, the highest I get because of its statement about the possibility that paradise begins right here—this group really have some great songs of meaning: Coldplay, from their album “Mylo Xyloto”, and their song “Paradise” from the year 2011, and an interesting video by the way. The song tells the story of a girl who seems to be lost, and then she finds herself. “When she was just a girl,” they begin the song, “she expected the world, but it flew away from her reach, so she ran away in her sleep, dreamed of paradise every time she closed her eyes.” And, as I mentioned, she seems to find that this world really is paradise. They sing, “So, lying underneath those stormy skies, she said ‘I know the sun must set to rise. This could be paradise.’” It is a great message, I believe, which says not to run away from the problems and say that life is better someplace else when it really is better right here. One of the qualities of love, our theme today, is to realize that we can make a paradise as we live right now, and certainly as we work with the one that we love.

Let’s go to a song of 2023, and in it, the popular artist Pink was interested in personal relationships. It is a song calling for trust in another. The person in the relationship encourages her partner to take a leap of faith with her. “Picture a place where it all doesn’t hurt,” she sings, “where everything’s safe and it doesn’t get worse. We see through bloodshot eyes. Picture a place somewhere else far away, where you know what they mean and they mean what they say to us. And would that be enough? Close your eyes and leave it all behind. Go where love is on our side. It’s a trustfall.” She is willing to take that risk with him and be there for him, no matter what. They both have to be brave and trust each other to make it work and make it a quality of love, our theme today. From her album “Trustfall”, the title song from it, this is Ms. Alicia Beth Moore Hart, that is Pink, and “Trustfall” on MATT.

(triple) TRUSTFALL / Pink

EARNED IT / The Weeknd

9 STARGAZING / Myles Smith

Part 9

Former number 1 for a couple of weeks, and a song about love commitment which has worked, it seems. British singer Myles Smith there and his song “Stargazing” on MATT. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and as I say, a couple times today, couples with this type of commitment, have found a quality of true love, our theme today.

Before him, we heard another love song, this time from Grammy award winning Canadian singer Abel Makkonen Tesfaye better known as The Weeknd from the soundtrack of the movie “Fifty Shades of Grey.” It is a song of deep love commitment to another. “You make it look like it’s magic”, he sings, “'cause I see nobody but you. I'm never confused. I'm so used to being used. So I love when you call unexpected; 'cause I hate when the moment's expected. So I'ma care for you, 'cause, girl, you're perfect, you're always worth it, and you deserve it. The way you work it 'cause, girl, you earned it.” The girl in the relationship has earned the commitment that he is giving her, and he is saying it to her, something that we should turn to often in our lives. Communication is so important and should be a quality of every deep love relationship, our theme today. We’ve said that a number of times on this show—it is quite a common message in the love songs of today and yesterday.

Which brings us to our final break of the day. Our final session will include three more songs that begin with the word “Love” as did our lead song, and we also have the top 3 songs in our countdown today. To break with this thought from Golda Meir, Israel’s third prime minister who died in 1978, and a quote I have used before because it is so good: “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” Isn’t that a great quote? There are a number of situations in our country and world right now to whom it should be said. This is MATT on the Mix and we’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

We welcome you back to MATT on Mix 103 as we celebrate the second last Sunday of the interesting weather month of April. Happy Easter and close of Passover to all of you. It’s great to have you with us. This show plays the top 10 songs of America right now, 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 the theme of the qualities of love. It came from a song from Morgan Wallen named “Love Somebody.”

Because “love” is such a popular word in the words of our songs, the word is said hundreds of times. Let’s choose three songs whose title begins with that word, and the first one is from Canadian singer Justin Bieber. The song suggests a good personality trait, namely loving ourselves in order to really understand love, but the song is not that at all. It is a statement to a girlfriend that all she does is love herself too much, and therefore it is the end of the love relationship. “For all the times that you rain on my parade,” he sings, “And all the clubs you get in using my name, you think you broke my heart, you think I'm crying on my own. Well, I ain't, and I didn't wanna write a song 'cause I didn't want anyone thinking I still care. I don't. I don't wanna hold back. Maybe you should know that my mama don't like you and she likes everyone, and I never like to admit that I was wrong. And I've been so caught up in my job, didn't see what's going on. But now I know. You should go and love yourself.” Strong words, and her selfishness, too much of a concern about herself is the reason for the breakup and the strong feelings that he has. It is exactly what selfishness does in a relationship, and therefore one of the qualities of love, our theme today, is that it gets rid of selfishness. From his album “Purpose”, this is Justin Bieber and his song “Love Yourself” from 2015 on MATT.

(triple) LOVE YOURSELF / Justin Bieber

LOVE AGAIN / Dua Lipa

LOVE ME HARDER / Ariana Grande f/ The Weeknd

Part 11

Ariana Grande, a song from her album “My Everything” and singing along with her Abel Makkonen Tesfaye better known as The Weeknd for the second time today, and their song “Love Me Harder,” from 2014 on MATT. It is a song about what would happen if the love the man in the relationship desires is not what it should be. “Tell me something I need to know,” the lady in the relationship sings, “’Cause if you want to keep me, you gotta love me harder, and if you really need me, you gotta love me harder.” She continues: “So what would I do if I can’t figure it out? You got to try again. So what would I do if I can’t figure it out? I’m gonna leave.” Rather straightforward answer. If you want to keep a relationship, you have to try to keep it. And if you want to stay together in a relationship, both of the parties must keep on trying to do their very best. That is, in terms of our theme today, one of the qualities of love is that we will keep trying to make it better.

Before them, we heard from Ms. Dua Lipa from her album “Future Nostalgia” and her song “Love Again” from 2021. It is a story in song of a person who thought that she would never love again, and she suddenly finds the right person. “I thought that I would find a way out,” she begins her song, “I never thought I’d hear my heart beat so loud, I can’t believe there’s something left in my chest anymore, but you got me in love again. I used to think that I was made out of stone, I used to spend so many nights on my own, I never knew I had it in me to dance anymore, but you got me in love again. Show me that’s heaven’s right here, touch me, so I know I’m not crazy. Never have I ever met somebody like you. Use to be afraid of love and what it might do, but you got me in love again.” I cleaned up the some of the words. As I say, it is the story of a person who discovers love again after she thought that it was all over. One of the qualities of love, our theme today, is once we find it, we will work at keeping it.

And we go to today, and the number 3 song as we speak. It is a song of a sincere commitment again. “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.” Fitting into our theme this week, one of the qualities of true love is that of a sincere commitment between the two, and what makes it stronger is the fact that they have had to work through some things. This is Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars, and their song “Die with a Smile” and according to the Grammys the best pop duo song of the year, number 3 right now, former number 1 on MATT.

(double) 3 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

2 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter

Part 12

Falling from the number 1 position which she help for three weeks in a row, now at number 2 is a song of self-confidence from Sabrina Carpenter from her album “Short ‘n Sweet,” the Grammy award winning song “Espresso”. I’ve quoted the artist before talking about the song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and in terms of our theme, a person who truly loves another will have the confidence one needs to make that commitment. Therefore a necessity quality of love.

And the new number 1 song is a song that comes in both English and Korean. The name of the song is “APT” meaning the Korean word APATEU or in English “Apartment”. It comes from New Zealand born and South Korean singer Rose whose real name is Roseanne Park, along with the help of Peter Gene Hernandez, that is Bruno Mars again. The song itself is described as a drinking game song, and a song and video of pure energy as the lady in the relationship tells us to enjoy our friends in the APATEU, that is, the apartment of the encounter. “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 APATEU.” In terms of our theme if they are speaking of a couple going to the APATEU, they are no doubt in the process of trying to discover love, and one of the qualities of real love is that the couple have worked at it for a while.

That has been our theme today—searching for some qualities of love from our songs. My prayer for you and for me is that we will be people who learn love in every situation we are in, and strive to make it always real. My 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, America 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, on these songs and some great movies. The meditation for today is on the first part of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.” Remember that you can join us on the web every Sunday morning at our usual time of 10 am CDT by choosing www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103. Thank you for the time today. One final thought from an author by the name of Bernard Meltzer, one I’ve used before because it says something so well: “A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.” Yes, indeed. And true friends will always be people who know the meaning of true love of another. As you listen to “Apt” from Rose and Bruno Mars, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103 and our advice among the other advice of our show is to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!

1 APT / Rose & Bruno Mars

April 13, 2025

“Making Things Better”

Part 1

Hello Central Kansas and around the world! Thank you for joining us this second Sunday of April of 2025. I hope your April has begun in a beautiful way and that the Spring weather is good to you. Thank you for joining us and welcome to MATT on today’s best music, Mix 103, the number 1 popular music station in central Kansas. It’s great to have you with us this Sunday morning as we study the top 10 of today and yesterday, not only listening to the music, but studying their meanings as well. I am Fr. Mike, your host for MATT and it’s my pleasure to give you some great songs and some great messages. Get ready to listen to some songs from Myles Smith, Pharrell Williams, Rose with Bruno Mars and many others.

As we celebrate April 13 this Sunday morning,and as I studied my playlists over the years, the last April 13 Sunday morning was in 2014, and so I thought I would play the songs of that day along with the songs of today, and see what lessons we hear. The number 7 song that day was by the group American Authors. That song is named “Best Day of My Life” and it is a great song of hope for a good day and eventually a good life it would seem. “I had a dream so big and loud,” they sing, “I jumped so high I touched the clouds. I’m never gonna look back, never gonna give it up. No, please don’t wake me now. This is gonna be the best day of my life. Everything is looking up now.”

They sing of hope for a great future, something that is absolutely necessary if we are to feel good about life. Our dictionary defines hope to be a confident desire, a feeling that something desirable is likely to happen, and, as I say, we all need those moments in our lives. The person in the song is hoping for the best day of his/her life, and if every day begins in such a way, then one’s whole life will be the best life he/she can have. It is a matter of attitude, of course, something we talk about a lot, and if we go into life thinking that it will be a great one, it will be a great one—because it is our attitude, and our way of looking at whatever it is that happens. As author Mary Engelbreit expressed it, “If you don't like something, change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.”

The way the group expresses it is with that idea of “everything is looking up now.” That is a great phrase to think about, I believe, and it would be interesting to go through the songs of our show today with the thought of “Making Things Better.” So, let’s use that as our theme and see what comes out of the songs of the top 10 of both April 13, 2014 and 2025.

Here is their song. This is the group American Authors from their album “Oh, What a Life”, number 7 this week 11 years ago and their song “Best Day of My Life” on MATT.

(double) BEST DAY OF MY LIFE / American Authors

7 MESSY / Lola Young

Part 2

We’ll play the songs of the April 13, 2014 together with the songs of today, and at number 7 today is that one that we just heard from Lola Young, a British singer from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song at number 7 and her song “Messy” on MATT. It was our theme last week when we spoke of finding a balance in life and love. As she spoke about the song, she said it was a statement about the struggle she had to find a balance in herself. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed? And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in my recitation. Sounds to me that she should be looking for a different friend. Whatever. In terms of our theme this week, her choice of friends will have a great effect on making things better in her life.

One of the extra songs on April 13, 2014 was a very big hit from Meghan Trainor. Her song is a tongue-in-cheek type song saying that you don’t have to be thin and beautiful to be beautiful. “Yeah, it’s pretty clear,” she sings, “I ain’t no size two, but I can shake it like I’m supposed to do ‘cause I got all the right junk in all the right places. I see the magazine, workin’ that Photoshop. We know that ain’t real, ‘cause every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top. You know I won’t be no stick figure silicone Barbie doll, so if that’s what you’re into, then go ahead and move along. Because you know I’m all about that bass, no treble.” The words of the rest of the song are a little too graphic for me, but it is a very good thought. We have to be satisfied with who we are. We can change, of course, but beauty has more to do with internals than with externals. Once we’re convinced of that, we will easily discover how we can be better, our theme today. From her album “Title”, Meghan Trainor in 2014 and “All About That Bass” on MATT.

(triple) ALL ABOUT THAT BASS / Meghan Trainor

A BAR SONG / Shaboozey

NEON LIGHTS / Demi Lovato

Part 3

Our first triple play of this second Sunday in April closed with the number 10 song of April 13, 2014, 32 year old Albuquerque born Demetria Devonne Lovato better known as Demi Lovato. The song is from her album “Demi,” and the song “Neon Lights” on MATT. It is a statement of the lady in a relationship about her relationship with a friend, and her relationship is full of strong emotions. “Be still, my heart,” she sings, “cause it’s freaking me out right now, shining like stars ‘cause we’re beautiful. You’re all I see in all these places, you’re all I see in all these faces. So let’s pretend we’re running out of time. You’ll be coming home with me tonight and we’ll be burning up like neon lights.” The lady has a good feeling about their relationship and that feeling will make everything better, our theme today.

Before her, we heard an extra of all the songs of 2025 and very popular throughout the country from Collins Obinna Chibueze, known as Shaboozey, American musician /singer/ songwriter, and his song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” from his album “Where I’ve been isn’t where I’m going”. It is a song that begins by saying that he works hard and has problems that he won’t have when he’s gone. And then presumably, he wants to relax from his work and problems by drinking alcohol. “Someone, pour me up a double shot of whiskey. They know me and Jack Daniel's got a history. There's a party downtown, near 5th Street. Everybody at the bar gettin' tipsy. I've been boozey since I left, I ain't changin' for a check. Woke up drunk at 10 am, we gon[na] do this stuff again. Tell your girl to bring a friend.” I changed a word in the song. Thinking with our theme about this song, there is no doubt that legitimate relaxation will make things better, but as I have warned with the song, we have to watch that we do not do too much relaxation.

Our theme song this week is from the number 7 song of April 13, 2014 from the group American Authors and their song “Best Day of My Life”. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to stay with us. Let me take you to break with a thought about communication from Harry S. Truman, one of our great presidents, and here talking about the principal problem of our world and why communication is so important to make everything better: “We shall never be able to remove suspicion and fear as potential causes of war until communication is permitted to flow, free and open, across international boundaries.” Everyone of us has to work at that. Hey, don’t go way. MATT will be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

You are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show on Mix 103. Thank you for joining us this morning. We welcome you back to the songs that have been the most popular in this area during this past week. We take the top 10 and study their messages, and then call our show MATT. I’m your host Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We began our show with a theme and title setting song from American Authors and their song “Best Day of My Life”. The theme that comes from it is: “Making Things Better.”

We are playing the songs of April 13, both 2014 and today, and we are ready for the number 10 song on our playlist right now. “I had some help,” these two popular artists sing, “It ain’t like I can make this kind of mess all by myself. Don’t act like you ain’t help[ing] me pull that bottle off the shelf. Been deep in every weekend if you couldn’t tell. They say teamwork makes the dream work. You think that you’re so innocent. After all the stuff you did, I ain’t an angel; you ain’t heaven-sent, can’t wash our hands off this. It takes two to break a heart in two, you blame me, and I blame you.” Of course, as I have said, that is what it is from his point of view. The lady in the relationship probably has her own version. Whatever the case, both of them are into blaming the other. In terms of our theme, the person who resorts to placing blame is usually a person who may be trying to make things better in his/her mind, but is really making them worse because of the blame. The number 10 song and a song about the evil of placing blame on others. Austin Richard Post here, that is Post Malone from his album “F-1 Trillion”, along with Morgan Wallen For the first time this morning and their song “I Had Some Help” number 10 on MATT.

(double) 10 I HAD SOME HELP / Post Malone & Morgan Wallen

LA LA LA / Naughty Boy f/ Sam Smith

Part 5

The number 9 song of April 13, 2014 from Naughty Boy, who is a British DJ/producer/songwriter by the name of Shahid Kahn, and the song features Samuel Frederick Smith better known simply as Sam Smith, British singer/songwriter, and their song “La La La” on MATT. It has a really good message about the use of words and communication. “Hush, don’t speak,” the person in the song sings “When you spit your venom, keep it shut. I hate it. When you hiss and preach about your new messiah ‘cause your theories catch fire, I can’t find your silver lining. I don’t mean to judge, but when you read your speech, it’s tiring. Enough is enough. I’m covering my ears like a kid when your words mean nothing. I’m turning up the volume when you speak ‘cause if my heart can’t stop it, I find a way to block it.” It has a great video to study also. Thinking about what helps make things better, well speaking well and communicating with sincerity will do it for sure.

Following our pattern, if that was number 9 on April 13, 2014, we go to number 9 today. It is new to our top 1o and will be our theme next week. It is a song that criticizes a former friend, but at the same time gives us an understanding of what true love should be: “Rumors goin' all over town,” he sings, “Can't keep my name out of their mouth these days. They say I live too fast to settle down. Truth is, I just ain't about these games they all play; Wanna find somethin' stronger than the whiskey, And I've tried, but every time I feel her kiss me, I keep comin' up empty. I just wanna love somebody Who won't leave a hole in my heart; I just wanna love somebody That don't want me fallin' apart. And I'll be lucky if I ever find Somethin' more than just a crazy night, Who ain't hypnotized By dollar signs and blindin' lights like they tend to; I need someone that I'd be proud To take on back to my hometown, Honest eyes that just ain't gonna lead To lonely nights, even when she's up against me. And I'm still empty; I just wanna love somebody.” In terms of our theme this week, living the way he wants to live—with someone who won’t show true love—is certainly NOT going to make things better in his life. This is Morgan Wallen from his album “I’m the Problem,” number 9 this morning, “Love Somebody” on MATT.
(triple) 9 LOVE SOMEBODY / Morgan Wallen

NOT A BAD THING / Justin Timberlake

8 PINK PONY CLUB / Chappell Roan

Part 6

Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better know as Chappell Roan, the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, and her song which was part of the Grammys this year and quite a dance routine, “Pink Pony Club,”number 8 on MATT. It is a song about a place, LA, and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” Well, she may feel that she belongs at the Pink Pony Club, but the fact is that she is wasting her precious time trying to just have fun, and it would make things better, our theme today, if she would be spending some more time finding a balance in her life between having fun and growing up.

Before her, we heard the number 8 song of April 13, 2014. It is from Justin Timberlake and his album “The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2” and his song “Not a Bad Thing”, and a song of commitment to a person who has been hurt in other relationships. “I know people make promises all the time,” he sings, “Then they turn right around and break them when someone cuts your heart open with a knife, and you’re bleeding. But I could be that guy to heal it over time. So don’t act like it’s a bad thing to fall in love with me, ‘cause you might look around and find your dreams come true with me, spend all your time and money just to find out that my love was free.” The man in the relationship is doing two things, one, making a permanent commitment and two, trying to heal the lady’s situation. In terms of our theme today, if we are working to heal situations as we go about our lives, it will make everything we do be better.

That is the title of MATT this morning—making things better. The song from American Authors gave us the idea with their song “Best Day of My Life”. Our next segment of music and message will explore that theme with top 10 music from Billie Eilish, Gracie Abrams and Myles Smith, as well as music from this date in 2014 in the persons of Jason Derulo, Lorde and Bastille. Let me close this segment with a quote from Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish novelist who died in 1894: “Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.” Great thought--unfortunately. I’m Fr. Mike, listen to these great thoughts, and then I hope you come back for more.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

Good morning, everyone. This is “Message at the Top”, on Mix 103. Thank you for joining us again on 100,000 watts of power. I am Fr. Mike, and our show gives you the top 10 songs of our area, as well as some top 10 of the past. And what is amazing about them is that with a little bit of help, those songs can actually teach us something about ourselves and about our behavior. The topic of our show today is the thought of making things better, a thought from a song from American Authors in 2014, and we are giving you the songs of April 13, 2014 as well as the songs of today, April 13, 2025.

And we are up to the number 6 song of this date in 2014. In the song, the lady the man in the relationship is interested in / doesn’t speak English, but he is only interested in feeling good and pleasure. “Been round the world,” he sings, “don’t speak the language. All I really need to understand is when you talk dirty to me.” Pleasure is only one part of a romantic relationship; what would make the relationship better, our theme today, is that the people really work at having a good relationship. MATT presenting here Jason Derulo featuring rapper Tauheed Epps better known as 2 Chainz from Jason Derulo’s album “Tatoos,” number 6 on April 13, 2014 and “Talk Dirty” on MATT.

(triple) TALK DIRTY / Jason Derulo f/ 2 Chainz

6 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish

TEAM / Lorde

Part 8

New Zealand singer / songwriter Ella Yelich O’Connor better known as Lorde at number 5 on April 13, 2014 from her album “Pure Heroin” and her song “Team” on MATT. “We live in cities you’ll never see on screen,” she sings, “not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things living in ruins of the palace within my dreams, and you know, we’re on each other’s team.” The idea is that of the importance of being accepted into a group of people, in this case, the teenage environment. The video is a good interpretation of the song which speaks of the young generation. In terms of our theme, one of the helps to make things better in our lives is to be accepted by a group of people that we like.

Before her, we heard the number 6 song on today’s playlist, a song about falling in love with a person that the lady in the relationship wants to "stick together" with for a long time. It was from her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, Billie Eilish and her song, former number 1, “Birds of a Feather”. 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 hopefully, the partner feels the same way. And if that is the case, then they have probably found the way to make things better, our theme today, and it should be a very pleasant life for them.

Let’s stay in 2025 and listen to our number 5 song right now. It comes from Gracie Abrams and is a song about intense jealousy. “I could go and read your mind,” she addresses her words to her ex-boyfriend, “Think about your dumb face all the time. Living in your glass house, I’m outside, Looking into big blue eyes. Did you do it just to hurt me, make me cry, Smiling through it all? Yeah, that's my life. You're an idiot, Now I'm sure. Now I'm positive. I should go and warn her. Bet you're thinking, ‘She's so cool,’ Kicking back on your couch, making eyes from across the room. Wait, I think I've been there too.” So, revenge, almost hateful revenge. And, thinking about our theme of making things better, the lady in the song will not find anything better if she continues to be so jealous and revengeful. This is Gracie Abrams from her first album “The Secret of Us” and her song “That’s So True”, number 5 on MATT.

(triple) 5 THAT’ SO TRUE / Gracie Abrams

POMPEII / Bastille

4 STARGAZING / Myles Smith

Part 9

The number 4 song right now, former number 1, and a song about love commitment which has worked, it seems. British singer Myles Smith there and his song “Stargazing” on MATT. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and as I say, a couple times today, couples with this type of commitment, provided both of them feel the same way, have found something that will make things better for both of them, our theme today.

Before him, MATT presented from their album “Bad Blood,” number 4 on April 13, 2014, the English group Bastille, and their excellent song “Pompeii”. It is a great song of meaning, a 10+ the highest I get and a song that takes its name from the early Roman empire. In the year 79 AD, the volcano Mt. Vesuvius erupted and buried the city of Pompeii. Calling that destruction to mind, Bastille cleverly sings about the destruction of something good: “And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we love. Great clouds roll over the hills, bringing darkness from above. But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all? How am I gonna be an optimist about this?” And that which caused the destruction? They sing it: “We were caught up and lost in all of our vices,” and they want to do something about it: “Oh, where do we begin?” they sing, “the rubble or our sins?” It tells the story of what the evil that we have caused has done to our world. Tying it into our theme of some helps to make things better, when we want to study the evil in our lives in order to do something about it, our lives will be infinitely better.

And once again, we have played our way to a brief pause. In our next segment, get ready for music from the top 3 right now and the top 3 of April 13, 2014. Our quotation for this segment comes from Mark Twain, and a good statement about real romantic love, and no sarcasm here: “When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain.” You know, he said good stuff as well as sarcasm, and if you do that…bait with your heart, you are pursuing love the way you should, and you will make things better in your life. Don’t go way. I’m Fr. Mike, and this is “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

My name is Fr. Mike and this is “Message at the Top” on 100,000 watts of power, today’s best music Mix 103, our only top 10 show that gives you the music of the 2000’s, some 90’s and even 80’s along with all of their messages. And we make the statement: enjoy the music and listen to the messages because the messages probably will help your lives. The title of our show this morning is “Making Things Better.” It came from American Authors and their song “Best Day of My Life” from 2014.

We are up to number 3 of the songs from April 13, 2o14, and at number 3 that year was John Roger Stephens better known as John Legend, an American singer/songwriter, on the music scene since 2004. The song is a love song, but his girlfriend is just a little mixed up, although it sounds as though she is coming around to what the man in the relationship wants. “What would I do without your smart mouth,” he begins the song, “drawing me in and you kicking me out.” But the refrain is: “All of me loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you. You’re my end and my beginning. Even when I lose I’m winning ‘cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you.” It is a song of beginning romantic love, and the man is hopeful that the relationship will last. In romantic relationships, hope is very important. In fact, it is one of the helps to make things better, our theme today. This is from John Legend’s album “Love in the Future” number 3 of our featured playlist of April 13, 2014 and his beautiful song “All of Me” on MATT.

(double) ALL OF ME / John Legend

3 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

HAPPY / Pharrell Williams

Part 11

A song that was to be the most popular song of 2014, at number 2 on April 13, 2014, Pharrell Williams better known simply as Pharrell from the soundtrack of the movie “Despicable Me 2” and his song “Happy” on MATT. The only way to describe the song is with its title “Happy” because it really is a song and video which makes you feel “happy.” “Because I’m happy,” he sings, “clap along if you feel like a room without a roof. Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth. Because I’m happy, clap along if you know what happiness is to you. Because I’m happy, clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do. Can’t nothing bring me down.” As we think of our theme today—one of the helps to make things right in life is to be happy as we go through that life.

Before him, we heard the number 3 song on our playlist right now from Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars, and a song of strong commitment to the other in the relationship. Their song “Die with a Smile” and according to the Grammys the best pop duo song of the year. “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.” Fitting into our theme this week, when people have made a strong commitment to each other, and especially when they have gone through some struggles to be together, the couple certainly are making things better in their lives where they will want to remain.

We are up to the number 2 song on our playlist right now, and another song about a place. The song comes in both English and Korean. The place is the name of the song “APT” meaning the Korean word APAPTEU or in English “Apartment”. The song itself is described as a drinking game song, and a song and video of pure energy as the lady in the relationship tells us to enjoy our friends in the APAPTEU, that is, the apartment of the encounter. “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.” In terms of our theme if they are speaking of a couple going to the APAPTEU, they are no doubt in the process of trying to make things right in their lives or love lives, our theme today. Here is their song from New Zealand born and South Korean singer Rose whose real name is Roseanne Park, along with the help of Peter Gene Hernandez, that is Bruno Mars again, “APT”, number 2 this week on MATT.

(double) 2 APT / Rose & Bruno Mars

DARK HORSE / Katy Perry f/ Juicy J2

Part 12

Advancing to the number 1 position on April 13, 2014—another 10+ category song of meaning for me—is a statement by the girl in the relationship that if the man wants a commitment from her, she will give it, but he’d better be sure of what he’s doing. It is from Ms. Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson better known as Katy Perry singing along with Jordan Michael Houston better known as Juicy J and their song “Dark Horse” the from Katy Perry’s album “Prism” on MATT. “I knew you were gonna come to me,” the lady in the relationship sings, “and here you are, but you better choose carefully ‘cause I’m capable of anything and everything. So you wanna play with magic, boy, you should know what you’re falling for. I’m coming at you like a dark horse. Are you ready for a perfect storm ‘cause once you’re mine, there’s no going back.” In terms of our theme today, one of the things that will make things better, is / if we are inclined to make a permanent commitment, to honestly mean it.

And our number 1 song today, April 13, 2025 for three weeks in a row is one of self-confidence from Sabrina Carpenter from her album “Short ‘n Sweet,” the Grammy award winning song “Espresso”. I’ve quoted the artist before talking about the song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and in terms of our theme, being self-confident is a great place to be, and if the couple are working together, they are discovering the way to make things better, our theme today.

And there you have it, as Kasey Kasum used to say, the top songs of our land along with some songs of the past April 13, that is 2014. Today we have spoken of what makes things in life better, a thought that we took from American Author’s song “Best Day of My Life.” My prayer for you and me is that everything in our lives will always be better as we grow older. If you want me to study a song, or if you would like to contact me, my e-mail address is: frmikescully@yahoo.com or the address at the radio station: KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on songs and movies and a transcript of the show. Thank you for your time today. My thanks to the producers of our show, and to our sponsors, especially Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and Holy Family Elementary School in Hays. Another thought as we leave. It comes from Socrates who died in 399 BCE, a long time ago, and a thought full of wisdom: “Our prayers should be for blessings in general, for God knows best what is good for us.” A profound statement of pretty good theology. Our number 1 song from Sabrina Carpenter and “Espresso” leads us out. From the beautiful state of West Virginia through the likewise beautiful downtown of Lawrence, KS, I’m Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!

1 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter

April 6, 2025

“Finding the Balance”

Part 1

Good morning, Central Kansas, and thank you for joining us this morning; welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, your host; get ready for top 10 songs of the past 45 years. 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 some great songs all warmed up on our computers, including our current top 10 here at Mix 103, the number one popular music station of Central Kansas. Our plea to you is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so as to allow that message to be somewhat of a guide for you. We have the latest from Myles Smith in the top 10 this week along with the other 9. Last week, Sabrina Carpenter had the number 1 song—we’ll see if she stays there. Let’s talk about keeping our balance during our show today.

The reason for that is in newcomer’s Lola Young’s song “Messy.” As she spoke about the song, she said it was a statement about the struggle she had to find a balance in herself. We’ll study some of the lyrics of the song in just a couple of minutes. But let’s talk about that idea of balance. When you look it up in the dictionary, you will find some ways to keep your physical balance. What Lola Young’s song is addressing is the quality of life as one grows up. And as one does that, it’s important to learn some basic guidelines.

Those guidelines include keeping a clear focus on what a person wants to achieve, namely a mature approach to growing up, and some guide to use as one grows. Professional people call it “creating a personalized plan.” Lola Young calls it understanding and working with the clean and messy parts of living. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed?
And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in my recitation. Sounds to me that she should be looking for a different friend.

Whatever. She gives us a chance to speak about keeping a balance as one grows, and that sounds like a pretty good theme for our show today. To start us off, here is British singer Lola Young from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song at number 8 and our theme today, “Messy” on MATT.

(double) 8 MESSY / Lola Young

I’M A MESS / Avril Lavigne f/ Yungblud

Part 2

The only other top 10 song in our playlist since 1980, with the word “mess” in its title, from Avril Lavigne and Dominic Richard Harrison better known as Yungblud, and their song from Avril Lavigne’s deluxe album of “Love Sux”, and their song “I’m a Mess” on MATT, from 2023. It is a song about missing a partner of a former love relationship. She sings, “Staring at the pavement alone, wishing that I was on my way home to you. All the shops in London are closed, and I don’t know where to go from here. But I know I’m a mess when we’re not together, such a wreck; I hope it’s not forever. Will I see you again? I wish it was me and you ‘til the end.” And he sings, “It hasn’t been the same since that night. I wish I said ‘I love you’ just one more time. I tried to figure out how to make it right. But I don’t know where to go from here. I’m a mess.” Both of them say that she/he is a mess, and a little later they sing that they both have “issues.” In terms of our theme, “issues” can cause mixed feelings about each other, and if they want to have a proper balance in their lives, our theme today, they will have to face those issues head on.

Let’s go back to our top 10 playlist, and a song that speaks of the importance of God in a relationship. “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. God, don’t take these beautiful things that I’ve got.” It is evident that the person is tuned into God, and from my point of view anyway, that will always help him with his balance as he grows, our theme today. From his album “Fireworks and Rollerblades,” Benson Boone, former number 1, number 9 right now and his song “Beautiful Things,” on MATT.

(triple) 9 BEAUTIFUL THINGS / Benson Boone

ADORE YOU / Harry Styles

TAKE MY NAME / Parmalee

Part 3

From 2023, a song about a beginning love relationship, “Take My Name” from the group Parmalee and their album “For You” on MATT. It is a song about the decision for marriage even though it may be too soon, at least in other people’s minds. “Take my hand, let me make you mine, “they sing, “I’m through waiting, taking my time; never felt like this before, take my name and make it yours. I hope you don’t think it’s a little bit crazy saying this all so soon, but it’s the right time, knew it from the first time that I laid eyes on you. It’s okay, let ‘em say what they want; they might think I should wait, but I don’t wanna waste a minute, girl, I want you in it, every single part of my world.” One of the facts about love relationships of course is that they must begin sometime somehow. Parmalee sings in their song that the man in the relationship is pretty strong about feeling that the love is there right at the beginning, and that perhaps the lady might think it is crazy, but it is love at first sight for him, and that is guiding the relationship. In terms of our theme this week, usually love at first sight will not work out, and the couple will need some important time to allow some type of balance of feelings to be part of their relationship, our theme today.

Before them, we heard from Mr. Harry Styles, from his album “Fine Line” and his song “Adore You” from 2019. The song is a love song as you could guess from the title, a song of love to a particular person, although the video goes a different direction altogether, to say the least. “Walk in your rainbow paradise,” he sings, “strawberry lipstick state of mind. I get so lost inside your eyes. Would you believe it? You don’t have to say you love me, you don’t have to say nothing. You don’t have to say you’re mine. Honey, I’d walk through fire for you. Just let me adore you.” In terms of our theme, if the other in the relationship responds to his love pronouncements with the same intensity, chances are that they have found the balance of love in their lives, our theme today.

Our theme today is that idea of finding a balance in love and life which we took from Lola Young’s song “Messy.” We will continue with that thought in just a few minutes as we listen to and study the music of in order of appearance—Teddy Swims, Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Lady Gaga, and SZA. Here’s a thought about life from George Burns: “You know you’re getting old when you stoop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you’re down there.” Now I can identify with that to be sure. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103. Why not stay right where you are as you enjoy your Spring Sunday morning with us. We’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

We are back for “Message at the Top” which gives you the top 10 popular songs of our area that have been most popular during the week which ends today, the first Sunday of April, 2025. Today we are playing our songs and studying them in the light of our theme which is “Finding the Balance”, a theme taken from Lola Young’s number 8 song “Messy”. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. Thank you for joining us again this morning. It is great to have you with us!

On our playlist today of April 6, 2025, we have at number 10 the latest song from Jaten Collin Dimsdale, that is Teddy Swims, and a song of desire for another, and you’re not sure whether that other comes or not. “Sun is going down,” he begins his song, “time is running out; no one else around but me, steady losing light, steady losing my mind, moving shadows and grinding teeth. Without you, there ain’t no place for me to hide; without you, there’s no way I can sleep tonight, what I’d do for a little bit of peace and quiet; without you I keep slippin’ into bad dreams where there’s no you and I.” In terms of our theme, the man in the relationship has not found the balance that he must have to be a whole person, and he will have to make some adjustments. Not a good space for him to be in. From his second album, “I’ve tried everything but Therapy, part 2,” Teddy Swims and number 10 this morning, “Bad Dreams” on MATT.

(double) 10 BAD DREAMS / Teddy Swims

LAVENDER HAZE / Taylor Swift

Part 5

Ms. Taylor Swift there, from her album “Midnights” and her song “Lavender Haze” from 2023 on MATT. It is a song about being completely in love in 1950’s language. She said on Instagram that she liked the phrase which is the title of her song, from the 1950’s, meaning to be completely in love. “Meet me at midnight,” she sings, “Staring at the ceiling with you. You don’t ever say too much and you don’t really read into my melancholia. I’ve been under scrutiny, you handle it beautifully, all this stuff is new to me. I feel the lavender haze creeping up on me. Surreal. I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say. No deal, the 1950’s stuff they want from me. I just wanna stay in that lavender haze.” I adjusted the words a little. She likes the feeling of love and she is in the process of finding her balance in that love, our theme today.

Continuing our current top 10, and beginning this triple, let’s go to number 7 and a song about a place, one of the special places that we spoke of last week. It is a song about LA and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” Well, she may feel that she belongs at the Pink Pony Club, but the fact is that she is wasting her precious time trying to just have fun, and she should be spending some more time finding a balance in her life between having fun and growing up, “Finding a Balance” being our theme today. This is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better know as Chappell Roan, the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, and her song which was part of the Grammys this year and quite a dance routine, “Pink Pony Club,”number 7 on MATT.

(triple) 7 PINK PONY CLUB Chappell Roan

BLOODY MARY / Lady Gaga

KILL BILL / SZA

Part 6

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” on MATT. 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. “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 a long way to go before she achieves any sense of balance in her life.

Before her, we heard from Lady Gaga’s album “Born This Way,” that is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga for the first time this morning, and her intriguing song “Bloody Mary”. 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 is not finding the balance that she needs—she probably needs more time to make that decision. Interesting song to study as many of hers are.

Our theme this morning deals with that thought of when to feel as though there is a balance of living and loving, that theme having come from a song from Lola Young. We are exploring the idea of what each of the songs of our show today say about when to find that balance. Still to come on MATT is music from people like Adele and birthday person Pharrell. Let me take you to break with this thought from John Wayne. “Life is hard. It’s harder if you’re stupid.” Amen. And real “life” means staying away from intentional stupidity and trying to balance your life well. It is great to have you with us on 100,000 watts of power, today’s best music Mix 103, and MATT. We’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

We are back for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 on the first Sunday of April 2025. Thank you for giving a little of your time to us this Sunday morning. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show today, and during this segment, as usual, music of the top 10 from the present and the past. We urge you to keep enjoying the music but to listen to the message because that message may even help us a little, I believe. We are talking of finding a balance in one’s life in particular today.

Let’s begin our second hour together with our number 6 song on our playlist this morning. It is a song about falling in love with a person that the lady in the relationship wants to "stick together" with for a long time. 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 hopefully, the partner feels the same way. And if that is the case, then they have probably found the proper balance between life and love, our theme today, and it should be a very pleasant life for them. From her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, Billie Eilish and her song at number 6, former number 1, “Birds of a Feather” on MATT.

(triple) 6 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish

SEND MY LOVE / Adele

CHEMICAL / Post Malone

Part 8

Richard Austin Post, better known as Post Malone there for the first time today and his song “Chemical” from his album “Austin” on MATT from the year 2023. It is a song about hanging on when the man in the relationship shouldn’t, and he compares it to an addictive drug. “Oxytocin making it all okay,” he sings. “When I come back down, it doesn’t feel the same. Now I’m sitting around waiting for the world to end all day ‘cause I couldn’t leave you if I tried. You break me then I break my rules. It’s messed up, I know, but I’m still outside of the party, smoking in the car with you. Tell you that I’m sorry, tell me what I gotta do ‘cause I can’t let go. It’s chemical.” I cleaned up the words a little. As we think with the theme of finding the balance in life, certainly this is an important principle. Before we can truly live, we have to know the dangers of addictive drugs, whether for real or in the form of something else like people as in the song.

Before him, we heard from Adele Laure Blue Adkins, better known as Adele from her album “25,” “Send My Love” from 2016. It is a song of a relationship that has ceased, and she is saying it exactly as it is in her mind anyway. “This was all you, none of it me,” she sings. “You put your hands on my body and told me you were ready for the big one, I’d be your last love everlasting—you and me. Send my love to your new lover. Treat her better. I was running, you were walking. You couldn’t keep up, you were falling down.” So, the lady in the relationship is blaming the boyfriend for the breakup. My guess is that it is as much her fault as his, but be that as it may, the situation will easily give rise to very mixed up lives. Both of them will have to find a balance between what they want and what should be, finding a balance being our theme today.

Back to our current playlist we go now and a song in the top 5 and number 5 and a song about intense jealousy. “I could go and read your mind,” she addresses her words to her ex-boyfriend, “Think about your dumb face all the time. Living in your glass house, I’m outside, Looking into big blue eyes. Did you do it just to hurt me, make me cry, Smiling through it all? Yeah, that's my life. You're an idiot, Now I'm sure. Now I'm positive. I should go and warn her. Bet you're thinking, ‘She's so cool,’ Kicking back on your couch, making eyes from across the room. Wait, I think I've been there too.” So, revenge, almost hateful revenge. And, thinking about our theme of finding a balance in life, the lady in the song will not find that balance if she continues to be so jealous. This is Gracie Abrams from her first album “The Secret of Us” and her song “That’s So True”, number 5 on MATT.

(triple) 5 THAT’S SO TRUE Gracie Abrams

SING / Ed Sheeran f/ Pharrell bd

4 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

Part 9

Our number 4 song this morning, what we just heard there from Stefanie Joanne Angeline Germanotta or Lady Gaga again and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars, and a song of strong commitment to the other in the relationship. Their song “Die with a Smile” and according to the Grammys the best pop duo song of the year on MATT. “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.” Fitting into our theme this week, when people have made a strong commitment to each other, and especially when they have gone through some struggles to be together, the couple certainly have found a balance in their lives where they will want to remain, our theme today.

Before them, we wished happy birthday to Pharrell Williams who will be 52 this Saturday and the song that he produced and helped with singing was from Ed Sheeran and their song simply entitled “Sing” from 2015 and Ed Sheeran’s album “X” or a multiplication sign. The song is a song of deep love feelings for the man in the relationship’s friend. “I need you,” the man in the relationship sings, “come on, set the tone. If you feel you’re falling, won’t you let me know. If you love me, come on get involved, feel it rushing through you from your head to toe. Sing.” As often happens in these songs, you never know how the other person responds to his feelings, but one presumes that the lady in the relationship feels the same way, and if she does, their love will truly be an honest one, and again, they will have found the balance in love and life, “finding the balance” being our theme today.

It is a theme that we took from Lola Young and her song “Messy.” To take us to break, here’s a thought about cats of all things from Mark Twain, so be ready for sarcasm: “If man could be crossed with a cat, it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat.” He must have liked cats, and from his life and work, we know that he was trying to find the balance in life and love. Hey, don’t even think of touching that dial—it is set for today’s best music, Mix 103 and MATT, and we’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

Welcome back to the show that gives you the top 10 of today and yesterday along with their messages. We call it MATT. As we like to say, if a song is in the top 10, you will hear it here! I’m your host, Fr. Mike. This morning we’re playing all our songs in the light of the thought of finding some balance in our lives. Get ready for our segment 10 presentation which today features the top 3 songs of 2012, all 3 of them songs in the category of 10+ in meaning.

Number 3 of all the songs of 2012 comes from Ellie Goulding. Mediabase 24/7 places the song at number 14 in popularity. The video to the song is beautiful and you might want to watch it on You-Tube. Her song is a tribute to what the person in the song calls “the lights.” “I had a way then,” she begins her song, “losing it all on my own, and I’m not sleeping now—the dark is too hard to beat. You show the lights that stop me turn to stone; you shine it when I’m alone, and so I tell myself that I’ll be strong, and dreaming when they’re gone, ‘cause they’re calling me home, you show the lights that stop me turn to stone, you shine it when I’m alone, home.” It seems to me to have a number of interpretations, but perhaps the best one is that there is a light given to her that enables her to be the person that she should be. Religious people would call the light to be the grace of God. On my website, I use the theme with the song of “We have a light that can guide us home to God.” In terms of our theme, the lights she is singing of help us find the balance between life and love. This is number 3 of all the songs of meaning of 2012, Ms. Ellie Goulding, the title song from her album, “Lights” on MATT.

(double) LIGHTS / Ellie Goulding

SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW / Gotye

STRONGER / Kelly Clarkson

Part 11

The number 1 song of meaning from the year of 2012 and the number 1 song of popularity according to Mediabase 24/7 was from Kelly Clarkson and the album named after the song, “Stronger” on MATT. Her song is a song that describes a situation that could bring about real anger and revenge, and there seems to be a little of that, but mainly, it is about a breakup that made the person in the song stronger. “You know the bed feels warmer,” she begins the song, “sleeping here alone. You think you got the best of me, think you had the last laugh, bet you think that everything good is gone, but you’re dead wrong. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stand a little taller. Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone. What doesn’t kill you makes a fighter, footsteps even lighter, doesn’t mean I’m over ‘cause you’re gone.” I use this theme on my website: “Negative experiences can make us better if we want them to.” And that is a great resolution for life in order to achieve balance in life and love—take the negative things that happen, and unfortunately, there will be some, but let them make you better than you are right now. Great song.

Before her, we heard the intriguing sound of Belgian-Australian singer Gotye singing along with New Zealand singer/songwriter Kimbra, from Gotye’s album, “Making Mirrors,” and the song “Somebody That I Used to Know”, what MATT and Mediabase 24/7 make the number 2 song of meaning of 2012 and the number 2 song of popularity. Many charts had it at number 1. It is a relatively bitter song about a breakup. The man in the relationship is thinking back to the moment of the breakup and he felt alright about it, but then he adds: “But you didn’t have to cut me off, make out like it never happened and that we were nothing, and I don’t even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough. No, you didn’t have to stoop so low. Now you’re somebody that I used to know.” What makes it such a high song of meaning for me is that we should learn what not to do in a relationship and in life. As I say it on my website, “There are difficulties in life, but we must learn to work with them in a Christian way.” Never resort to hurting others just because things don’t work out—and that’s a pretty good way to find our own balance in life, our theme today.

And let’s go to the top 3 songs on MATT today, beginning with number 3 and a song about love commitment which has worked, it seems. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and as I have said a couple times today, couples with this type of commitment, provided both of them feel the same way, have found the proper balance between life and love, our theme today. British singer Myles Smith here and number 3 and his song “Stargazing” on MATT.

(double) 3 STARGAZING / Myles Smith

2 APT / Rose & Bruno Mars

Part 12

Another song about a place in our current top 10 at number 2, in both English and Korean, their song APT from New Zealand born and South Korean singer Rose whose real name is Roseanne Park, along with the help of Peter Gene Hernandez, that is Bruno Mars again, “APT” meaning the Korean word APAPTEU or in English “Apartment” on MATT. The song itself is described as a drinking game song, and a song and video of pure energy as the lady in the relationship tells us to enjoy our friends in the APAPTEU, that is, in the different apartments of living. “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.” In terms of our theme if they are speaking of a couple going to the APAPTEU, they are no doubt in the process of finding their balance in life and love, our theme today.

And our number 1 song for two weeks in a row is one of self-confidence from Sabrina Carpenter from her album “Short ‘n Sweet,” the Grammy award winning song “Espresso”. I’ve quoted the artist before talking about the song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and in terms of our theme, being self-confident is a great place to be, and if the couple are working together, they are discovering the way to find their balance in life and love, our theme today.

We have heard some thoughts about “finding a balance” which began with Lola Young and her song “Messy”. My prayer for you and for me is that we will all find the proper balance in life and love between what should be and what is, so as to truly enjoy our lives. My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top,” and to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, my friends at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment. If you have some song suggestions, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of the show along with some meditations on the Gospels and songs and some pretty good movies. One of those movies was “Secretariat” and today’s meditation is on the beginning of that movie and an extraordinary horse./ You can join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 CDT by tuning in your listening device to www.hayspost.com and clicking on KJLS or Mix 103. My closing thought for you comes from a Filipino proverb as reported by my quote manual: “The hardest person to wake up is the person who is already awake.” Now, think about that—it is another way of saying that the people who think that they have it altogether in life are often the ones who need to wake up the most. As Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Espresso” leads us out, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103 and our advice to you among other things is to hold a good thought. From the beautiful state of West Virginia and beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS. my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!

1 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter