KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays
February 1, 2026
“What is Beautiful in People”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Thank you for joining us this first Sunday morning of the winter month of February 2026 and what a winter we have had—and welcome to “Message at the Top.” I am Fr. Mike and you have your dial set to today’s best music Mix 103, the number one music station in Central Kansas. I invite you to listen to the music and learn from the message of that music as we are continuing our theme of enjoying the music, but at the same time listening to the message so that we can perhaps be better people. Olivia Dean had the number 1 song last week, and we’ll see if she remains there this morning.
The song featured on my website today, that is, www.frmikescully.com is Alessia Cara’s “Scars to Your Beautiful” and if you have listened to our show often enough, you know that I have chosen that song to be one of the 6 songs of the most meaning since 1980. What a great song this is.
Allow me first of all to give you some of the chatter about the song from the internet. In one of the interviews about the song, Alessia Cara said this: "Basically, the song is about body image. It's directed at women, but I think men can relate to it as well. It's just a song about these things that certain women go through on a daily basis in order to feel loved or in order to love themselves. I think that's such a thing that goes on in today's world. These weird things are instilled in us, you know? That tell us that we’re not good enough or that there's only one kind of beauty. This song basically is contradicting that idea. It's saying, 'Well, if the world doesn't like how you look then they should change. They should change their perspective. You don’t have to change yourself.' Now 'Scars To Your Beautiful' is basically about embracing yourself and finally coming to that conclusion where you feel love and you can love yourself. The point of the song is to reach as many women, or people, as possible.”
And I certainly hope she does. On the video, the song closes with her personal statement about the song which reads: “Oftentimes the world both directly and indirectly tells us that we shouldn’t be happy with ourselves if we don’t fit certain beauty standards. “Scars to Your Beautiful” is a reminder that beauty isn’t only one look, shape, size or color. It isn’t even always tangible. It comes in an endless amount of forms, and we need to recognize that.”
Indeed we should. And so she sings her refrain: “But there's a hope that's waiting for you in the dark. You should know you're beautiful just the way you are. And you don't have to change a thing; the world could change its heart. No scars to your beautiful, we're stars and we're beautiful.”
You really should check all the words on the internet. Great song here. I would say that anyone can change a little if they want, but our basic self is pretty good to start with. Introducing our theme of “What is Beautiful in People,” from Alessia Cara’s album “Know-It-All,” this is “Scars to Your Beautiful,” on my website today and our lead song on MATT.
(double) SCARS TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL / Alessia Cara
STAY / Zedd & Alessia Cara
Part 2
Closing off a double play from Alessia Cara and here, her song, “Stay” with the artistry of Anton Zaslavski, that is, Zedd, from 2017 from Zedd’s album “Stay +”. It is a song of the lady in the relationship urging the man to stay, even though she knows that she has to make it on her own. “You’ve got to make it on your own,” the lady sings, “but we don’t have to grow up. We can stay forever young, living on my sofa, drinking rum and cola underneath the rising sun. All you have to do is stay a minute.” She knows that she needs to grow up, but she is not willing to do that because she would have to let him go. She has forgotten how beautiful she is, our theme today and doesn’t need the fake relationship with the man.
Our first triple play begins with number 10 of our latest top 10 as of today, and we’ll give them to you in countdown fashion. It is a song of wanting another to show her love for him by good dancing. “It would break my heart,”he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” In terms of our theme, there is beauty present in her, and that beauty can be expressed on the dance floor as well. It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man in the would-be relationship does not express what he will change in the process, but there is beauty in him as he compliments his friend. As usual with him—Bruno Mars, quite a good dance video. From his album yet to be released, “The Romantic,” this is Peter Gene Hernandez better known as Bruno Mars and his song at number 10—our theme next week—”I Just Might” on MATT.
(triple) 10 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
BURN / Ellie Goulding
9 HAPPEN TO ME / Russell Dickerson
Part 3
That was the song “Happen to Me” from Russell Dickerson, “Happen to Me” at number 9 this week from his album “Famous Back Home” on MATT and is about a very early relationship. She is fresh from a breakup and is drinking in a local bar, and the man meets her, and then she “happens to him.” “She said, ‘Shut up, come and dance with me,’” he sings, “and now she’s singin’ ‘Girls just wanna have fun’ at the top of her lungs. Don’t even know she’s about to wreck someone, and I’m in trouble now, ain’t even tryna get out. So, come on, take me down. Don’t know what happened tonight, don’t know what happened last week; don’t know what happened to her, but she’s about to happen to me.” And then in a pessimistic way, he sings “She’ll probably be the one who got away. But right now, I’m takin’ every second I can take, so keep talkin’, and we keep drinkin’. Oh, and I keep on fallin’ and she keeps on singin.’” Not a great beginning to their relationship, but it is a beginning and in every beginning there is the conviction that each are beautiful in their own way, our theme today.
Before him, we heard from Ellie Goulding from her album “Halcyon Days,” from 2014 and her excellent song “Burn”. It is a great song and can easily be interpreted to be a leadership song. She sings about having the fire of love and if enough people accept it, perhaps it will not die. Wouldn’t that be nice! Her words: “We don’t have to worry ‘bout nothing ‘cause we got the fire, and we’re burning something. They gonna see us from outer space. Light it up, like we’re the stars of the human race. When the light’s turning down, they don’t know what they heard. Strike the match, play it loud, giving love to the world. We’ll be raising our hands, shining up the sky ‘cause we got the fire, and we gonna let it burn.” One of the beautiful things about ourselves, our theme today, is the ability we all have to turn on the fire that is within each of us. Good song, good video.
We have some more top 10 music from the past and present as we look at our theme of realizing our beauty . Popular music always seems to have an approach to life about it, and popular songs always contain something to talk about. Let me take you to break with a thought from the “Iron Chancellor”, the first Chancellor of Germany, Otto Von Bismark: “When you want to fool the world, tell the truth.” Maybe a little cynical, but reality; telling the truth is really important in our world today and especially in romantic relationships, and one of the hallmarks of a truly beautiful person is his or her honesty. I’m Fr. Mike, inviting you to keep your dial right there as we continue shortly on MATT on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
We continue with the only show of its kind in this area as we celebrate winter in the heartland, MATT on Mix 103. Our guiding thought is to enjoy the music and listen to the message at the same time. My name is Fr. Mike, your host, and we began speaking about the beautiful in people, a theme which we took from the song featured on my website today, the excellent song “Scars to Your Beautiful” from Alessia Cara.
We are up to number 8 in our countdown. One of the people who write about these songs says that this song explores the intensity and volatility of a passionate relationship. “We were fire,” they sing, “impossible to tame like oil in the ocean, no way to put out the flame. We were just runnin, eyes closed in the dark, headed for a wall, full speed, oh, it’s about to leave a mark. I only want you when you’re gone, playing like we’re done. I love your game, drive me insane.” That is, the feelings of an intense relationship are not easy to study or understand because they are too mixed up, and often cause problems. What is necessary is that we work with those feelings so that we have an idea of the good decisions that can be made in order to overcome those problems, and realize that we are truly beautiful people who can solve even the toughest problems. This is the number 7 song right now on our playlist coming from 3 current singers, David Guetta at DJ, and Teddy Swims and Australian singer Toni Watson better known as Tones and I and their song “Gone Gone Gone” on MATT.
(double) 8 GONE GONE GONE / David Guetta, Teddy Swims and Tones and I
HAPPIER/ Marshmello
Part 5
Christopher Comstock there, better known as Marshmell0 and singing with him is the British group Bastille, and their song “Happier” from 2018 on MATT. The video to the song is an inspiring story, and the song uses the thought of a way to make a person happier. But it’s really a very sad song because the way he is going to make his girlfriend happier is to leave the relationship. “Lately, I’ve been thinking,” he begins the song, “I want you to be happier. With all that has happened, I think that we both know the way that the story ends. Know that means I’ll have to leave. Lately, I’ve been thinking I want you to be happier. So, I’ll go.” With our theme of what is beautiful in people, one of those things has to do with our ability to treat others well, even if it may hurt us a little in the process.
Another triple play now, and let’s begin it with a song which according to the musical critics, she is expressing her belief that one’s actions will decide a person’s fate. She is quite happy with her fate brought about by her actions. In that sense, karma is a “boyfriend” and a “god.” Her enemies do not fare as well. “You’re talking bad for the hell of it,” she sings, “addicted to betrayal, but you’re relevant. You’re terrified to look down, cause if you dare, you’ll see the glare of everyone you burned just to get there. It’s coming back around. And I keep my side of the street clean, you wouldn’t know what I mean. ‘Cause karma is my boyfriend, karma is a god, karma is the breeze in my hair on the weekend. Karma’s a relaxing thought.” I changed some words a little. So, in her mind, “karma” will bring about good if you do good, and bad if you do bad. In terms of our theme, one of the beautiful things about our being is that we can choose to be good and be able to follow through. From her album “Midnights”, her song “Karma” from the songs of 2023 on MATT, from the one and only Taylor Swift on MATT.
(triple) KARMA / Taylor Smith
HERO / Chad Kroeger & Josey Scott
7 DAISIES / Justin Bieber
Part 6
The number 7 song right now in our countdown. It is a song that speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again from his latest album “Swag” and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’; did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks, questions which the emotions of the moment only make more difficult and there must be days of re-commitment, and important words said in the process, so that the person will feel the beauty he possesses, our theme today.
Before him, we heard from Chad Kroeger from the group Nickelback and Josey Scott from the group Saliva, from the soundtrack of the first Spider-Man movie in 2002, and their song named “Hero” on MATT. They begin their song: “I am so high, I can hear heaven, but heaven don’t hear me. And they say that a hero can save us. I’m not gonna stand here and wait. I’ll hold onto the wings of the eagles, watch as they all fly away. Someone told me love will save us. But how can that be, look what love gave us. A world full of killing, and blood-spilling. That world never came.” And so, you’re led to believe that a hero like Spider-Man will do something about it. One thing that heroes have in common is their dream to be all they can be, and follow their dreams to help the world. It is part of their beauty, our theme today. The good thing is that it is part of the beauty of all of us.
We will continue to look at the top 10 of this week, and some top 10’s from the past as well. Right now, let’s pay some bills as DJ’s are wont to say. Let me take you to that break with a quote from Mr. Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do / than by the ones you did do.” That is, we all have beauty to share, but we have to want to share it. I am Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top”, this radio station is Mix 103, and we’ll be right back.
We are back for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 as that fine announcer just said, and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as determined by our research at Mediabase 24-7. We call our show MATT because we take those top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the top 10 show of Mix 103. Our theme came from the song featured on my website today, the excellent song “Scars to Your Beautiful,” and our theme is “What is Beautiful in People?”
Let’s ask that question to our number 6 song in our countdown. It cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. In the story, Mr. Shakespeare has Ophelia drown herself after a rejection from Prince Hamlet and after her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. So a tragic situation, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her and according to the people who should know about such things, as I have said, resembles the likes of her famous current boyfriend. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and both will be willing to eventually work out the deep feelings of love between them. In terms of our theme, the two lovers have shown their beauty to each other, and are ready to proceed in their love lives. Number 6 on our countdown right now from Taylor Swift and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT.
(triple) 6 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
CATCH MY BREATH / Kelly Clarkson
5 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
Part 8
That was our number 5 song on our playlist of today from Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make a love relationship real, and a way to show one of traits of being a beautiful person. Our theme today – be a person who makes mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces.
Before him, we heard American Idol number 1, Ms. Kelly Clarkson, from her album: “Greatest Hits: Chapter One”, her song from 2012, “Catch My Breath”. I believe that it is a high song of meaning because of the determination shown in the song. “I don’t wanna be left behind,” she sings, “distance was a friend of mine, catching breath in a web of lies. I’ve spent most of my life riding waves, playing acrobat, shadowboxing the other half, learning how to react. I’ve spent most of my time catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show. Now that you know this is my life, I won’t be told what’s supposed to be right. It’s all so simple now. Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain’t got time for that. You helped me see the beauty in everything.” It can be looked at as a statement to a boyfriend, or as a prayer thanking God for allowing her to understand the beauty about life, our theme today.
Another triple play now, and let’s begin it with 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 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, “beauty” being our theme today. From her album “Title,” this is Meghan Trainor and her song “All About That Bass” on MATT.
(triple) ALL ABOOUT THAT BASS/ Meghan Trainor
ALL I WANNA DO / Sheryl Crow
4 OPALITE / Taylor Swift
Part 9
The song is called “Opalite”, Taylor Swift again, on our playlist right now at number 4 on MATT. It comes from probably THE most popular album these days, namely, her album “The Life of a Showgirl.” Perhaps her own explanation is necessary first. She says that she has always loved opals. Opal is also Travis Kelce’s birthstone, Travis being Taylor’s fiance. Swift took inspiration from the facts connected with opals, saying that opalite is a metaphor for the idea that happiness can be created voluntarily. Opal is also believed to symbolically represent hope, healing and positive energy. She described the song as a song about forgiving yourself for having gone through something that didn’t pan out the way you wanted it to and giving yourself permission to have it all figured out or not marry the first person you ever dated. So she sings: “Life is a song, it ends when it ends; I was wrong, but alright, you were dancing though the lightning strikes, but now the sky is opalite.” The song is about Swift's state of mind and being perfectly content with what is happening. The lyrics use gemsotne metaphors to visualize failed relationships as dark nights, in contrast to happiness as a bright, opalescent sky. That bright opalescent sky is part of the beauty that we all possess.
Before her, we heard a great song to study, from the year 1994 from her album “The Very Best of Sheryl Crow,” Sheryl Crow, and “All I Wanna Do.” She tells quite a story in song: they had met in a bar, searching for a way to have a great time, because he had told her, "All I wanna do is have a little fun before I die." She wondered whether he had "ever had fun in his life." Now, / she thought, they were having fun, "drinking beer at noon on Tuesday." Both were looking for a good time, some fun; that was all they wanted all day and all night "until the sun comes up on Santa Monica Boulevard." / In the midst of this intoxicated self-amusement appears a "happy couple," a "happy couple dangerously close to one another." They cause a stir. They were dangerously close and happy, perhaps two lovers totally committed to one another, perhaps two people who had found what they were searching for, found love and commitment and responsibility, and yet still interested in having a fun time. It was a moment of learning for those in the bar. Do they learn? The song does not say exactly, but one is led to believe that they do not, because the story ends only with the refrain: "All I wanna do is have a little fun.” Working with our theme of what makes us beautiful, the couple was showing the beauty of what should be.
And we have played our way to another break this first Sunday of February Sunday morning of 2026. It’s great to have you with us this morning, and I hope you stay around for our final segment which will includes some songs of birthday people today. A thought to close out this segment: it comes from author Sam Keen: “We come to love not by finding a perfect person / but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” Great statement, part of a beautiful train of thought from a beautiful person. There is more good thought in front of you—stay with us here on MATT on Mix 103.
Part 10
Good morning to all of you as we close out that morning, and welcome back to MATT, your top 10 show on Mix 103, a show that gives you the top 10 songs of the day in our area, but we also go into the top 10’s from the past, and with all of our songs, we not only play the music, but we give you their messages, often finding that the messages of popular music can help us live better lives in this complicated world that we are part of. We always say that we should enjoy the music and listen to the message. The message we are working with this morning is the fact that in life there is a lot of beauty and we are asking the question “What is Beautiful in People?”
During our segment 10 presentation right now, let’s wish some happy birthdays. First of all, Harry Styles is 32 years old today. The song that we are remembering him with is his song “Golden”. It is a song that speaks of being close, but the possibility of a break-up seems to be the dominant thought. “Golden,” he sings, “As I open my eyes, hold it, focus, hoping, take me back to the light; I know you were way too bright for me. I’m hopeless, broken, so you wait for me in the sky, browns my skin just right. You’re so golden. I’m out of my head and I know that you’re scared because hearts get broken. I don’t wanna be alone. Loving you is the antidote.” That may be, but it sounds like they have a bunch of work to do before their love will blossom. And you can bet, as with all beginning love relationships, both consider the other to be beautiful, but they may forget it in the future. We celebrated with his song “Golden” from his album “Fine Line” from 2020, happy birthday, Harry Styles, on MATT. (triple) GOLDEN / Harry Styles bd
TORN / Natalie Imbruglia bd
NOT OVER YOU / Gavin DeGraw bd
Part 11
Happy birthday to him, Gavin DeGraw, who will be 49 on Wednesday. We celebrated it with his song “Not Over You.” It is from his album called “Sweeter”, and his song “Not Over You” from 2011. It is a love song about what happens when there is a breakup in a romantic love situation. The man in the relationship is remembering when the lady was with him, and it is a good memory, but she is no longer there. The man begins the song, “Dreams—that’s where I have to go to see your beautiful face anymore. If you ask me how I’m doing, I would say I’m doing just fine. I would lie and say that you’re not on my mind, but I go out and I sit down at a table set for two, and finally I’m forced to face the truth—no matter what I say, I’m not over you." It is a very painful time in the person in the song’s love life. I phrase the theme of the meditation on the song on my website, “In every instance of our lives, we must face the truth of what is happening.” And the truth of what is happening in that song is that there will be no relationship. They both remain beautiful people, our theme today, but sometimes the relationship will not work out.
Before him, we wished another happy birthday, this time to Natalie Imbruglia, and a song about pain. 1998 was the year it was popular. It is from her album “Left Of The Middle”, her song “Torn”. Her birthday is this Wednesday when she will be 51 and this Australian singer inspires a question concerning oour theme today. How is it that something so beautiful is often so painful? How can a relationship that was so close and full of love end up so far apart? How can sorrow pierce a heart that once was so full of love? Is it true perhaps that love is pain? / Love may not be pain, but with love, there is always the possibility of pain. Allowing for that risk is part of love. Natalie Imbruglia presents that fact in her song “Torn.” “I thought I saw a man brought to life,” she sings. “He came around like he was dignified. … Well, you couldn’t be that man I adored. You … don’t seem to care what your heart is for. … There’s nothing where he used to lie. … Nothing’s fine, I’m torn.” She goes on to explain what all of that pain does to her: “I’m all out of faith, … I’m cold and I am ashamed. … Illusion never changed into something real. … I can see the perfect sky is torn. You’re a little late, I’m already torn.” She had taken the risk. And suffered pain as a result. There can be little doubt, at least in this imperfect world, that love and pain are often intertwined. But it is important to remember that even with pain, we are all beautiful people.
As usual, we close with the top 3 songs right now. At number 3 is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, namely physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, probably the high emotions of physical togetherness have taken over their lives, and they both must face them, and eventually be content with them as they work their lives from an early love relationship to a later one. My guess is that part of the problem in their relationship is the feeling that they had to express themselves physically before they were ready. The beauty of such a gift is an everlasting commitment, but it can be made too soon. This is number 3 right now from Shane Michael Boose, better known as sombr and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” on MATT.
(double) 3 BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr
2 GOLDEN / Huntr/X
Part 12
Another song that has the name “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X on MATT. It is at number 2 on our countdown as we speak. It comes from three talented Korean ladies known as Huntr/X. As I have said, it is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, we are showing the fact that we are indeed beautiful people, our theme today.
And the number 1 song this week comes from a Breakthrough Artist of the Year, from 26 year old Olivia Lauryn Dean from London, England. It has been number 1 for two weeks in a row, coming from the album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”. The whole song is the statement of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any love relationship or any relationship really, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication, and she gives the reason why. In terms of our theme this week, perhaps the best definition of a truly beautiful person is that they all know the importance of communication and freely uses it well.
Our theme today has been the fact that we are all beautiful people, no matter what has happened. It came from Alessia Cara’s opening song “Scars to Your Beautiful”. My prayer for you and me is that we discover the fact in the long run: we are indeed beautiful—all of us, and we can rejoice in that fact. My thanks to Jeff Leiker, the producer of “Message at the Top,” to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, some of whom include my friends at Hays Car and Truck Alignment, at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays. If you have any suggestions for me, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com. Our meditation today is our lead song and a great one it is—”Scars to Your Beautiful.” Remember that you can join us on the web if you are away from your radio by choosing www.hayspost.com every Sunday morning at 10 Central Time and clicking on Mix 103. A thought to lead us out comes from my favorite author, Mr. Mark Twain: “The reason we hold truth in such respect is because we have so little opportunity to get familiar with it.” Whoa, cynical as always, but a truth—pun intended—that we should learn, and if we remember it, it will help us in every relationship, truly making us beautiful people.
The number 1 song in our land today is from Olivia Dean and her song “Man I Need,” and as you listen to it, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music, Mix 103, and our advice to you among the other things that we have said is to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Thank you for your time today. Remember to catch the Grammys tonight—and you can bet that we’ll have something to say about them. From the beautiful downtown of Lawrence KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good.
1 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
January 25, 2026
“If Your Wings are Broken…”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Thank you for joining us this last Sunday of January 2026 as we are still in the middle of cold winter in the beautiful Heartland. Welcome to “Message at the Top.” It’s great to be with you. Get set for the top 10 songs of our area right now as determined by the research from your requests, as well as the research of Mediabase 24-7 for the reporting date of today, January 25, 2026, and get ready to listen to their messages. Besides the top 10, we will take some songs of the past and refresh our memories on the meanings of those songs and we will talk a little today about helping others. My name is Fr. Mike, and you have your dial set to Mix 103, the number one popular music station of Central Kansas. And our show’s motto remains the same: let’s enjoy the music, but listen to the message and allow it to shape our lives for a better life.
Every once in a while, I like to take a song that I like and work a show around it. One of those favorite songs for me is Rachel Platten’s song “Stand By You.” Let’s go back to the songs of 2016 when we introduced that song and remember them along with the song.
There are many famous friendships throughout history and one in particular has always interested me. Illness destroyed Helen Keller’s sight and hearing when she was not yet two years old, leaving her cut off from the world. For nearly five years she grew up, as she later described it, “wild and unruly, giggling and chuckling to express pleasure, kicking, scratching, uttering the choked screams of the deaf-mute to indicate the opposite.” Anne Sullivan’s arrival at Keller’s Alabama home from the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston changed Helen’s life. Sullivan herself had been half-blind from an eye infection from which she never fully recovered, and she came to Helen with experience, unbending dedication, and love. Through the sense of touch she was able to make contact with the young girl’s mind, and within three years she had taught Helen to read and write in Braille. By sixteen, Helen could speak well enough to go to preparatory school and college. She graduated cum laude from Radcliffe in 1904, and devoted the rest of her life to helping the blind and deaf-blind, as her teacher had done for her. The two women continued their wonderful friendship until Anne’s death. Their friendship has gone down in history as the most remarkable one between a teacher and a student.
Which leads us to this song about best friends from Rachel Ashley Platten: “Hands, put your empty hands in mine,” she sings, “And scars, show me all the scars you hide, and if your wings are broken, please take mine so yours can open too, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you. Even if we’re breaking down, we can find a way to break through. Even if we can’t find heaven, I’ll walk through hell with you. Love, you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m gonna stand by you.” Great words and a great video. The two in the song are best friends, and one phrase in particular stands out for me: “If your wings are broken, please take mine.” That’s a pretty good thought, and could provide a theme for us this morning. “If Your Wings are Broken, Then What.” That is, if you are really down and out, what should happen? To start us off, MATT presents an excellent song of commitment to a friend, “Stand By You” from her album “Wildfire”, Rachel Platten, number 3 on January 25 in 2016 on MATT.
(double) STAND BY YOU / Rachel Platten
BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr
Part 2
We’ll play the top 10 that first introduced Rachel Platten’s song as a lead song in 2016 at number 3 that week, and then play the corresponding number in our countdown today. That last one was number 3 right now from Shane Michael Boose, better known as sombr and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” on MATT. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, namely physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, probably the high emotions of physical togetherness have taken over their lives, and they both must face them, and eventually be content with them as they work their lives from an early love relationship to a later one. My guess is that part of the broken wings in their relationship is the feeling that they had to express themselves physically before they were ready.
At number 10 on this date in 2016 was the first of two that she had in that top 10, here singing a sad song of a person who had left the relationship. “Everybody loves the things you do,” she sings, “From the way you talk to the way you move. Everybody here is watching you 'Cause you feel like home. You're like a dream come true. But if by chance you're here alone, can I have a moment before I go? 'Cause I've been by myself all night long, hoping you're someone I used to know. You look like a movie, you sound like a song: this reminds me 0f when we were young. Nobody told me that you'd be here. And I swear you moved overseas. That's what you said, when you left me.” Breakups continue to be sung about because they are always so difficult and part of life. Breakups can easily be called “broken wings” in a relationship, our theme today, and in order to help with them, we need to take time to work things out. This is Adele from her album “25”, “When We Were Young” number 10 10 years ago today on MATT.
(triple) WHEN WE WERE YOUNG / Adele
DAISIES / Justin Bieber
ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME / Coldplay
Part 3
The band Coldplay from their album “A Head Full of Dreams,” and their song “Adventure of a Lifetime”, number 9 on January 25, 2016 on MATT. It is a very good song extolling the virtue of self-confidence, and a video that you really must see like so many videos which they produce. “Turn your magic on, she’d say, everything you want’s a dream away,” they sing, “And we are legends every day. Under this pressure we are diamonds. Now I feel my heart beating. Oh you make me feel like I’m alive again. So I can’t go on, not this way. I’m a dream that died by light of day. Gonna hold up half the sky and say, ‘Only I own me,’ ‘cause you make me feel like I’m alive again.” So, a good song that says we should develop real self-confidence, and it is one of the ways to take care of the “broken wings” that we get ourselves into that happen in our lives, our theme today.
Before them, we heard the number 10 song right now in our countdown. It is a song that speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again from his latest album “Swag” and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’; did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks, questions which the emotions of the moment only make more difficult and there must be days of re-commitment, and important words said in the process, words that can take care of any broken wings, our theme today which those words may have caused.
We have some more great music for you in our next segment. In fact, get ready for music from Max McNown, the band Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran, all of them with their own little contribution to a thought about how to repair broken wings. Before our break, here is a thought about life: “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking spaces.” Indeed. I’m Fr. Mike, inviting you to keep your dial right there as we continue shortly on MATT on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
We continue with the only show of its kind in this area as we celebrate winter in America. It is great to have you with us on the station that plays the very best in popular music, and the show we have labeled as MATT, the show that takes the top 10 songs of today and yesterday, and discovers just what their approach to life is, often giving us some thoughts with which we can guide our lives toward the good, the show where our motto is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us. My name is Fr. Mike, your host, and we are featuring today one of my favorite songs from Rachel Platten named “Stand By You.”
Rachel Platten’s other famous song is another good one. It is a song of confidence again, and the video acts it out extremely well. “Like a small boat,” she sings, “On the ocean sending big waves into motion. Like how a single word can make a heart open. I might only have one match, but I can make an explosion. And all those things I didn't say, wrecking balls inside my brain. I will scream them loud tonight. Can you hear my voice this time? This is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I'm alright song. My power's turned on. Starting right now I'll be strong. I'll play my fight song and I don't really care if nobody else believes 'cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me.” The person in the song knows what has happened in the past, but she is ready to begin again, exactly what she should do, proving that life is really “worth it” in her mind. Tying it into the theme that she gave us, if your wings are broken, work on getting them repaired and then begin again. Also from her album “Wildfire,” this is Rachel Platten and her song “Fight Song” on MATT .
(double) FIGHT SONG / Rachel Platten
THIS LOVE/ Maroon 5
Part 5
Another song that picks up that idea of healing broken wings, Maroon 5 from their album “Songs About Jane” and their song “This Love” from 2004 and part of the Grammy awards for that year. Their message in the song is this: even though we are wounded in some way, we still must understand that we have love-work to do. The group talks of a love relationship that has been rocky for a while, and finally the person in the song says: “I’ll fix these broken things, repair your broken wings, and make sure everything’s alright.” He is going to finally give of himself. The love, he says, has taken its toll on him, and that is exactly what true love does—it takes its toll on us because we have to learn to give to others. What does it have to say about fixing those broken wings they are singing about? When we learn to give to others, we have learned the primary remedy to helping other people.
We are up to number 9 in our present countdown and a song that says when we fall in love with someone who is a better person than we are, it is good for us. The man in the relationship was not a very good person before he met her. “Love was a game I played,” he begins his song, and he went off the deep end because of too much drinking, but then he met his girlfriend like an angel waiting. “I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes, like to pray to Jesus, spending Friday nights at home. Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind, deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold. You’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want. There’s a God and you’re proof in those brown eyes. I know that I got to find a better me for you.” And the presumption is that he changes for the better. In terms of our theme this week, having the type of attitude that he has is a great way to work with any broken wings that he caused in himself or others. The song comes from the pride of Bend, Oregon, 24 year old Max Winter McNown from his album “Night Diving”, and his song “Better Me For You” on MATT.
(triple) BETTER ME FOR YOU / Max McNown
STRESSED OUT / Twenty-One Pilots
CAMERA / Ed Sheeran
Part 6
At number 8 in our countdown right now and a song from Ed Sheeran’s album “Play,” his song “Camera”, number 8 on MATT on our present countdown, a song about the strong feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice descriptive words about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, part of the broken wings, our theme today, that she must overcome. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out because they seem to be able to talk.
Before him, we went back to 2016 and a duo new to the top 10 at that time called Twenty One Pilots. They are from Columbus, Ohio, and their song is “Stressed Out”, number 8 on the countdown at that time. “I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink, but now I'm insecure and I care what people think. My name's 'Blurryface' and I care what you think. Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol' days when our momma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out. Out of student loans and treehouse homes, we all would take the latter. We used to play pretend, give each other different names; we would build a rocket ship and then we'd fly it far away. Used to dream of outer space but now they're laughing at our face, saying, ‘Wake up, you need to make money.’ ” We might look at growing up to be nothing more than fixing “broken wings”, our theme today, but it is a must in our world—we all must grow up, and work with the broken wings that happen as one grows.
And that brings us to the close of our first hour together this morning. We will continue with the theme of healing broken wings in just a couple of minutes. In fact, we will see how that theme can be discussed in light of the situations of the music of in order of appearance: Elle King, David Guetta, Justin Bieber again, Taylor Swift, Adele again and closing off with Taylor Swift again. To break we go with this quote from humorist Thomas Dewar: “Minds are like parachutes: they only function when open.” Amen, and if they don’t open…..well, you get the picture. You’ve got MATT this last Sunday of January morning on your radio dial on Mix 103.
This is indeed Mix 103 and today’s best music, and what we call MATT. Every song has a message and many times that message will actually help our lives—such is our belief on this show. I’m Fr. Mike; good morning to all of you and thank you for joining us for our second hour of MATT here on Mix 103.3 on your radio dial. I’m ready to lead us through the middle segment of our show this morning, and songs that deal with—among other topics—love, since 80% of all songs are about love. Our motto during the show is to enjoy the music and listen to the message. We are putting all of our songs into a theme that we have entitled: “If Your Wings are Broken...” It came from one of my personal favorite songs from Rachel Platten and her song “Stand By You.”
We are counting down the songs that occupied our airwaves on January 25, 2016 and today, January 25, 2026. And we are up to number 7. 10 years ago, the number 7 song that week was about self-confidence again. Self-confidence is necessary, but being over-confident can have the opposite effect, especially if you speak about it to others. Such is the case here. The lady in the song sings of strong confidence in her own abilities to have lovers. “Well, I had me a boy, turned him into a man,” she sings. “I showed him all the things that he didn't understand. And then I let him go. Now, there's one in California who's been cursing my name ‘cause I found me a better lover in the UK, until I made my getaway. One, two, three, they gonna run back to me 'cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep. They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave. Ex's and the oh's, they haunt me like ghosts; they want me to love 'em all. They won't let go.” In terms of our theme this week, this type of over self-confidence will lead to “broken wings” no matter what the person may think. This is from Elle King’s album “Love Stuff,” “Ex’s and Oh’s”, number 7 on January 25, 2016 on MATT.
(triple) EX’S AND OH’S / Elle King
GONE GONE GONE / David Guetta, Teddy Swims, Tones & I
SORRY / Justin Bieber
Part 8
Canadian artist Justin Bieber again, this time from his album “Purpose”, and his song “Sorry”, number 6 on January 25, 2016 on MATT. It is a song asking for forgiveness. “You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty” he sings. “You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies. I hope I don't run out of time. Could someone call the referee ‘cause I just need one more shot at forgiveness. I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice. And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple a hundred times. So let me redeem myself tonight. ‘Cause I just need one more shot at second chances. Is it too late now to say sorry? Yeah I know that I let you down.” In terms of our theme, one of the ways to repair the “broken wings” of life, our own and others, is to ask for and grant to others “forgiveness.”
Before him, we played the number 7 song right now on our playlist coming from 3 current singers, David Guetta at DJ, and Teddy Swims and Australian singer Toni Watson better known as Tones and I. One of the people who write about these songs says that the song itself explores the intensity and volatility of a passionate relationship. “We were fire,” they sing, “impossible to tame like oil in the ocean, no way to put out the flame. We were just runnin, eyes closed in the dark, headed for a wall, full speed, oh, it’s about to leave a mark. I only want you when you’re gone, playing like we’re done. I love your game, drive me insane.” That is, the feelings of an intense relationship are not easy to study or understand because they are too mixed up, and often cause broken wings, our theme today. What is necessary is that we work with those feelings so that we have an idea of the good decisions can be made in order to overcome those broken wings.
Staying with our current countdown, let’s go to number 6 and the first song on our countdown from Taylor Swift. It comes from probably THE most popular album these days, namely, her album “The Life of a Showgirl.” Perhaps her own explanation is necessary first. She says that she has always loved opals. Opal is also Travis Kelce’s birthstone, Travis being Taylor’s fiance. Swift took inspiration from the facts connected with opals, saying that opalite is a metaphor for the idea that happiness can be created voluntarily. Opal is also believed to symbolically represent hope, healing and positive energy. She described the song as a song about forgiving yourself for having gone through something that didn’t pan out the way you wanted it to and giving yourself permission to have it all figured out or not marry the first person you ever dated. So she sings: “Life is a song, it ends when it ends; I was wrong, but alright, you were dancing though the lightning strikes, but now the sky is opalite.” The song is about Swift's con/tent state of mind. The lyrics use gemstone metaphors to visualize failed relationships as dark nights, in contrast to happiness as a bright, opalescent sky. Those dark nights might also describe broken wings that she is experiencing, our theme today. The song is called “Opalite”, Taylor Swift, on our playlist right now at number 6 on MATT.
(triple) OPALITE / Taylor Swift
HELLO / Adele
THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
Part 9
Number 5 on our countdown right now also from Taylor Swift and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT. It cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. In the story, Mr. Shakespeare has Ophelia drown herself after a rejection from Prince Hamlet and after her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. So tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her and according to the people who should know about such things, as I have said, resembles the likes of her famous current boyfriend. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and both will be willing to eventually work out the deep feelings of love between them. In terms of our theme, the two lovers have overcome any broken wings, and are ready to proceed in their love lives.
Before her, MATT presented the first release from her album “25”, Adele again, and her song “Hello”, former number 1, number 5 on January 25, 2016, the second time we have heard from her this morning. It is a 10+ song of meaning because it shows the importance of apology for hurting someone romantically. “Hello, it's me,” she sings, “I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet, to go over everything. They say that time's supposed to heal ya, but I ain't done much healing. Hello, can you hear me? I'm in California dreaming about who we used to be when we were younger and free. I've forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet. Hello from the other side. I must've called a thousand times to tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done. But when I call / you never seem to be home. At least I can say that I've tried to tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart.” The ability to say that we are sorry is one of the best ways to heal the “broken wings” of life, our theme today, and that is something that we have said already this morning, and will continue to say because it comes up so often in these songs.
Which brings us to a break in the action, as my friend Gerard Wellbrock says here on Tiger Radio. We’ll be back with more music in our final segment from the top songs now and this date in 2016. First, let me lead you to that break in the action with this thought about happiness: “Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.” Sometimes to be happy, we have to be a little crazy. Hey, stay with us—you have MATT on your radio dial this morning on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 10
This is the MATT music network, as we are apt to say here, as we play only the top 10 songs that have graced our airwaves over the past 45 years, and we talk about them from what they talk about—that is their meanings. I am Fr. Mike, and I welcome you back to our show that is speaking about “Healing Broken Wings” this morning, that thought from Rachel Platten and her song “Stand By You”.
Let’s begin this segment with the number 4 song on our playlist of January 25, 2016. It is a former number 1 from Meghan Trainor and John Legend. The song says that commitment is not a matter of “waiting until something else happens.” It is a matter of being so strong that we are not allowing for any conditions. “So, I’m gonna love you,” they sing, “like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna hold you like I’m saying goodbye wherever we’re standing. I won’t take you for granted ‘cause we’ll never know when we’ll run out of time. In the blink of an eye, you could lose everything; the truth is you never know. I’ll make the most of the minutes / and love with no regrets. Let’s take our time to say what we want, use what we got before it’s all gone, ‘cause we’re not promised tomorrow.” We can’t put off trying to heal the “broken wings” of our lives, our theme today, because we just may not do it tomorrow, and if we don’t do it, our lives will not be very happy. This is Meghan Trainor from her album “Title,” and her song “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” a song that she sings with John Legend, number 4 on January 25, 2016 on MATT.
(triple) LIKE I’M GONNA LOSE YOU/ Meghan Trainor f/ John Legend
ORDINARY / Alex Warren
STITCHES / Shawn Mendes
Part 11
Going back 10 years today is what we have doing on our show todqy along with the songs of today, and that one was from Shawn Peter Raul Mendes, a 17 year old singer/songwriter at that time from Toronto, Canada and his song from his album “Handwritten”, the name of the song being “Stitches” on MATT. “I thought that I'd been hurt before,” he sings. “But no one's ever left me quite this sore. Your words cut deeper than a knife. Now I need someone to breathe me back to life, got a feeling that I'm going under. But I know that I'll make it out alive if I quit calling you my lover, (and) move on. You watch me bleed until I can't breathe. Shaking, falling onto my knees, and now that I’m without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches. Just like a moth drawn to a flame, you lured me in, I couldn't sense the pain, your bitter heart cold to the touch.” Tough words, and really painful thoughts. Thinking of our theme this week, the pain caused by the “broken wings” of life must be faced, and faced with the desire to do something positive about it.
Before him, we heard our number 4 song on our playlist of today from Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make a love relationship real, and a way to take care of broken wings whether in ourselves or others, our theme today—make mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces.
Right now, let’s go to our number 2 song on our countdown as we speak. It comes from three talented Korean ladies known as Huntr/X. As I have said, it is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, we will work on those things that have caused broken wings for us or others. This is the song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X on MATT.
(double) GOLDEN / Huntr/X
ON MY MIND / Ellie Goulding
Part 12
The number 1 song 10 years ago today was from Ellie Goulding from her latest album “Delirium” and her song “On My Mind” on MATT. It is basically a song of wonder about a relationship, a common enough situation of these songs. “It’s a little dirty how the whole thing started,” she sings, “I don’t even know what you really intended. Thought that you were cute and you could make me jealous. Next thing that I know you were talking deep like it was mad love to you. You wanted my heart, but I just liked your tattoos. And now I don’t understand it: you don’t mess with love, you mess with the truth, and I know I shouldn’t say it, but my heart don’t understand why I got you on my mind. You didn’t love me, no, not really. Wait, I could have really liked you. I’ll bet that’s why I keep thinking about you.” The lady in the relationship is struggling with what to do as she falls in love, and that struggle could be called a “broken wing,” our theme today, and she is doing the right thing, I believe—trying to figure things out.
And following our pattern that we have used during our show today, the number 1 song right now is up for us next. It is a new number one for us and comes from a Breakthrough Artist of the Year from 26 year old Olivia Lauryn Dean from London, England. This is from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”. The whole song is the statement of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any love relationship or any relationship really, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication, and she gives the reason why. In terms of our theme this week, perhaps the ONLY way to heal broken wings is to talk them out with someone you trust.
We have considered the thought of broken wings on our show today, that is what to do when things do not look so good, a thought which we took from Rachel Platten’s number 3 song on January 25, 2016 “Stand By You,” one of my favorite sounding songs. My prayer for you and me is that we will all learn how to deal with the tough things in life, thinking of ourselves and helping our friends. My thanks to our producers and especially to our sponsors, in particular our sponsors, TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment. If you would like to comment on any of my comments, feel free to write me at KJLS-FM, Hays, 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, these songs and some great movies. I invite you to join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 as well by choosing www.hayspost.com and then clicking on Mix 103. One final thought before we go. It comes from many young people. “Wi-fi went down today, so I had to talk to my family—they seem like nice people.” Yes, indeed. And as you listen to the number 1 song in our area “Man I Need” from Olivia Dean, may I remind you to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Peace to you, and be good.
MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
January 18, 2026
“Early Relationships”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top,” and happy winter as most of our area still feels the effects of that season. We have a way to go before Spring. Hopefully, you have found a way to stay warm. Welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, your host and get ready for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by our own research and Mediabase 24-7 as of today, January 18, 2026. 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, songs from artists like Alex Warren and occasionally some songs from the 80’s like from the band Mike and the Mechanics, and their messages as well. This morning, we have top 10 songs from today and yesterday, concentrating on the current top 10 and top 10 songs of the recent past. We are calling our show “Early Relationships” this morning since we have a lead song that deals with beginning love relationships and the ups and downs of that love.
The song that inspires it is from newcomer to our chart, country pop singer Russell Dickerson who will be 39 this year from Union City, Tennessee. The song is near the top 10 called “Happen to Me” and is about a very early relationship. She is fresh from a breakup and is drinking in a local bar, and the man meets her, and then she “happens to him.” “She said, ‘Shut up, come and dance with me,’” he sings, “and now she’s singin’ ‘Girls just wanna have fun’ at the top of her lungs. Don’t even know she’s about to wreck someone, and I’m in trouble now, ain’t even tryna get out. So, come on, take me down. Don’t know what happened tonight, don’t know what happened last week; don’t know what hppened to her, but she’s about to happen to me.” And then in a pessimistic way, he sings “She’ll probably be the one who got away. But right now, I’m takin’ every second I can take, so keep talkin’, and we keep drinkin’. Oh, and I keep on fallin’ and she keeps on singin.’”
Doesn’t sound like a really great beginning to their relationship, but it is a beginning no matter what it sounds like. And it can be a guide for us as we listen to our 22 songs from popular music on our show today. We’ll play what she is singing as part of our double play to begin our show, and let’s take that theme of “Early Relationships,” and talk about some do’s and don’t’s as we listen to our songs.
To start us off, the song we’re talking about, Russell Dickerson, “Happen to Me” from his album “Famous Back Home” on MATT.
(double) HAPPEN TO ME / Russell Dickerson
GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN / Cyndi Lauper
Part 2
The song that the lady in Russell Dickerson’s song “Happen to Me” keeps singing. The one and only Cyndi Lauper from her album “She’s So Unusual” and her 1983 song “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.” The story in song is this: the mother of the person in the song says “when are you gonna live your life right?” Her response: “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”. Her father calls in the middle of the night, no doubt to a party she is attending, and says “what are you gonna do with your life.” Her response “Girls just want to have fun.” We have gone on record / on this show of talking of the importance of having fun—no problem with that. Our problem has revolved around having too much fun, which may be the case there. It fits into our theme this way: having too much fun is a way to begin an early relationship, but such a beginning just may be the end of it as well. Interesting double play to begin with this morning.
Our first triple play begins with the man in the relationship singing: “Lessons learned, bridges burned to the ground, and it’s too late now to put out the fire, tables turned, and I’m the one who’s burning now. Well I’m doing alright, ‘til I close my eyes, and then I see your face, and it’s no surprise: just like that, I’m crawling back to you just like you said I would. I swallow my pride, now, I’m crawling back to you. I’m out of my head, can’t wait any longer, down on my knees. I thought I was stronger.” The man in the relationship had hurt her in the past, he realizes what he has done, and so he is coming back to her, presumably asking for forgiveness, but you’re not sure from the song whether she gives it to him or not. In early relationships, our theme today, we have to be very careful because we could hurt a relationship pretty easily. MATT presenting Chris Daughtry and band and their song “Crawling Back to You” from Daughtry’s album “Break the Spell” from the year 2011 on MATT.
(triple) CRAWLING BACK TO YOU / Daughtry
STAY THE NIGHT Zedd f/ Hayley Williams
9 BETTER ME FOR YOU / Max McNown
Part 3
Bend, Oregon-born Max Winter McNown from his album “Night Diving”, number 9 on our playlist and “Better Me For You” on MATT. It is a song that says when we fall in love with someone who is a better person than we are, it is good for us. The man in the relationship was not a very good person before he met her. “Love was a game I played,” he begins his song, and he went off the deep end because of too much drinking, but then he met his girlfriend like an angel waiting. “I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes, like to pray to Jesus, spending Friday nights at home. Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind, deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold. You’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want. There’s a God and you’re proof in those brown eyes. I know that I got to find a better me for you.” And the presumption is that he changes for the better. In terms of our theme this week, having the type of attitude that he has is a great way to work with an early relationship.
Before him, we heard the song featured on my website www.frmikescully.com today from German producer and DJ Anton Zaslavski better known as Zedd and here featuring Hayley Nichole Williams, the lead singer of the rock group Paramore. It comes from Zedd’s album “Clarity”, and their song “Stay the Night”from 2012. The song is an invitation for another to stay the night, and because the relationship is in such a mess, he should not stay the night unless they are trying to work it out, IMHO. In the song, they are not trying to work it out—they only want the feeling. “I know that we are upside down,” she sings, “so hold your tongue and hear me out. I know that we were made to break. So what, I don’t mind. Are you gonna stay the night, doesn’t mean we’re bound for life.” Like I say, it seems that they have some work to do on their relationship. And if it is an early relationship, our theme today, it probably will be over pretty soon.
Important words being said here, not because I said them, but because if people would know them and learn from them, we’d be able to understand our life a little more, I think. Let me take you to break with this thought from author Stuart Chase who died in 1985: “For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible.” Pretty heavy stuff. Our show is called MATT; I am Fr. Mike, and I hope your January Sunday is a good one for you. Don’t go way; “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 will be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
This is MATT and it is so good to have you back with us. We welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending today, and we welcome you back to some top 10 songs of the past as well. And with our music, we always give the meanings of the songs. I’m Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of its kind in this area, maybe in the world, the show that takes the top songs and explains their messages, and then we call the show “Message at the Top.” The topic of our show this morning was given to us by Russell Dickerson and his song “Happen To Me,” that topic being “Early Relationships.”
And let’s see how this double play of top 10 songs fits into that theme today. It begins with the song at number 5 on our current playlist, a song about the strong feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, and it may cause a breakup. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out because they seem to be able to talk. And that will make them both happy, whether it is an early relationship, our theme today, or not. From Ed Sheeran’s album “Play,” this is his song “Camera”, number 5 on MATT.
(double) 5 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran
10 DAISIES / Justin Bieber
Part 5
A song that speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again from his latest album “Swag”, number 10 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’; did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks, questions which the emotions of the moment only make more difficult and there must be days of re-commitment, and important words said in the process, especially if it is an early relationship, our theme today.
We continue to play most of our songs in triple play, and we begin this one with a song about fixing cracks in life and love. He sings: “A broken heart is all that’s left; I’m still fixing all the cracks. Lost a couple of pieces when I carried it home. I’m afraid of all I am, my mind feels like a foreign land. I’ve spent all of the love I saved; we were always a losing game—small town boy in a big arcade. I got addicted to a losing game.” Being addicted to a losing game is pretty descriptive of something that has ended in a lot of pain. In the process of describing the breakup, he says, that he is still fixing the cracks, and in terms of our theme this week, building early love relationships has a bunch of cracks, and if one wants to fix them, he/she ought to go about it carefully because you can easily hurt the other in the process. This is Dutch singer Duncan de Moor better known as Duncan Laurence and featuring Cari Elise Fletcher better known simply as Fletcher, and their song from 2021 from Duncan Laurence’s album “Small Town Boy”, and the song “Arcade” on MATT.
(triple) ARCADE / Duncan Lawrence f/ Fletcher
FAST CAR / Luke Combs
7 GONE, GONE, GONE / David Guetta, Teddy Swims, Tones & I
Part 6
That was David Guetta, Teddy Swims and Tones and I, at number 7 on our playlist, “Gone, Gone, Gone” on MATT. One of the people who write about these songs says that the song itself explores the intensity and volatility of a passionate relationship. “We were fire,” they sing, “impossible to tame like oil in the ocean, no way to put out the flame. We were just runnin, eyes closed in the dark, headed for a wall, full speed, oh, it’s about to leave a mark. I only want you when you’re gone, playing like we’re done. I love your game, drive me insane.” That is, the feelings of an intense relationship are not easy to study or understand because they are too mixed up. What is necessary is that we work with those feelings so that we have an idea of what they mean to the person so that good decisions can be made and probably those decisions can only be made once the couple is out of the early relationship, our theme today.
Before them, we heard from his album “Gettin Old”, Mr. Luke Combs, former number 1 and his song, “Fast Car” number 12 in 2024, on MATT. It had previously been a top 10 from the 80’s for Tracy Chapman. It is quite a story in song without a happy ending and its title is the symbol of what many believe to be the answer to happiness, a fast car. Ultimately, it is a song about a life that didn’t work out the way the person wanted. In the story, she wants to have “a feeling that I belonged” as she says. And so, she sets out to fulfill that ambition. She believes the feeling of “being someone” can be accomplished by the fast car. But she changed her mind when she discovered that her family needed her; a good ideal that didn’t last. And the song closes without her having accomplished her goals, and still looking to be someone. So, the story of someone who never quite made it for her to “be someone.” As I study the song in light of our theme today, it may very well be that the early relationships in the saga were ruined by the fast car.
That is our theme this morning, looking at early relationships and seeing what is right and wrong about working with them. Still to come on MATT during the beginning of our second hour together is music from sombr, the 80’s group Mike and the Mechanics, Taylor Swift in double play, and a double play from Meghan Trainor. Let me take you to break with this thought from religious educator Max Lucado: “Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want; faith is the belief that God will do what is right.” Great thought. And something to remember. It is great to have you with us on 100,000 watts of power, Mix 103, and MATT.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
This is indeed the show Message at the Top on Mix 103.3, today’s best music. We know that every song has a message, and that message often can be studied so that we can learn some things about life. Such is our philosophy on this show, and we are back for “Message at the Top”. Thank you for giving us a little of your second last Sunday of January 2026. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show as our music leads us to explore the theme of the ins and outs of early relationships. As usual, we invite you to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help your life and mine be a little better.
We begin our second hour together this morning with a song that is number 4 on our playlist right now. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, probably the high emotions of physical togetherness have taken over their lives, and they both must face them, and eventually be content with them as they work their lives from an early love relationship, our theme today, to a later one. Shane Michael Boose here, better known as sombr and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” at number 4 in our playlist on MATT.
(triple) 4 BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr
THE LIVING YEARS / Mike & the Mechanics
8 OPALITE / Taylor Swift
Part 8
Probably THE most popular album these days is Taylor Swift’s latest, namely, “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the latest of her popular songs for radio play is on that album. It is called “Opalite” on our playlist right now at number 8. Perhaps her own explanation is necessary first. She says that she has always loved opals. Opal is also Travis Kelce’s birthstone, Travis being Taylor’s fiance. Swift took inspiration from the facts connected with opals, saying that opalite is a metaphor for the idea that happiness can be created voluntarily. Opal is also believed to symbolically represent hope, healing and positive energy. She described the song as a song about forgiving yourself for having gone through something that didn’t pan out the way you wanted it to and giving yourself permission to have it all figured out or not marry the first person you ever dated. So she sings: “Life is a song, it ends when it ends; I was wrong, but alright, you were dancing though the lightning strikes, but now the sky is opalite.” The song is about Swift's content state of mind in a happy relationship after some difficult early relationships, our theme today. The lyrics use gemstone metaphors to visualize failed relationships as dark nights, in contrast to happiness as a bright, opalescent sky.
Before her, MATT presented the band Mike and the Mechanics from their album named after that song “The Living Years”. They are a rock band formed in 1984, as a side project, more or less of Mike Rutherford, the founder of the group Genesis and are still active on the music scene. The song is a 10+ category song, the highest I get, a song about children and parents from 1989. In the song, the young person is directed to be aware of the influence of one’s father: “I know that I’m a prisoner to all my father held so dear; I know that I’m a hostage to all his hopes and fears.” The refrain throughout counsels openness with parents, urging the young people to talk with them now—in the living years: “Say it loud, say it clear; it’s too late when we die to admit we don’t see eye to eye.” It recognizes the pain of communication that just doesn’t seem to happen. The song contains one of those great one-liners in rock music: “we all talk a different language talking in defense.” As we think of early relationships, before any love relationships outside our immediate family, there must first be true love within the family. Great song.
In our playlist right now, another song from Ms. Taylor Swift. It cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. Her song: “The Fate of Ophelia” at number 6 on MATT. In the story, Mr. Shakespeare has Ophelia drown herself after a rejection from Prince Hamlet and after her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. So tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her and according to the people who should know about such things, as I have said, resembles the likes of her famous current boyfriend. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and both will be willing to eventually work out the deep feelings of love between them. In terms of our theme, the two lovers have overcome the early relationships, and are ready to proceed in their love lives. This is the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” Taylor Swift and her song at number 6 right now, “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT.
(triple) 6 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
LIPS ARE MOVIN’/ Meghan Trainor
LIKE I’M GONNA LOSE YOU / Meghan Trainor f/ John Legend
Part 9
Closing off a double play from her, that was Ms. Meghan Elizabeth Trainor from her album “Title,” and a song that she sings with John Roger Stephens, better known as John Legend, and an excellent song of commitment, and what commitment demands, her song “Like I’m Gonna Lose You,” from the songs of meaning of 2016 on MATT. The refrain is: “So, I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna hold you like I’m saying goodbye wherever we’re standing. I won’t take you for granted ‘cause we’ll never know when we’ll run out of time. In the blink of an eye, you could lose everything; the truth is you never know. I’ll make the most of the minutes / and love with no regrets. Let’s take our time to say what we want, use what we got before it’s all gone, ‘cause we’re not promised tomorrow.” I like those ideas because it says basically that we should use the moment we have to do what must be done. They are singing about love, but it could apply anywhere, but applying it to love and our theme, even in early relationships, our theme today, we should be able to think of what they would be like later in life, and act in a mature way.
Before that song, we heard the first part of the double play dedicated to her, Meghan Trainor who recently turned 32, and her song “Lips are Movin’” from her album “Title” from 2015. It is a song about betrayal by the man in the relationship and the woman is well aware of it. “You can buy me diamond earrings and deny,” she sings. “But I smell her on your collar, so... goodbye. I know you lie 'cause your lips are moving. Tell me do you think I'm dumb? I might be young, but I ain't stupid, talking around in circles with your tongue. I gave you bass, you gave me sweet talk, saying how I'm your number one, but I know you lie. If your lips are moving, then you're lyin'.” She knows exactly how he is, and she is quitting the relationship, exactly what she should do. This type of dishonesty often happens in early relationships, our theme today, and therefore we have to remain always careful as we begin to date.
An interesting mix of songs there. Get ready for more music this time from among others Alex Warren and Jelly Roll. First, another quote about belief, this one from philosopher William James who died in 1910: “Believe that your life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.” Amen. I’m Fr. Mike, your host for this show which we call MATT, and we are on the airways on Mix 103.3 in Hays, KS and on the internet at www.hayspost.com. I hope you are still here when we come back in a few moments.
Hi again, everyone, this is “Message at the Top”, on Mix 103. Thank you for spending part of your Sunday with us. I am Fr. Mike, and our show gives you the top 10 songs of our area, as well as some great songs 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. That aspect of behavior that we are talking about right now is some insights about early relationships.
Jelly Roll has this next song on my website next Wednesday, that is www.frmikescully.com and I thought we might as well dedicate our segment 10 to him and the three songs we have on our playlist from him. His song on my website will be the third of this triple play which will begin with his song here. He sings about something that just didn’t go right. And the person in this song sings that because of it, he was not okay. In fact, he was barely getting by. He had lost track of days and he was losing sleep at night. He says he is fine, but as he says, he has learned to hide it well. He feels a little sorry for himself, says that he can’t be the only one who’s holding on for dear life. It sounds like utter despair, but he says, “It’s gonna be all right, I know that one day we’ll see the other side, and the pain’ll wash away in a holy water tide, and we all gonna be all right.” Great attitude, and exactly what should happen—even though there is pain, “all gonna be all right.” There may be negatives in our living, and there are—no doubt about that—but the overall knowledge just may be the most important belief—the negative will not stay, and we can count on the other side always being true—all gonna be alright. As we work with early relationships, our theme today, we must be aware of this situation. This is Mr. Jason Bradley DeFord or better known as Jelly Roll from his album “Beautifully Broken” and his song from earlier this year “I Am Not Okay” on MATT.
(triple) I AM NOT OKAY / Jelly Roll
NEED A FAVOR / Jelly Roll
SAVE ME / Jelly Roll
Part 11
The song featured on my website on Wednesday, Jelly Roll’s “Save Me” from his album “Whitsitt Chapel” and singing with him, Lainey Wilson on MATT. He explained the song as saying that it came from a really dark place in his life, and there’s no doubt about that as you listen to the words. “Somebody save me from myself; I’ve spent so long living in hell. They say my lifestyle is bad for my health; it's the only thing that seems to help. All of this drinking and smoking is hopeless but feel like it’s all that I need. Something inside of me’s broken; I hold on to anything that sets me free. I’m a lost cause.” In terms of our theme, the man in the song definitely needs something in life. The feeling he describes is often one of early relationships, our theme today where one is searching for love and he had better find some more positive statements to guide his life.
Before him, him again, Jelly Roll and his song “I Need a Favor.” And his 10+ category song from his album “Whitsitt Chapel.” I love it when these top songs talk of God in some way. It is a statement of what happens with prayer. Speaking the truth of so many people, it says: “I only talk to God when I need a favor, and I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer. So, who the heck am I to expect a Savior if I only talk to God when I need a favor. But God I need a favor! I know Amazing Grace, but I ain’t been livin’ them words. Swear I spend most Sundays drunk than I have in church. Hard cover King James only been savin’ dust on the nightstand, and I don’t know what to say the time I fold my hands. I only talk to God when I need a favor.” I changed some of the words. It is an honest song. In terms of our theme, there’s no doubt that our early love relationships will be helped if we pray to our God about them.
As usual, let’s close off with our top 3 songs on our playlist. The whole song here next is the statement of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any love relationship or any relationship really, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication and she gives the reason why. In terms of our theme this week, early relationship or not, if we are going to be lovers, we need to be able to communicate with each other. We’ve said that a time or two on this show. This is British singer/songwriter Olivia Lauryn Dean or simply Olivia Dean from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need” number 3 this week on MATT.
(double) 3 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
2 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
Part 12
20 weeks at number 1 on MATT—a record that may never be broken, now at number 2, the song “Ordinary,” from Alex Warren. The song talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. He begins with the thought that everything is pretty much ordinary: “They say ‘The holy water’s watered down and this town’s lost its faith. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make a love relationship real, and probably will not happen until the early relationship problems have been worked out, our theme today.
And back to number 1, for two weeks all together now, the song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X. As I have said, it is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, it should begin even in the early years of discovery of each other.
If you have any suggestions for me, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where, as you hear every week, you will find meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some great movies and a transcript of the show. If you are away from your radio, you can reach us on any listening device on the web every Sunday morning at 10 am by logging on to and choosing Mix 103. One final thought before we leave is one that comes from Henry David Thoreau: “Live your beliefs and you can turn the world around.” Amen. As the three young lady Korean group, Huntr/X leads us out, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music, Mix 103. Thank you for your time this second last Sunday of January. Besides all the other words we have said to you, I urge you to remember to hold a good thought. From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS especially this time of year, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Stay safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 GOLDEN / Huntr/X