KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays
June 15, 2025
“What Should Be Taught to Kids”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top” your top 10 show on today’s best music Mix 103, and I hope this Sunday of the beautiful month of June is a good one for you. Happy harvest whenever that comes to those of you involved in that line of work. And happy Summer since Summer begins this Friday. It is also Father’s Day today, and so happy Father’s Day for those of you who qualify, and our show will remember Fathers and Mothers in a special way today. You have on your dial this morning a show that gives you the messages of the top 10 of today and yesterday, and, surprisingly enough, with a little bit of help, the songs enable us to see exactly what can help our lives be a bit better than they are already. In fact, that is our intent. I’m Fr. Mike; it’s great to have you with us today. Last week Benson Boone had the number 1 song in our land. Let’s see if he stays there this morning.
Today is Father’s Day, of course, and we celebrated Mother’s Day a couple Sundays ago. Parents are so important in our world. They bring about what children learn and why they learn it, and I’d like to call it to our minds today by using as our theme the idea of what should be taught to kids. And let’s start with a prose statement from a lady by the name of Dorothy Law Nolte as found in her book: Children Learn What They Live: Parenting To Inspire Values. I’ve used it before, but it is well worth repeating. Here is her analysis which is the foundation of her book:
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
Now, that is one great reading and so very true. I shortened it, and you can find the complete reading in her book. It ought to be on the wall of every family dwelling in the world.
There are no songs with “Mother” in its title, and only a couple with “Father” in its title. Here is one of them. “Were you really so far away,” the son sings. Addressing the song to his father whom the son did not know, he seems to want his father’s influence, and in some sense, feels he has it. “He was here with me,” he sings, “I’d looked into my father’s eyes.” His song brings up the topic of how important a father, and mother for that matter, are to a family. One of our principal problems in America, it seems to me, is that too many fathers and sometimes mothers are not around the people they have generated. As we talk of what should be taught to kids, one of the them should be that Dad and Mom were around a lot. Excellent song, great artist—Eric Clapton and his song dedicated to his father whom he never met, as well as his own son who died tragically when he was four years old, this is “My Father’s Eyes” from 1998 from his album “Pilgrim” on MATT.
(double) MY FATHER’S EYES / Eric Clapton
Daughters / John Mayer
Part 2
A 10+ song of meaning from his album “Heavier Things” from the year 2004, John Mayer and his song “Daughters,” “Song of the Year” in the 2005 Grammys on MATT. John Mayer’s song says the same thing as Dorothy Law Nolte’s reading which we heard at the beginning of the show. “I know a girl,” he begins his song, “she puts the color inside of my world, but she’s just like a maze,” he says. “Now I’m starting to see, maybe it’s got nothing to do with me.” He then goes into a directive to parents: “Fathers, be good to your daughters, daughters will love like you do. Girls become lovers who turn into mothers, so mothers, be good to your daughters too. You see that skin? It’s the same she’s been standing in. Since the day she saw him walking away, now she’s left cleaning up the mess he made.” Her father left, and that has affected her forever. Indeed there are so many examples of bad things happening when either Father or Mother leave their families. The song is what I would call an “important” song to listen to.
Let’s go to a song that speaks of the Greek God of desire, namely Cupid, and the girl in the song is blaming the boy for not allowing love to be part of their lives. “A hopeless romantic all my life,” they sing, “surrounded by couples all the time. I guess I should take it as a sign. Why? I’m feeling lonely. Oh, I wish I’d find a lover that could hold me. Now I’m crying in my room, so skeptical of love, but still, I want it more. I gave a second chance to Cupid, but now, I’m left here feeling stupid. Oh, the way he makes me feel that love isn’t real. Cupid is so dumb.” In terms of our theme, what should be taught to kids, well, one of them is perhaps the major reason for things not working out is themselves. This is the South Korean girl group “Fifty-Fifty” from 2023 from their album”The Beginning” and their song “Cupid” on MATT.
(triple) Cupid / Fifty-fifty
10 AZIZAM / Ed Sheeran
9 ABRACADABRA / Lady Gaga
Part 3
New to our countdown this morning, a song with a lot of meaning and a video that fits right in with the words. Lady Gaga from her new album “Mayhem,” and her song “Abracadabra” number 9 on MATT. We’ll let her explain it together with the video: “In many ways,” she writes, “the song is about how to deal with the challenge to yourself. I wanted to explore the question ‘What does it feel like to thrive rather than just survive all the time. Life presents obstacles everyone must overcome. But sometimes the barriers are self-imposed.” “Pay the toll to the angels,” she sings, “drawing circles in the clouds, keep your mind on the distance when the devil turns around. Hold me in your heart tonight in the magic of the dark moonlight; save me from this empty fight, like a poem said by the lady in red. Now you’re both in a dance. It’s time to cast your spell on the night.” She describes the lady in red as the opposition one feels within, the internal pressure. Often the external world mirrors the cynical demands of one’s internal dialogue. But Lady Gaga wants more than endurance. She wants to thrive. / And I have to say something about the video which you should watch on You-tube. It features two Gagas: one in white and another in red—two sides battle, pitting the good against the bad, the innocent vs. the wicked.” She is desribing what she calls “resilience,” the ability to hang in there. Great song and video. In terms of our theme this week, the ability to withstand the negativity of life is something that should be taught to our young people. We’ll make it our theme next week.
Before her, we began our countdown on this Father’s Day 2025 with a song from British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran and his latest song “Azizam” from his eighth album “Play”. I’ve quoted before that he said of the song: "Even though it’s completely different to anything that I’ve ever done before, "Azizam" feels familiar to me. I wanted to create a party atmosphere in a song” and a Persian friend of his worked with him helping bring that to life. “He was so inspiring to work with,” Sheeran said. “I wrote ‘Azizam’ after he suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture. It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language". The word "azizam" (عزیزم) originates from the Persian language and literally translates to "my dear" or "my beloved". And so he sings, “Azizam, meet me on the floor tonight. Show me how to move like the water in between the dancing lights. Be mine, Azizam.” In terms of our theme today, one of the things that should be taught to the young is that we should treat with respect the people that we love.
During our next segment, we will hear messages that continue the thought of Father’s Day with the theme of what should be taught to kids from people like Chappell Roan and the duo Twenty-One Pilots. Before we get there, here’s a thought from author Everett M. Dirksen: “Life is not a static thing. The only people who do not change their minds are those in asylums who can't change, and those in cemeteries.” We have to recognize the need to change in life and that is one of the things that should be taught to kids. “Message at the Top” will continue right after these important messages. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to keep that dial set at Mix 103.
It is great to have you back with us. Thank you for joining us this middle Sunday of June 2025, and happy Father’s Day to the fathers in our audience, and most of all, happy Summer on Friday! We welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending today. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of Mix 103, “Message at the Top.” Our format involves the top 10 songs of today and the top 10 songs of the past 45 years since 1980. Our motto is to enjoy the music that we play, and to listen to the message because often the message really does help our lives. Our theme today discusses what should be taught to kids as we celebrate Father’s Day.
Let’s go to a double play right now and begin it with a song that speaks of life, I believe—that is, trying to live it as best we can, but life is difficult at times. The person in the song is enjoying the ride, taking his/her time living, but it often feels like he/she is falling, that is without direction. During the life, the person thinks about what it means to be a friend of someone, whether he/she would die for the other or not. Then it seems the person in the song feels like he/she is thinking too much, saying “Help me” either to a friend or perhaps even to God. It is a very interesting song, and one that you can spend a lot of time analyzing along with the video. In terms of our theme, it seems that the person in the song is a little lonely, and is reaching out to someone for help which is exactly what the person should do and something that kids ought to learn. One of the duo, Josh Dun celebrates a birthday on Wednesday—37 years old!Here he is with his partner Tyler Joseph, Twenty One Pilots from their album “Blurryface”, and their song “Ride” from 2016 on MATT.
(double) RIDE / Twenty One Pilots
8 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter
Part 5
From her album “Short n’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Espresso” at number 8 this week on MATT. I’ve mentioned that Sabrina Carpenter said of her song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and therefore is speaking of her self-confidence. In terms of our theme, one of the things that should be taught to kids is the virtue of self-confidence, and what it means.
Continuing our countdown right now, let’s give us a triple of current top 10’s beginning with number 7 which speaks of a place, Los Angeles, and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings to her mother, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream--what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” It sounds as though she really isn’t interested in too many serious things yet in her life—she is having too much fun. And in terms of our theme, certainly, kids should be taught to have fun, but also the necessity of learning serious things as well. This is from the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, Ms Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better known as Chappell Roan, and her song at number 7 this week “Pink Pony Club” on MATT.
(triple) 7 PINK PONY CLUB / Chappell Roan
6 STARGAZING / Myles Smith
5 ANXIETY / Docheii
Part 6
Rapper/singer/songwriter Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon better known as Doechii from her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and her song “Anxiety”, number 5 on our countdown on MATT this middle Sunday in June. The refrain is: “Anxiety, keep on trying me. I feel it quietly tryna silence me. My anxiety, Can't shake it off of me, somebody's watching me and my anxiety.” And then the verses speak of the anxieties in her life, and very close to the anxieties that all of us feel. You easily see what is driving her. It is the mess of modern life. In modern living, things will not always go the way that we want, and then you worry about them, thus making her suffer anxiety. It leads one to the question of what can be done about it. It is a question that we must learn to work with as we grow, and that is something that should be taught to our kids, our theme today.
Before her, we heard a former number 1, from British singer Myles Smith and his song “Stargazing”, number 6 this week on MATT. It is a song about a love commitment which has worked, it seems. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and such a thought will mean he and his fiancee have worked out the problems that naturally come when you put two together forever, and that idea of working out the problems is something that should be taught to our kids, our theme today.
We will continue with the thought generated by Eric Clapton and his song “My Father’s Eyes” as we celebrate Father’s Day together. To close off our first hour today, here is a thought from Marcus Aurelius, about 2000 years ago: “The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” Now think about that—an untroubled spirit and knowing things for what they are. Those two thoughts are really important and good principles to be lived, and certainly among the things that kids should be taught. That man knew what he was talking about / even back then. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103. Hey, why not stay right where you are. We’ll be right back.
Thank you for joining us this morning. We are back for the second hour of “Message at the Top” on today’s best music, Mix 103 which gives you the top 10 pop songs of our area as of this week ending today, Father’s Day and five days before the first day of summer. We take the top 10’s of today and the past 45 years, put them all together with a theme, and then call our show MATT. Our theme this week came from the thought of Father’s Day and Mother’s Day as well, that theme, “what should be taught to kids”.
We begin our second hour together with yet another triple play, and beginning that triple is a very interesting song. I have gone on record to say although I am trained to teach math that the most important subject in any leadership curriculum is history. The name of the song is “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and it is an update of Billy Joel’s 1989 song of the same name. History may be the most important course you can take because every event of this world is a type of those that follow and you can learn most of all what NOT to do. The band Fall Out Boy continues the history lesson from 1989 till 2023, and they tell us in effect that history is shaping us whether we like it or not. But it is more than a history lesson. Following the original by Billy Joel, they sing about what has happened by mentioning names or events and that the history we have witnessed is in many instances, an evil one that could possibly be bearing fruit in the present time. Consequently, the song becomes an appeal to stop the evil that has grown out of the past: “We didn’t start the fire,” they sing, “it was always burning since the world’s been turning. We didn’t start the fire’ no, we didn’t light it, but we’re trying to fight it.” We may not have started the problems but we see the messes that so much evil has caused in our world. Their conclusion as was Billy Joel’s was pessimistic, because they sing that it will go on and on and on and on. Their words come very quickly, but they mention among many other events and persons the Oklahoma City bombing, Harry Potter, Nuclear bombs, and the war on terror. Not all of what they mention are evil, but so many things led to evil, and so their refrain is that we didn’t start the problems, but here we are trying to fight them. In terms of our theme, history and the results of history should be taught to our kids. This is from their album “So Much for Stardust,” the band Fall Out Boy and their song from 2023, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” on MATT.
(triple) WE DIDN’T START THE FIRE / Fall Out Boy
HOW DO I SAY GOODBYE / Dean Lewis
I WANNA KNOW WHAT LOVE IS / Foreigner
Part 8
The first of the six songs since 1980 that I say is a song with the most meaning of all the songs that we have played on MATT. I really like the fact that the group there, namely Foreigner employed a college choir group to help them with the refrain to that song since they wanted young people singing “I Want to Know What Love Is” the name of the song. You can see it on the video to the song, and a great one it is. I used to use it all the time on youth retreats. It is from 1984 from their album “Agent Provocateur”. I consider it to be a “should be theme song” for young America, speaking the desire of every one of us to know what love really is, including love of others, love of self and love of God. In terms of our theme, it is perhaps the most important idea that should be taught to kids.
Before them, we heard from Dean Lewis Grant Loaney better known simply as Dean Lewis. The song is from his album “The Hardest Love”, and the name of the song, “How Do I Say Goodbye” from 2022. The song was written for his father suffering from cancer and a beautiful tribute to his Dad. His Dad’s disease later went into remission. “Early morning,” he sings, “There’s a message on my phone. It’s my mother saying, ‘please come home’. I fear the worst, how could you leave us all behind? There’s so much to say but there’s so little time. So how do I say goodbye to someone who’s been with me for my whole life? You gave me my name and the color of your eyes. I see your face when I look at mine. When I couldn’t, you always saw the best in me. So, how do I say goodbye.” And he adds a comment about his mother: “And I saw the way she looked into your eyes, and I promise if you go, I will make sure she’s alright.” In terms of our theme, the song is sincere communication with his Dad, a tremendous lesson for all of us. The video is well done, by the way. In terms of our theme, the love of parents is something that should be taught to all young people.
Yet another triple play right now beginning with a song of total infatuation with a boyfriend. “Something must’ve gone wrong in my brain,” she sings, “Got your chemical all in my veins, feeling all the highs, feeling all the pain. Now I’m seeing red, not thinking straight, blurring all the lines, you intoxicate me, just like nicotine, heroin, morphine. Suddenly, I’m a fiend and you’re all I need. Just one hit of you. I’ll never be the same.” The lady in the relationship is overwhelmed with her feeling of the man, and she is thankful for it. In terms of our theme today, one of the things that should be taught to our young people is the ability to discern feelings for another. This is Camila Cabello from 2017 and her album “Camila” and her song “Never Be the Same,”on MATT.
(triple) NEVER BE THE SAME/ Camila Cabello
MARRY ME / Train
4 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Part 9
The best pop duo song of the year according to the Grammys and yet another song of sincere commitment. It is from Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga, the second time today and both in our top 10—quite a feat—and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars and their song “Die with a Smile”, number 4 this morning, former number 1. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” Fitting into our theme this week, both are committed to each other, and one of the things that should be taught to our kids is that there are people who really live a forever commitment, and they should be one of them.
Before them, we heard from the band Train and a song about marriage from their album “Save Me San Francisco,” and their song “Marry Me” from 2010. It is the only song that has the word “marry” in its title in the songs of the top 10 over the past 45 years—a little trivia there. It is a song of proposing marriage. “Forever can never be long enough for me,” the man in the relationship sings, “Feel like I’ve had long enough with you, forget the world now, we won’t let them see. But there’s one thing left to do: now that the weight has lifted, love has surely shifted my way. Marry me, today and every day. Marry me. If I ever get the nerve to say ‘hello’ in this café, say you will.” As I say, a marriage proposal. The problem with it is that it is all in his mind: he hasn’t got up enough nerve to propose yet. In terms of our theme today, one of the things that should be taught to kids is that we can dream, but we have to follow through if we want to carry through with what we want.
And we have played our way to another brief hiatus. Our final segment will begin in just a few minutes when we will celebrate a couple more birthdays and then finish off our countdown. Before we go to break, may I quote Thomas Merton, a Catholic mystic: “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own im-age. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” Let me say that again. Great insight there; one great principle for kids and everyone of us should learn. Don’t go way. I’m Fr. Mike, and this is the “Message at the Top” music network.
Hi again, everybody. I am Fr. Mike, and this is “Message at the Top” on Mix 103, your top 10 show giving you not only the current top 10 but the top 10 of the 2000’s, and even 90’s and 80’s as well. During our show, our plea to you is to enjoy the music and at the same time listen to the message of the songs so that perhaps the message can help you in your life right now. We are celebrating the fact that summer begins on Friday and wishing happy Father’s Day and Mother’s Day a couple weeks ago by looking at the things that should be taught to kids.
As promised let’s finish our birthday wishes. We remember Benjamin Hammond Hagerty or Maacklemore who will be 42 this Thursday. The song, of all things, is about shopping in a thrift shop. I don’t agree with all the descriptive words that are in the song, but be that as it may, the song is very good in thought and sound, I believe, in that it is making fun of the “stuff” that we in America have and we don’t need. “I’m gonna pop some tags,” they sing in their refrain, “only got twenty dollars in my pocket, I’m hunting, looking for a come-up: this is awesome.” That idea of a “come-up” is exactly what we want in life—we always want more than we have, and a thrift shop will help us get it. What contribution does it make to our theme of what should be taught to kids, well, they should be taught the fact that we always want more, and maybe we should control that a little more in the present so that our future will be a little better than it could be. This is birthday person Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring the talents of Michael Wanzley better known as Wanz, and their song “Thrift Shop” on MATT.
(triple) THRIFT SHOP / Maklemore f/ Ryan Lewis
COLD-HEARTED / Paula Abdul
GIVE IT 2 U / Robin Thicke f/ Kendrick Lamar
Part 11
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth or simply Kendrick Lamar who will be 38 on Tuesday singing with Robin Thicke and their song “Give It 2 U” from 2013 from Robin Thicke’s album “Blurred Lines” on MATT. If we ignore the sexual overtones in the song, it is a song about giving, a song of two people giving completely to one another, and that is why it is the song of married people because completely giving only makes sense when the two people involved are totally committed forever. “Girl, give it to me,” they sing, “I got a gift for ya, I know you wanna get fancy, I know you wanna start dancin’. I wanna give it to you tonight, and make everything you fantasize come true. I’ll make you so amazing, I’ll give it to you.” I said that if you ignore the sexual overtones, one can pay attention to the giving that they are singing about. The problem is in our society that we do not overlook the sexual overtones, and we miss the deeper meaning. Giving is essential to love and marriage, and the thought of giving to another is something that should be taught to kids, our theme today.
Before them, we wished happy birthday to Paula Julie Abdul who will be 63 years old Thursday. The song was from the year 1989, and the name of it is “Cold-Hearted” from her album “Forever Your Girl”. Permit me a little commentary. The reputation of the snake was set a long time ago. The snake is the author of falsehood, the master of deception, the liar. But because of what the snake pretended to give, the one who listened / wanted to believe. Such was the real reason the snake was so devious. It sounded so good, but in reality was no good at all. I’m referring, of course, to the story in the book of Genesis in the Bible, and the fall of woman and man. As a result, when we address someone as a “snake,” we are saying that such a person may sound good, but reality does not match their words. She begins with the words, “He’s a cold-hearted snake, look into his eyes. You’re the one giving up the love anytime he needs it, but you turn your back and then he’s up and running with the crowd.” That is to say, it looks like “love” on the outside, but it is “lies” on the inside—only a “lover-boy at play.” There is only one way to treat such a person, and Paula Abdul sings it: speaking to herself, she says “You deserve somebody better. Stay away from him!” In terms of our theme, young people should be taught that there are difficult people in our lives and we ought to stay away from them.
And we have made it to the top 3 on this Sunday before Summer begins. At number 3 is a song about the struggle the author had of finding a balance in herself. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed? And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in the song. Sounds to me like she should be looking for a different friend who will accept her as she is. Whatever. In terms of our theme this week, kids should be taught that there will be many critics in our lives and they need to be taught the most important ones to listen to. Ms. Lola Young here, a British singer/songwriter from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song “Messy”, moving into the top 3 this week at number 3 on MATT.
(double) 3 MESSY / Lola Young
2 ORDINARY / Alex Warrem
Part 12
A singer who brings up an interesting thought in his song. He talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” That was 25 year old Alexander Warren Hughes better known as Alex Warren from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)” and his song “Ordinary”, number 2 right now on MATT. 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,” he begins his song, “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.” That is, we will do our best with the ordinary that we have. And in particular, with regard to his present love relationship. “I take one look at you” he says, “You’re takin’ me out of the ordinary. I want you layin’ me down ‘til we’re dead and buried. You got me kissin’ the ground of your sanctuary. At your altar, I will pray. You’re the sculptor, I’m the clay. You take me out of the ordinary.” So, it may be an ordinary existence, but with his friend, it’s a pretty special ordinary existence. In terms of our theme this week, one of the things that should be taught to our kids is that there are some things and people in their lives who are more than ordinary.
And our number 1 song for two weeks in a row is a song of a breakup, and the man in the relationship doesn’t seem to be doing it in a very good way. It comes from Benson Boone’s album “American Heart,” and the song, “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else”. I’ve said that it is a song whose story is told for all practical purposes by its title. He’s waiting for his current fiancee, meets an old flame, realizes that she is the one that he currently likes, and promptly breaks up with the one he is waiting for. In terms of our theme this week, certainly one of the things that should be taught to kids is how to deal well with the love break-ups that they will have as they date.
We have spoken about that thought of what kids should be taught, that thought coming from the fact that Father’s Day is today. My prayer for you and me is that if we do beome parents, we try to teach our kids what should be taught them. My thanks to our producers here in the studio, especially Jeff, and a special thanks to our sponsors some of whom are Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School. If you want to talk to me for any reason whatsoever, my email address is frmikescully@yahoo.com. The address right here is KJLS-FM, Hays, America KS 67601. I invite you to look at my website www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of the show and some meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some really good movies. The meditation for today concerns the closing of the movie “Hugo.” You can get us on the web every Sunday morning at www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103 at 10 CDT. One final thought before we go. It comes from a friend of mine: “People are less likely to sink your boat if they’re in it with you.” That is, work on being friends with people and knowing how they feel—and be grateful for them. As we listen to the number 1 song from Benson Boone and his song “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else,” may I wish peace to you. Thank you for your time today. From beautiful downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Stay safe, and be good!
1 SORRY I’M HERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE / Benson Boone
June 8, 2025
“Blame”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Happy closing days of Spring as we are almost beginning Summer; welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike. This program at Mix 103 continues to give you only the very best in radio entertainment, / by including not only the popular songs of today and yesterday, but we also seek to find meaning within them, meaning that can inspire and challenge each of our lives. Our motto throughout the show is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us live a little better. As usual, we have music from the present and the past all warmed up on these fancy computers, and we are all set to bring them to you. Last week the number 1 song was from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. We’ll see if they stay there.
I mentioned last week that the American Music Awards were held a couple of weeks ago and that Billie Eilish was a big winner in those songs, but another winner was on the country charts and has had a couple of songs in our genre of music as well. In fact, this song was number 1 on both Billboard’s hot 100 and Billboard’s country charts. Morgan Wallen along with Post Malone had the favorite country song on the American Music Awards, and so I thought it might be good to make that our lead song today. The song is the story of a couple blaming each other for their breakup. “I had some help,” they sing, “It ain’t like I can make this kind of mess all by myself. Don’t act like you ain’t help[ing] me pull that bottle off the shelf. Been deep in every weekend if you couldn’t tell. They say teamwork makes the dream work. You think that you’re so innocent. After all the stuff you did, I ain’t an angel; you ain’t heaven-sent, can’t wash our hands off this. It takes two to break a heart in two, you blame me and I blame you.” Of course, as we have mentioned, that is what it is from his point of view. She probably has her own version.
But whatever is true, it makes a pretty good theme for us this morning. Let’s talk about “blame” today. Wikipedia helpfully reminds us some things about blame. Humans, consciously and unconsciously, it reports, constantly make judgments about other people. The psychological criteria for judging others may be partly ingrained, negative and rigid indicating some degree of superiority. Blaming provides a way of devaluing others, with the end result that the blamer feels superior, seeing others as less worthwhile making the blamer "perfect". Off-loading blame means putting the other person down by emphasizing his or her flaws.
However we look at it, it makes a pretty good theme for us this morning. Let’s talk about “blame” today. And to start us off, their song about blame for a breakup with a fiancée, and the song “I Had Some Help” from Post Malone’s sixth album “F-1: Trilllion,” Post Malone and Morgan Wallen on MATT.
(double) I HAD SOME HELP / Post Malone & Morgan Wallen
LAST NIGHT / Morgan Wallen
Part 2
Morgan Wallen shows up on our playlist 3 times over recent years: our lead song “I Had Some Help,” a little later in our current countdown, and that last one, a song nominated for best country song at the Grammys last year and part of our chart for a long while, from Morgan Wallen and his song “Last Night” from his album “One Thing at a Time” on MATT. “Last night,” the man in the relationship sings, “we let the liquor talk; I can’t remember everything we said but we said it all”. A little later he sings, “we said too much”. That thought of “too much” is important, I think, because it often implies that we say things without thinking enough about them and whether one is only thinking of marriage or recently married, that can be disastrous—as it is in the song. “You told me,” he continues, “that you wish I was somebody you never met, but somethin’s tellin’ me this ain’t over yet. No way it was our last night. I see your taillights in the dust; you call your momma, I call your bluff. My friends say let her go, but no way it was our last night.” He may wish that, but the words may have really hurt the situation. In terms of our theme this week, you can bet that there will be a lot of blaming in the situation, and that is disastrous.
Let’s begin our countdown this morning, and begin it with a song that has only recently left our countdown. It is the 3rd song from Morgan Wallen as we begin our show. It is a song that gives us an understanding of what true love should be: “Rumors goin' all over town,” he sings, “Can't keep my name out of their mouth these days. They say I live too fast to settle down. Truth is, I just ain't about these games they all play; Wanna find somethin' stronger than the whiskey, And I've tried, but every time I feel her kiss me, I keep comin' up empty. I just wanna love somebody Who won't leave a hole in my heart; I just wanna love somebody That don't want me fallin' apart. And I'll be lucky if I ever find Somethin' more than just a crazy night, Who ain't hypnotized By dollar signs and blindin' lights like they tend to; I need someone that I'd be proud To take on back to my hometown, Honest eyes that just ain't gonna lead To lonely nights, even when she's up against me. And I'm still empty; I just wanna love somebody.” In terms of our theme this week, it’s quite possible that he is upset with someone who did not love the person in the song as much as he wanted, but to his credit, he does not blame that person. Morgan Wallen here, alone this time, from his album “I’m the Problem,” just leaving our countdown, “Love Somebody” on MATT.
LOVE SOMEBODY / Morgan Wallen
10 AZIZAM / Ed Sheeran
9 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish
Part 3
The Song of the Year according to the American Music Awards, Billie Eilish and her song, former number 1, “Birds of a Feather”, number 9 this week on MATT from the album of the year according to the American Music Awards “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, and a story about wanting to remain together as a couple, at least from one of the people. The lady in the relationship has fallen in love with a person that she wants to "stick together" with for a long time. The love to her significant other brings her to tears and begs the lover to never end their relationship. “I want you to stay 'til I'm in the grave”, she begins, “'til I rot away, dead and buried, ‘til I'm in the casket you carry. If you go, I'm goin' too / 'cause it was always you and if I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me. Nothin' left to lose without my baby. Birds of a feather we should stick together. And I don't know what I'm cryin' for; I don't think I could love you more. It might not be long, but I'll love you 'til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘til the day that I die.” The lady in the relationship is truly committed to the other and if the partner feels the same way, they will not be blaming one another for anything, at least at that moment of their relationship.
Before her, we began our actual countdown at number 10 with British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran and his latest song “Azizam” from his eighth album “Play”. He said of the song: "Even though it’s completely different to anything that I’ve ever done before, "Azizam" feels familiar to me. I wanted to create a party atmosphere in a song” and a Persian friend of his worked with him helping bring that to life. “He was so inspiring to work with. I wrote ‘Azizam’ after he suggested trying out making music inspired by his Persian heritage and culture. It was like opening a door to a completely new and exciting world. It was showing to me music connects us all, and really is a universal language". The word "azizam" (عزیزم) originates from the Persian language and literally translates to "my dear" or "my beloved". And so he sings, “Azizam, meet me on the floor tonight. Show me how to move like the water in between the dancing lights. Be mine, Azizam.” In terms of our theme today, the relationship is just beginning and so there is no blaming of each other—yet.
We will continue our presentation of songs from the top 10 from today and yesterday after these messages. Get ready for music from Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan in our top 10, as well as music from the band The Fray, Lana Del Rey and Taylor Swift. May I take you to break with a thought from Bobby Layne, once upon a time NFL quarterback—I love this because it an immensely positive statement. He had lost a game, and the media was on him calling it his fault. His response: “I never lost a game. I just ran out of time.” Right on, Bobby. Time teaches a bunch of things, like taking our time thinking about things that have gone wrong will usually lead us to blame both that other person and ourselves. Your dial is set for “Message at the Top”; may I implore you to keep it there. As MacArthur, we will return!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
Hi, everyone. You are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show that plays songs from the top 10, but also great songs of meaning from past top 10’s as well. Welcome back to the songs that make us think—truly think. We take the top 10 of the past 45 years including the present day, study their messages, and then call our show MATT. Happy almost Summer to all of you. Our plea to you is to enjoy the music and listen to the message. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We’re concentrating on a theme from a song from Post Malone and Morgan Wallen, their song “I Had Some Help.”
Let’s go to the latest song of my top 6 songs since 1980 with the most meaning, and the subject of my meditation today on www.frmikescully.com. It is a great teaching song because it talks about the negatives of a person’s life, and the desire to get rid of them. The video acts it out very well. There’s no better explanation than in Taylor Swift’s own words: “This song is a real guided tour throughout all of the things I tend to hate about myself. We all hate things about ourselves. It's all of those aspects of the things we dislike and like about ourselves that we have to come to terms with if we're going to be this person. So, I like "Anti-Hero" a lot because I think it’s really honest.” In the words of the song: “I have this thing where I get older, but just never wiser. Midnights become my afternoons when my depression works the graveyard shift. All of the people I’ve ghosted stand there in the room. I should not be left to my own devices; they come with prices and vices, I end up in crisis, I wake up screaming from dreaming. One day I’ll watch as you’re leaving ‘cause you got tired of my scheming. It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.” And some great words in the song with the story of a life gone bad because of “the monster on the hill” as she calls her bad self, the self who is causing the problems. Without actually saying it, although it is clear from the song: she teaches us that we are the ones who are making bad choices, but we can reform if we want. And, in terms of our theme, she is placing the blame of her problems exactly where it should be—on herself. From her album “Midnights,” and the song “Anti-Hero”, from 2022, Taylor Swift, on MATT.
(double) ANTI-HERO/ Taylor Swift
8 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter
Part 5
From her album “Short n’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Espresso” at number 8 this week on MATT. I’ve mentioned that Sabrina Carpenter said of her song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and therefore is speaking of her self-confidence. In terms of our theme, a person with self-confidence will not blame another if things do not go right.
A triple play will close out our first hour together, and leading off the triple is a song of someone going away from the love situation. “Kiss me hard before you go” she sings. “Summertime sadness. I just wanted you to know that you’re the best. I got my red dress on tonight, dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight, done my hair up real big beauty-queen style, high heels off, I’m feeling alive. I feel it in the air, telephone wires above are sizzling like a snare. I’m on fire, I feel it everywhere, nothing scares me anymore. I’ve got that summertime sadness.” The lady in the relationship is going away and will not return and is leaving the situation probably because of a love that did not work out. That often happens in relationships, of course, and one of the problems with it is that blame will be placed on one another, and cause more problems, “blame” being our theme today. This is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant better known as Lana Del Rey and from her album “Born to Die,” her song of 2013, “Summertime Sadness” on MATT.
(triple) SUMMERTIME SADNESS / Lana Del Rey
HOW TO SAVE A LIFE/ The Fray
7 PINK PONY CLUB / Chappell Roan
Part 6
From the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, Ms Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better known as Chappell Roan, and her song at number 7 this week “Pink Pony Club” on MATT. It speaks of LA, and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings to her mother, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream--what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” It sounds as though she really isn’t interested in too many serious things yet in her life—she is having too much fun. And in terms of our theme, there’s probably not a lot of blaming going on about relationships because the relationship hasn’t really happened yet.
Before her, we heard the number 2 song of meaning of 2006, from the album named after the song, “How To Save A Life,” the band, The Fray. The important topic of communication once again is its message. When we talk of “how to save a life,” the group sings, “Step one, you say we need to talk. He walks; you say sit down it’s just a talk. He smiles politely back at you. You stare politely right on through some sort of window to your right. As he goes left and you stay right, between the lines of fear and blame, and you begin to wonder why you came. Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness, and I would have stayed up with you all night had I known how to save a life.” It is a poetic way of saying that the two in the relationship really don’t know how to relate to one another, and as a result, their relationship is strained, and in his language he loses a life, that is, he loses the relationship. And this is also an area in which both parties will often blame each other--our theme today--for not communicating, and the relationship will go nowhere. Sincere communication is how to save a life, and once we have learned it, we will be able to relax well because we will feel good about life.
Always great stuff to think about here, and we have great stuff to go yet. The title of MATT today is “Blame.” Post Malone and Morgan Wallen gave us the idea with their song “I Had Some Help”. Our next 60 minutes of music and message will explore that theme with great top 10 music from our remaining top 10 and music from people like the band Coldplay and Noah Kahan. Here to lead you to break is a thought from Shelley Winters: she was correcting someone who had the courage to speak their mind and call her “a little overweight,” she said: “I’m not overweight, I’m just nine inches too short.” The truth is always important and essential and if we have it, there will be very little blame. Yes, indeed. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top”. Don’t even think about touching that dial!
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
We are back, as we celebrate another Sunday of June with you, Spring on its way out, Summer looking at us. I hope today is a good one for you. This is “Message at the Top”. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show today, playing and speaking about all of our songs working on a theme which takes the songs’ meanings, and ties them into the thought of placing blame. Thanks for joining us.
We are up to number 6 on our countdown this second Sunday of June. It was our theme last week when we talked about the stress of living due to anxiety. The refrain is: “Anxiety, keep on trying me. I feel it quietly tryna silence me. My anxiety, Can't shake it off of me, somebody's watching me and my anxiety.” And then the verses speak of the anxieties in her life, and very close to the anxieties that all of us feel. You easily see what is driving her. It is the mess of modern life. In modern living, things will not always go the way that we want, and then you worry about them, thus making her suffer anxiety. It leads one to the question of what can be done about it. And one of the problems of living is that when we ask a question like that, unfortunately we may take the opportunity to place some blame some place, “blame” being our theme today, and that will only make matters worse. This is rapper/singer/songwriter Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon better known as Doechii from her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and her song “Anxiety”, number 6 on our cuntdown on MATT.
(triple) 6 ANXIETY / Docheii
DIAL DRUNK / Noah Kahan
5 MESSY / Lola Young
Part 8
Ms. Lola Young there, a British singer/songwriter from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song “Messy”, number 5 this week on MATT. The author said that it was about the struggle she had of finding a balance in herself. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed? And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in the song. Sounds to me like she should be looking for a different friend who will accept her as she is. Whatever. In terms of our theme this week, she may be blaming the person she is addressing the song to, and really she should be just moving on in her relationship.
Before her, we heard from Noah Kahan and Post Malone again and their song “Dial Drunk” from Kahan’s album “Stick Season” on MATT. It is a song of loneliness and pain. The story in song is that he is still hanging on to the relationship even though it is over. He is guilty of a DUI, and has given her number to call, and she won’t answer. Pretty tough situation. “I’m remembering I promised to forget you now,” they sing, “but it’s raining, and I’m calling drunk. I don’t like that when they threw me in the car, I gave your name as my emergency phone call. It rang and rang even the cops thought you were wrong for hanging up. I dial drunk, I’ll die a drunk, I’d die for you.” And a line that says it all, I believe: “I’m untethering from the parts of me you’d recognize and the dial tone is all I have.” Some real pain sung about there, and in terms of our theme, he is most probably blaming her, and it’s not her fault at all.
Now, let’s go to a duo who call themselves Gnarls Barkley, that is Cee Lo Green and his producer Danger Mouse. Their song is a statement about accomplishing something in life, and then looking back and seriously thinking about what was accomplished. At least, that’s what it seems to me. “And when you’re out there,” the person in the song sings, “without care, I was out of touch. But it wasn’t because I didn’t know enough. I just knew too much. Does that make me crazy? Possibly. Come on now, who do you think you are. You really think you’re in control? Well, I think you’re crazy just like me. My heroes had the heart to build the life I want to live and all I remember is thinking I wanna be like them. But maybe I’m crazy. Maybe we’re crazy. Probably.” Interesting song, and I interpret it to be something quite positive because if you are thinking seriously about trying to accomplish something good, you won’t be blaming anyone else for your failure to do things, “blame” being our theme today. From their album “St. Elsewhere” in 2006, this is Gnarls Barkley and their song “Crazy” on MATT.
(triple) CRAZY / Gnarls Barkley
EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL / Coldplay
4 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
Part 9
Falling from the number 1 position which they have held for a couple of weeks, the best pop duo song of the year according to the Grammys and yet another song of sincere commitment. It is from Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars and their song “Die with a Smile”. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” Fitting into our theme this week, both are committed to each other, and therefore they are certainly not into blame, and the relationship will continue that way if they manage to stay away from blaming each other.
Before them, we heard the British group Coldplay and their song “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” from their album “Mylo Xyloto” from the songs of meaning of 2011. It is a song of determination, I believe, determination to make things happen. “I turn the music up,” they sing, “I got my records on; I shut the world outside until the lights come on. I feel my heart start beating to my favorite song. And all the kids they dance, all the kids all night until Monday morning feel another life. I turn the music up, I’m on a roll this time, and heaven is in sight. Don’t want another generation drop, I’d rather be a comma than a full stop. As we saw this light, as we soar walls, every siren is a symphony, and every tear’s a waterfall.” The person in the song is determined that his life will be a good one. “So you can hurt me bad,” they sing, “But still I’ll raise the flag.” When a person has this type of determination, he/she will not be giving into blaming anyone, our theme today, because he/she will be determined to make evereything better.
As we just said, our theme this late Spring morning is that thought of placing blame. It came from Post Malone and Morgan Wallen and their song “I Had Some Help”. We’ll see how the songs of our final segment fit into that theme, as we have music lined up for us from the top 10 including Benson Boone and Alex Warren. We also have some music from 2013. Taking us to a little break, here is a statement from Mr. Winston Churchill: “I am ready to meet my maker, but whether my maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” You bet—it would have been interesting to hear the conversation between Churchill and his maker. Did Mr. Churchill spend some time thinking about that? Do we spend time thinking about that? Good question. You’ve got Mix 103 on your radio dial right now. Please keep it there—we’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 10
Every song has a message, and much of the time that message can help us live a little better. Such is our belief on this show which we call MATT. Happy closing days of Spring to all of you. We welcome you back to the only show that gives you the music and meaning of the top 10 popular songs of today and yesterday. My name is Fr. Mike, and we are studying the songs of our show today in light of Post Malone and Morgan Wallan’s song “I Had Some Help” and the theme we are using is the topic of that song, namely “blame”.
As promised, let’s go to some songs from 2013, in fact the the top 3 songs of that year according to Mediabase 24-7 and MATT. At number 3, like a lot of the rap songs of our culture, a single thought doesn’t run throughout the song, and there are many avenues of meaning that can be explored. But perhaps an excerpt can direct the meaning of the song: “We came here to live life,” he sings, “like nobody was watching. I got my city right behind me. If I fall, they got me. Learn from that failure, gain humility, and when we keep marching ourselves. Here we go back, this is the moment. Tonight is the night, we’ll fight ‘til it’s over. So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us.” And he closes the song: “Let the night come, before the fight’s won. Some might run against the test, but those that triumph, embrace the fight ‘cause the best is there to prove that courage exists.” To me, it is a song of someone ready to face the difficulties of the world. Every one of us must face the difficulties of life well, and part of that is blaming no one but ourselves. From their album “The Heist,” Ben Haggerty better known as American singer/rapper Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis, and their song at number 3 of all the songs of meaning of 2013, “Can’t Hold Us” on MATT.
(triple) CAN’T HOLD US / Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE / Taylor Swift
DON’T YOU WORRY CHILD / Swedish House Mafia
Part 11
A super song. From producers known as Swedish House Mafia, and Swedish singer John Martin, and their song “Don’t You Worry Child” on MATT. It is another song about a breakup and learning from it. The lesson the person in the song learns is that things will work out well. “There was a time I used to look into my father's eyes,” he sings. “In a happy home, I was a king, I had a golden throne. Those days are gone, now the memory's on the wall. I hear the songs from the places where I was born. Upon a hill across a blue lake, that's where I had my first heartbreak. I still remember how it all changed. My father said, 'Don't you worry, child. See heaven's got a plan for you.” The song points out the theological thought that God is at work even in the most dire of circumstances for young people in love. Even though there is a breakdown of a relationship in which love was present and no longer is, God or heaven is at work. In fact, God will always be at work in every part of our lives, helping us achieve a good life. If we truly believe that, we will not blame anyone, our theme today, for things that happen in our lives—we will instead be thankful to our Higher Being for allowing it to happen.
Before them, another high song of meaning from 2013—MATT calling it number 2, Mediabase 24-7 calls it number 1—a high song of meaning because it is a statement of what we have to learn in life from Taylor Swift and her song “I Knew You Were Trouble” from her album “Red.” This is the second time she is on our show today and Taylor Swift begins the excellent video of the song which acts out the words extremely well with the theme: “I think the worst part of it all wasn’t losing him. It was losing me,” and she closes that video with the theme of the whole song: “I don’t know if you know who you are / until you lose who you are.” And in terms of our theme today, she is blaming noone except herself. She says that you have to experience the difficulties in life—such as a breakup as in the song—before you really understand what life is. “I knew you were trouble,” she sings, “so shame on me now. Now, I’m lying on the cold hard ground. Oh, trouble.” It is a difficult, tough song to study, but an extremely important one. There will be difficult times in life—really difficult ones—and we have to learn from those times, and not blame anyone except ourselves, “blame’ being our theme today. Super song.
And we close our show, as we always do, with the top 3 songs of our land right now on this date of June 8, 2025. At number 3 and another song in the top 10 about love commitment which has worked, it seems. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and such a thought will mean he and his fiancee have worked through any blaming of each other, our theme today, and as we said before, hopefully, they will keep it that way. This is a former number 1, British singer Myles Smith and his song “Stargazing”, number 3 this week on MATT.
3 STARGAZING / Myles Smith
2 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
Part 12
A singer who brings up an interesting thought in his song. He talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” That was 25 year old Alexander Warren Hughes better known as Alex Warren from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)” and his song “Ordinary”, number 2 right now on MATT. 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,” he begins his song, “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.” That is, we will do our best with the ordinary that we have. And in particular, with regard to his present love relationship. “I take one look at you” he says, “You’re takin’ me out of the ordinary. I want you layin’ me down ‘til we’re dead and buried. You got me kissin’ the ground of your sanctuary. At your altar, I will pray. You’re the sculptor, I’m the clay. You take me out of the ordinary.” So, it may be an ordinary existence, but with his friend, it’s a pretty special ordinary existence. In terms of our theme this week, one of the things that makes it so special, probably, is that he is showing no blame for anything.
And our new number 1 song is a song of a breakup, and the man in the relationship doesn’t seem to be doing it in a very good way. It comes from Benson Boone’s album “American Heart,”and the song, “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else”. I’ve said that it is a song whose story is told for all practical purposes by its title. He’s waiting for his current fiancee, meets an old flame, realizes that she is the one that he currently likes, and promptly breaks up with the one he is waiting for. In terms of our theme this week, you don’t know from the words of the song whether there was any blaming of each other, but you can bet when either of them talk about it with someone else, there will be some blame placed.
Our theme today has been that thought of blame and how it fits into life. The thought came from Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s song “I Had Some Help” as we think of that song which the American Music Awards celebrate as the Favorite Country Song of the Year.” My prayer for you and me is that every one of us will be able to understand how evil “blame” can be and therefore stay away from it. My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top,” to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, some of whom include my friends at Hays Car and Truck Alignment, at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays. If you have any suggestions for me, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of the show and some great meditations on these songs and some good movies. Again, today’s meditation is on the excellent song “Anti-Hero” by Taylor Swift which we played earlier. Remember that you can join us on the web by choosing www.hayspost.com every Sunday morning at 10 Central Daylight 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 spend time acquiring. The number 1 song in our land is from Benson Boone and his song “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and here it comes, as I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103 and as usual, we remind you among the other things that we have said to hold a good thought. Thank you for your time today. From downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be Safe. Peace to you and be good.
1 SORRY I’M HERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE / Benson Boone
June 1, 2025
“Living with Stress”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to Mix 103’s unique top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. I am Fr. Mike, speaking to you through the technology of Mix 103 in Hays, KS and actually speaking from the privacy of my room in Lawrence Kansas as we usually do. Ah, the beauties of modern technology! This program at Mix 103 continues to give you only the very best in radio entertainment, / by including not only the popular songs of today’s and yesterday’s top 10, but we also seek to find meaning within them, meaning that can inspire and challenge each of our lives. Our motto throughout the show is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us live a little better.
Our lead song today is Docheii’s latest song simply named “ Anxiety. The refrain is: “Anxiety, keep on trying me. I feel it quietly tryna silence me. My anxiety, Can't shake it off of me, somebody's watching me and my anxiety.” And then the verses speak of the anxieties in her life, and very close to the anxieties that all of us feel. Here are some of the ideas: it works under the surface, a constant weight, paranoia from public attention, being alone, low on energy, working with a fake identity, desire for money is choking her, dealing with the pressure of living, feels anxious about her sexuality, it feels every silent space with dread, the problems of fighting its presence, and so forth. You easily see what is driving her. It is the mess of modern life. In modern living, things will not always go the way that we want, and then you worry about them, thus making her suffer anxiety. It leads one to the question of what can be done about it. And that’s a pretty good theme this morning, giving us some positive thinking about the ways to overcome anxiety. We’ll call it “Living Under Stress” and the different ways we can do that.
The song itself is very interesting in that it is a sample in music—that is, using another song or its lyrics to enhance it. Here it is Gotye’s song “Somebody That I Used To Know” which we’ll play after it, and you will see the similarity.
Beginning our show today, from rapper/singer/songwriter Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon better known as Doechii from her album “Alligator Bites Never Heal” and her song “Anxiety”, the Social Song of the Year according to the American Music Awards last week, number 8 on our chart- on MATT.
(double) 8 ANXIETY / Docheii
SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW / Gotye f/ Kimbra
Part 2
The song that our lead song used as a sample, the intriguing sound of Belgian-Australian singer Gotye singing along with New Zealand singer/songwriter Kimbra, from Gotye’s album, “Making Mirrors,” and the song “Somebody That I Used to Know”, a former number 1, what MATT and Mediabase 24/7 make the number 2 song of meaning of 2012 and the number 2 song of popularity. Many charts had it at number 1. It is a relatively bitter song about a breakup. The man in the relationship is thinking back to the moment of the breakup and he felt alright about it, but then he adds: “But you didn’t have to cut me off, make out like it never happened and that we were nothing, and I don’t even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough. No, you didn’t have to stoop so low. Now you’re somebody that I used to know.” What makes it such a high song of meaning for me is that we should learn what not to do in a relationship and in life. As I say it on my website, “There are difficulties in life, but we must learn to work with them in a Christian way.” Never resort to hurting others just because things don’t work out. Therefore as we think of “Living Under Stress” our theme today, one of the things that we must do is simply to realize that there will be difficult times in life, and be determined to live them out.
Let’s go to our first triple play of the day right now, and open the triple with a song in the top 10 about love commitment which has worked, it seems. “Time stood still,” he begins his song, “just like a photograph; you made me feel like this would last forever. Lookin' in your eyes, I see my whole life. They say you know it when you know it and I know. Promise that you'll hold me close, don't let me go. Take my heart, don't break it; love me to my bones. All this time I've wasted; you were right there all along, you and I stargazin', intertwinin' souls. We were never strangers; I lose my mind when I'm around you; how I come alive. When I'm without you I can't help but feel so lost. I wanna give you all I've got.” He says that when you know that you are in love, then you know, and / he knows. That is, he is thinking that his love is a mature committed love, and such a thought will mean that he has worked through the anxiety of learning love and is living without that stress, our theme today. This is a former number 1, British singer Myles Smith and his song “Stargazing”, number 5 this week on MATT.
(triple) 5 STARGAZING / Myles Smith
I HAD SOME HELP / Post Malone & Morgan Wallen
LEVITATING / Dua Lipa
Part 3
A song from 2021 all about strong feelings for another, in fact, feeling like she is floating in his presence. Ms. Dua Lipa and her song “Levitating” from her album “Future Nostalgia”, here singing along with Jonathan Lyndale Kirk better known as rapper DaBaby: “If you wanna run away with me,” she sings, “I know a galaxy and I can take you for a ride. I had a premonition that we fell into a rhythm where the music don’t stop for life, glitter in the sky, glitter in my eyes, shining just the way I like. If you’re feeling like you need a little bit of company, you met me at the perfect time. You want me, I want you, I’m levitating.” When it comes to strong emotions, we must remember that they can dominate a relationship, and when they do, there will be a lot of anxiety present, and the way to control it is to make sure the love is real and not just feelings.
Before them, we heard from a couple very popular artists, Austin Richard Post, that is Post Malone from his album “F-1 Trillion”, along with Morgan Wallen and their song “I Had Some Help”. “I had some help, It ain’t like I can make this kind of mess all by myself. Don’t act like you ain’t help[ing] me pull that bottle off the shelf. Been deep in every weekend if you couldn’t tell. They say teamwork makes the dream work. You think that you’re so innocent. After all the stuff you did, I ain’t an angel; you ain’t heaven-sent, can’t wash our hands off this. It takes two to break a heart in two, you blame me, and I blame you.” Of course, as I have said, that is what it is from his point of view. The lady in the relationship probably has her own version. Whatever the case, if they don’t stop blaming each other, their anxiety will be overwhelming, and the way to control the stress, our theme today, is to stop blaming each other.
We have taken the theme of “living under stress” on our show today, that theme coming from thinking about Docheii’s song “Anxiety”. We will continue to pursue that theme in a couple of minutes with people like Sabrina Carpenter and the band OneRepublic. Here is a thought from one of my favorite quote people, Mr. Albert Einstein, “The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.” Yes, indeed. I’m Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top” and your dial is set at Mix 103. We’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
We are back for “Message at the Top” and we welcome you back on this first Sunday of June to the top 10 songs of today and yesterday as determined by our research and your requests. We call our show MATT because we take those top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the top 10 show of the best mix of music, Mix 103, and we are pursuing the thought of “living under stress” today.
Beginning this segment of our show today is the number 7 song on our playlist right now, a song that gives us an understanding of what true love should be: “Rumors goin' all over town,” he sings, “Can't keep my name out of their mouth these days. They say I live too fast to settle down. Truth is, I just ain't about these games they all play; Wanna find somethin' stronger than the whiskey, And I've tried, but every time I feel her kiss me, I keep comin' up empty. I just wanna love somebody Who won't leave a hole in my heart; I just wanna love somebody That don't want me fallin' apart. And I'll be lucky if I ever find Somethin' more than just a crazy night, Who ain't hypnotized By dollar signs and blindin' lights like they tend to; I need someone that I'd be proud To take on back to my hometown, Honest eyes that just ain't gonna lead To lonely nights, even when she's up against me. And I'm still empty; I just wanna love somebody.” In terms of our theme this week, the person in the song wants someone who will make him realize his potential which will help him live with the stress of learning to love well. Morgan Wallen here, alone this time, from his album “I’m the Problem,” number 7 this morning, “Love Somebody” on MATT.
(double) 7 LOVE SOMEBODY / Morgan Wallen
RUNAWAY / OneRepublic
Part 5
The band OneRepublic on MATT and their song from their album “Runaway” the name of the song. It is a song capturing the idea of escape from the rat race of life. “Right now let’s just runaway,” they sing, “all that talk is killing me. One last shot, hold onto me. There’s something I got to say to ya. There’s somewhere we gotta go, and now we’re sinking in the sand, chasin what we can. It’s not enough. It’s like we’re stuck in the mezzanine with twenty floors left to go. And now driving in the rain, trying to switch the lane. So don’t waste this time, I don’t move slow, but one good shot and I’ll let you know. It’s all I want. Can we just let go and runaway.” The song is a quest for liberation, and at the same time recognizing the inner hurdles anduncertainties that may arise on the journey. That rat race of life causes anxiety, and the way out of it is as they sing, run away to a place or situation that is not so stressful.
Right now, let’s go back to our top 10 at number 9. I’ve mentioned that Sabrina Carpenter said of her song: “The song is kind of about seeing femininity as your superpower, and embracing the confidence of being that lady.” I changed a word in that statement, and her song goes: “Now, he’s thinking ‘bout me every night, is it that sweet? I guess so. Say you can’t sleep; I know that’s me, espresso. I can’t relate to desperation. My ‘give a cares’ are on vacation, and I got this one boy and he won’t stop calling. When they act this way, I know I got ‘em. Too bad your ex don’t do it for ya. Walked in and dream came trued it for ya. Soft skin and I perfumed it for ya. I know I Mountain Dew it for ya. That morning coffee brewed it for ya. One touch and I brand newed it for ya. That’s me, espresso.” I changed some of the words. I think the song means that the lady in the relationship is the “Espresso” and she is totally in charge of the relationship, and therefore is speaking of her self-confidence. In terms of our theme, a person with a strong self-confidence will usually be a person that is able to live under the stress of living. From her album “Short n’ Sweet,” Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Espresso” at number 9 this week on MATT.
(triple) 9 ESPRESSO / Sabrina Carpenter
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR / Billie Eilish
YOU FOUND ME/ The Fray
Part 6
An incredible song that MATT places as another 10+ category song of meaning at number 2 of all the songs of meaning of 2009, The Fray, from their self-named album, and their song “You Found Me” on MATT. The song says that God is going to find us, and will help us out of the situations that we are in, making us be the type of people that we should be. They begin their song, “I found God on the corner of First and Amistad, all alone, smoking his last cigarette. I said, ‘Where you been?’ He said, ‘Ask anything.’” / And so the person in the song asks, “Where were you when everything was falling apart? All my days were spent by the telephone. It never rang, and all I needed was a call.” But, he sings, “Lost and insecure, you found me lyin’ on the floor, surrounded. Why’d you have to wait? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me.” God will find us, no matter what the circumstances. God is with us all the time, and all we have to do is reach out for God’s help. When it comes to living with the stress caused by anxities in life, our theme today, a believer in his/her Higher Power will ask for help and certainly receive it.
Before them, another 10+ cagtegory song, the highest I get, the Record of the Year from the Grammys of 2023 from the soundtrack of the movie “Barbie”, “What Was I Made For” from Billie Eilish. Billie Eilish won all kinds of awards at the American Music Awards—Artist of the Year, Album of the year, Song of the year. Her song here is sung as Barbie as she discovers what is real in life. “I used to float,” she sings, “now I just fall down. I used to know, but I’m not sure now. What was I made for? Takin’ a drive, I was an ideal, looked so alive, turns out I’m not real. I don’t know how to feel, but I wanna try. Someday I might.” And she closes the song in a hopeful manner: “Think I forgot how to be happy, something I’m not, but something I can be, something I’m made for.” So, her answer to the question of her song and the name of the song: what was I made for?—is “to be happy.” In terms of our theme, one of the answers to the anxieties caused by our lives, and therefore a way to live with the stress of life is to learn to be a happy person no matter what the circumstance. Possible? I really think so.
We are looking at the songs of our show today in that light, namely finding the some ways to control the anxieties in life. During this next segment, we will hear from people like Billie Eilish again and Philip Phillips. First, a thought from Mark Twain, and therefore a little sarcastic: “Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits.” Yes, indeed. I hope your day is a great one, and I hope our music and message is making it even a little better. I’m Fr. Mike, your dial is set at Mix 103, and I hope you keep it right where it is.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
We are back for “Message at the Top,” and we welcome you back to our show on this first day of June, 2025. We call our show MATT because we take the top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in the complicated world we live in. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the top 10 show of Mix 103 where our plea is for you to enjoy the music and listen to the message, allowing that message to make us better than we are. This Sunday morning, we are pursuing the thought of what the songs of our show say about living with the stress of anxiety. It came from Docheii’s song “Anxiety.”
A song in our top 10 right now speaks of a place, LA, and a special little place in LA, and an added nuance that her mother is not happy about it. “I know you wanted me to stay, “she sings to her mother, “But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA. I heard that there's a special place. I'm having wicked dreams of leaving Tennessee. Oh, Santa Monica, I swear it's calling me. Won't make my mama proud. It's gonna cause a scene. She sees her baby girl, I know she's gonna scream--what have you done. You're a pink pony girl and you dance at the club. Oh mama, I'm just having fun on the stage in my heels. It's where I belong down at the Pink Pony Club.” It sounds as though she really isn’t interested in too many serious things yet in her life—she is having too much fun. That’s okay for a while, and she is certainly finding a way to live with the stress of living, our theme today, but that is only temporary, and she will have to find something a little more stable than dancing at a club in order to face the anxieties of life. From the best new artist of the year according to the Grammys, Ms Kayleigh Rose Amstutz better known as Chappell Roan, and her song at number 4 this week “Pink Pony Club” on MATT.
(triple) 4 PINK PONY CLUB / Chappell Roan
DEMONS / Imagine Dragons
10 BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish
Part 8
The Song of the Year according to the American Music Awards, Billie Eilish and her song, former number 1, “Birds of a Feather”, number 9 this week on MATT from the album of the year according to the American Music Awards “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, and a story about wanting to remain together as a couple, at least from one of the people. The lady in the relationship has fallen in love with a person that she wants to "stick together" with for a long time. The love to her significant other brings her to tears and begs the lover to never end their relationship. “I want you to stay 'til I'm in the grave”, she begins, “'til I rot away, dead and buried, ‘til I'm in the casket you carry. If you go, I'm goin' too / 'cause it was always you and if I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me. Nothin' left to lose without my baby. Birds of a feather we should stick together. And I don't know what I'm cryin' for; I don't think I could love you more. It might not be long, but I'll love you 'til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘til the day that I die.” The lady in the relationship is truly committed to the other and if the partner feels the same way, then they have truly found a way to deal with the stress of living, our theme today.
Before her, we heard another 10+ song with an excellent video, Imagine Dragons from their album “Night Visions” and their song “Demons.” “When the days are cold, and the cards all fold, and the saints we see are all made of gold. When your dreams all fail and the ones we hail are the worst of all, and the blood’s run stale, I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you, but with the beast inside there’s nowhere we can hide. This is my kingdom come.” The answer to the pain is to understand that pain will be part of our lives. We all possess human natures, and that makes us imperfect in some way. It’s the idea of “welcome to my world” and the world sometimes has pain as part of it. One of the marks of maturity is that we learn to deal with it. Again, they sing: “Your eyes, they shine so bright. I wanna save that light. I can’t escape this now unless you show me how.” The words could be a prayer to God, or a note to a friend, or a reflection that some guiding principle like learning leadership can help us. The point is that there is a solution—in terms of our theme, we are indeed living under stress caused by our anxiety, but we will find an answer if we stay the course.
Let’s go back to our current top 10 and listen to our number 6 song right now. The author said that it was about the struggle she had of finding a balance in herself. The words of the song addresses a person who is trying to explain how she should act: “'Cause I'm too messy, and then I'm too clean. You told me get a job, then you ask where I've been. And I'm too perfect till I open my big mouth. I want to be me, is that not allowed? And I'm too clever, and then I'm too dumb. And I'm too perfect till I show you that I'm not. A thousand people I could be for you, and you hate the lot.” I left out a word in the song. Sounds to me like she should be looking for a different friend who will accept her as she is. Whatever. In terms of our theme this week, if we want to deal with the stress of living, we will choose friends that really want to help us be better than we are. Ms. Lola Young here, a British singer/songwriter from her album “This Wasn’t Meant for You Anyway,” her song “Messy”, number 6 on MATT.
(triple) 6 MESSY / Lola Young
DANCING WITH YOUR SHADOWS / Philip Phillips 091723
COOL FOR THE SUMMER / Demi Lovato
Part 9
Demetria Devonne Lovato from Albuquerque, New Mexico or simply Demi Lovato an American singer, songwriter, and actress who began as a child actress in Barney & Friends, then into Disney Channel Television. Her song came from her album “Confident,” and her song “Cool for the Summer” from 2015. It is a song of seeking pleasure, especially physical pleasure, it would seem. “Tell me what you want,” the lady in the relationship sings, “What you like. It's okay. I'm a little curious too. Tell me if it's wrong, if it's right. I don't care. I can keep a secret. Can you? Got my mind on your body, and your body on my mind. Don't tell your mother. We're cool for the summer. Don't be scared ‘cause I'm your body type; we’re cool for the summer.” The lady in the song is pretty much interested only in the pleasure of the moment, and she should be more interested in what will happen in the future because when people act out only in pleasure, it is no basis for any real relationship and will eventually only lead to stress, and the way to live with it, our theme today, is to understand the place of the physical when it comes to real love.
And we have made it to our final segment today. During that final segment, you will hear and hopefully enjoy music from our top 10 from Alex Warren, Lady Gaga abd Bruno Mars and Benson Boone as well as music from birthday people Alanis Morisssette, Iggy Azalea and Peter Wentz. I take you to break with a thought about something we can always learn more about, as we learn from the messages of these songs. It comes from Mark Twain again, so watch for the twist: “It is better to deserve honors and not have them / than to have them and not deserve them.” One super thought, Mr. Twain or Mr. Clemens as the case may be and one that will help us as we live under the stress of our living. I’m Fr. Mike, and you’re listening to “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.
We are back for our final segment of MATT which is using the theme of “Living under Stress” today. It came from Docheii’s song “Anxiety”. As usual, we are playing the music and listening to the message of the present top 10 and more. I hope this wonderful season of Spring-almost-Summer is good for you. I’m your host, Fr. Mike on “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103. Thank you for joining us again this morning. It’s great to have you with us, as we play and think about our music.
And let’s wish a couple birthdays this week. First up is a young lady by the name of Amethyst Amelia Kelly known as Australian singer and model Iggy Azalea. She will be 35 years old this Friday. The song speaks of a love problem: “Hey, even though I hate ya, I wanna love ya, I want you! And even though I can’t forgive you, I really want to. Tell me, why can’t you leave me? ‘Cause even though I shouldn’t want it, I gotta have it. Head in the clouds, got no weight on my shoulders, I should be wiser and realize that I’ve got one less problem without ya!” So, a love problem, and the lady in the relationship realizes what she should do, but she really likes the guy. In terms of our theme, she is thinking correctly as she tries to solve the problem—she realizes that there is stress and anxiety in her life because of that love relationship, and she is doing some serious thinking about what to do. She sings with Ariana Grande from Ariana Grandes’s album “My Everything,” does Iggy Azalea and their song “Problem” from 2014 on MATT.
(triple) PROBLEM / Ariana Grande f/ Iggy Azalea
CENTURIES / Fall Out Boy
PRECIOUS ILLUSTIONS/ Alanis Morissette
Part 11
Happy birthday to her, Alanis Morissette and her song “Precious Illusions” from 2002. She is 51 years old today. The song came from her album “Under Rug Swept” on MATT. She sings, “This won’t work now the way it once did, and I won’t keep it up even though I would love to. Once I know who I’m not, then, I’ll know who I am, but I know I won’t keep on playing the victim. These precious illusions in my head did not let me down when I was defenseless, and parting with them is like parting with invisible best friends.” But / part she must if she is to be mature. One of the ways to pick up the pieces of a shattered life is to recognize the areas in which we are not mature, and desire to do something about them. We learn to do that, and we will be thinking corretly even as we live under the stress of living, our theme today.
Before her, we wished another birthday greeting to Pete Wentz, and the band Fall Out Boy and celebrating the birthday of the bassist and lyricist of the band, Mr. Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III, that is Pete Wentz, that song from 2014 from their album “American Beauty/American Psycho” and the name of the song “Centuries”. He will be 46 this Thursday. The song is quite a challenge to interpret and so I went to one of the writers, Pete Wentz. He describes it as an empowering song saying to people not to give up, but remember that legends actually begin very small. Here are some of the words: “Some legends are told, some turn to dust or to gold. But you will remember me. Remember me for centuries. And just one mistake is all it will take. We'll go down in history. And I can't stop 'til the whole world knows my name 'cause I was only born inside my dreams.” The video is very interesting, and seems to be the same idea only with a strong biblical theme. In terms of our theme today, if we are going to be remembered in a good way, we will be people who manage to live well under the stress of life.
And we have made it to the top 3 of this first day of June 2025. At number 3 is a singer who brings up an interesting thought in his song. He talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” 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,” he begins his song, “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.” That is, we will do our best with the ordinary that we have. And in particular, with regard to his present love relationship. “I take one look at you” he says, “You’re takin’ me out of the ordinary. I want you layin’ me down ‘til we’re dead and buried. You got me kissin’ the ground of your sanctuary. At your altar, I will pray. You’re the sculptor, I’m the clay. You take me out of the ordinary.” So, it may be an ordinary existence, but with his friend, it’s a pretty special ordinary existence. In terms of our theme this week, the better we make our ordinary things that we do a little better, the better we will be at working with the stress of living. This is 25 year old Alexander Warren Hughes better known as Alex Warren from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)” and his song “Ordinary”, number 3 right now on MATT.
(double) 3 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
2 SORRY I’M HERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE / Benson Boone
Part 12
Number 2 right now from his album “American Heart,” Benson Boone, “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” on MATT. I’ve said that it is a song whose story is told for all practical purposes by its title. He’s waiting for his current fiancee, meets an old flame, realizes that she is the one that he currently likes, and promptly breaks up with the one he is waiting for. In terms of our theme this week, he is still trying to live with the stress of finding a friend that he really likes, and therefore will have the anxiety of living, whether he wants it or not.
And the number 1 song is the favorite video of the year according to the American Music Awards along with the artists both being honored at the Awards. Now, the song has been in the number 1 position one time or another a total of 5 weeks. It is the best pop duo song of the year according to the Grammys and yet another song of sincere commitment. It is from Stefanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta or Lady Gaga and Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars and their song “Die with a Smile”. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” Fitting into our theme this week, both are committed to each other, and therefore should be able to live well as they struggle with the stress of living.
And there you have it, the top 10 of Mix 103 for this date of June 1, 2025. Our theme today has been that idea of how to live with the stress that comes with anxiety. It came from the song “Anxiety” from Docheii. My prayer for you and me today is that we will always choose ways to live with the stress of living that are good and wholesome. Thank you for your time today. If you want to contact me for any reason, my e-mail address is frmikescully@yahoo.com or the address at the radio station: KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you can obtain a transcript of the show and some meditations on our music and some great movies. The meditation today is on the first part of the excellent film “The Impossible.” You can be with us on the web by going to www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103 at 10 CDT every Sunday morning. My thanks to the producers of our show, and to our sponsors, especially Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment.
Before our final thought, a little advertisement for the job of being a minister. Our world needs a lot of help, and I give thanks to the ministers of our area for trying to help. I hope you young people keep that possibility of being a minister in your thought.
Our final thought today comes from perhaps our greatest president, Mr. Abraham Lincoln: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool / than to speak out and remove all doubt.” You bet. We close our show with the song “Die with a Smile” from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars and as you listen to it, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103, and among the things that we have said today, we advise you to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Stay safe and peace to you, and be good!
1 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars