KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays
May 10, 2026
“Some Things That Wreck a Home”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world and welcome to Mix 103.3’s top 10 show, “Message at the Top”. Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers who may be listening this morning as we celebrate Mother’s Day in the Heartland of America. I am Fr. Mike your host; and get ready for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by your requests and our own research here at Mix 103 with Mediabase 24-7. We continue to give you only the very best in radio entertainment, / and that includes not only the songs that we play, but their messages as well. This morning as usual, we have some top 10’s both from today and yesterday all lined up for you. This morning, we’ll talk about home and in particular, what causes a home to be messed up.
That idea of “home” is a good one to think about. Many look at “home” as a negative thing and want to get away from it as soon as possible. But many think of “home” as something very positive, as something that has good characteristics and actually can help us in our living if we let them. Sometimes “home” is actually where we grew up; sometimes it is another special place. But, that’s a pretty good theme, I believe, and let’s talk about in particular the things that hurt a home.
The thought comes from the latest top 10 song from Sombr. It is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.”
He says that he doesn’t want to be a homewrecker, but if he accomplishes what he wants, he will be just that, and so one of the things that can wreck a home is for either the man or woman in that home relationship to be “shopping around” for someone else. That’s our theme today—what are some things that could wreck a home or relationship? This is the first song for Sombr today, not present on an album yet, Shane Michael Boose, better known as Sombr, “Homewrecker”, number 7 this week on MATT.
(double) 7 HOMEWRECKER / Sombr
10 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr
Part 2
A second song for Sombr in the top 10, at number 10 from his album “I Barely Know Her” and his song “Back to Friends” on MATT. It is a song about the fact that the couple have given themselves completely to each other physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends, and that is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, one of the things that would wreck a relationship or home would be backing out of a permanent commitment that is already made.
There is only one other song on our playlist of top 10’s since 1980 with the word “wreck” as part of it and it comes from the year 2013. “We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain” she sings. “We jumped, never asking why. I fell under your spell, a love no one could deny. Don’t you ever say I just walked away, I will always want you. I can’t live a lie, running for my life. I came in like a wrecking ball, I never hit so hard in love. All I wanted was to break your walls. All you ever did was wreck me. You let me burn, and now, we’re ashes on the ground. Instead of using force, I guess I should’ve let you win.” I think that that is a very good insight. When people are moving into romantic love, they can’t be bulldozers or wrecking balls. They have to be people who want the other person to win. I don’t agree that the other has to win in all of the situations that occur—we still have our own integrity to uphold—but there has to be a lot of give and take, and more often than not, giving is much more important than the taking. In terms of our theme, what can easily wreck a home or relationship is using too much force to get what we want. This is from her album “Bangerz,” Miley Cyrus and “Wrecking Ball” on MATT.
(triple) WRECKING BALL / Miles Cyrus
HOME / Phillip Phillips
HOME / Goo Goo Dolls
Part 3
There are 9 songs on our playlist of all the top 10 songs since 1980 that have the word “home” in their title and one that has a “castle” and we have all of them on our show today. That last one that we heard was from the band Goo Goo Dolls from their album “Something For the Rest of Us” and a song from 2010, simply named “Home” on MATT. It is a song of missing someone and the desire to be with that someone, in a place the man in the relationship calls “home”. “Crowded rooms full of empty faces,” they begin their song, “our deepest conversation full of lies, another night with all my friends, the kind you’ll never see again. I wonder if they’ll see through my disguise. And I want to say that I can’t hold back, and it might be wrong, but it’s all I have. Come take me home tonight. Oh, I need you now. I’m lost without you. A million miles but I will find you, so take me home.” The person in the song is opening up to another, and, you really don’t know whether the other person responds or not. But whether she responds or not, the man in the relationship is doing exactly what he needs to do—direct communication, and put negatively—if they don’t communicate, they will wreck the relationship, our theme today.
There are three songs on our playlist that are named with the one word of “home”—we just heard the second one. Before them, we heard the first one from 2012 and American Idol Phillip Phillips. It is a song of assurance to the other in the relationship that she can be at home with him. “Hold on to me as we go,” he begins the song, “As we roll down this unfamiliar road and although this wave is stringing us along, just know you’re not alone ‘cause I’m going to make this place your home. Settle down, it’ll all be clear. Don’t pay no mind to the demons. They fill you with fear. The trouble: it might drag you down. If you get lost, you can always be found. Just know you’re not alone, ‘cause I’m going to make this place your home.” Tying it into our theme this morning, that which could destroy a home or relationship is not assuring the other the fact of his/her love often enough.
We have some more great music in our next segment. In fact, get ready for Harry Styles, Bon Jovi, Drake and others. Popular music always seems to have an approach to life about it, and popular songs always contain something to talk about and something to think seriously about. Let me take you to break with this thought. A writer by the name of Paul Boese says this and it could well describe a characteristic of a good home or relationship: "Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future." You bet, I'm Fr. Mike, inviting you to keep your dial right there as we continue shortly on MATT on Mix 103.3.
Part 4
We continue with the only show of its kind in this area as we celebrate Spring in the heartland. It is great to have you with us on the station that plays the very best in popular music, and the show we have labeled as MATT, the show that takes the top 10 songs of today and yesterday, and discovers just what their approach to life is, often giving us some thoughts with which we can guide our lives toward the good, the show where our motto is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help our future. My name is Fr. Mike, your host, and we began with an interesting song from Sombr. And we are studying some songs in the light of some things that hurt a relationship or home.
Let’s go to another “home” song. Country singer Jennifer Nettles is singing with Bon Jovi here, she is part of the duo Sugarland in the country world. They sing: “Who says you can’t go home. “There’s only one place they call me one of their own,” they sing, “just a hometown boy, born a rolling stone, who says you can’t go home. Who says you can’t go back, been all around the world and as a matter of fact, there’s only one place left I want to go, who says you can’t go home. It’s alright. I been there, done that, I ain’t lookin’ back. Who says you can’t go home.” Going back to the roots, the person in the song sings, is really a way to enjoy your life. That’s not a bad thought, and tying it into our theme, all too often we don’t enjoy going back to our home because someone of the family has wrecked the memories, something we don’t want to accuse ourselves of. The song has a great video by the way and a good tribute to Habitat for Humanity. It is from Bon Jovi’s album “Have a Nice Day” and their song from 2006 “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” on MATT.
(double) WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T GO HOME / Bon Jovi
6 AMERICAN GIRLS / Harry Styles
Part 5
Our theme next week from his latest album “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” that was “American Girls” number 6 this morning from Harry Styles on MATT. It is a song about thinking of dating in a philosophical way. Harry Styles comments that the song gives him the opportunity to look at his own dating patterns even as he sees his friends getting married. “I’ve known you for ages,” he sings, “it’s all that I’ve heard. My friends are in love with American girls; I’ve seen it in stages all over the world. Her sweet eyes, your temptations don’t deny her frustrations. Just spend your life with those American girls.” So, in a sense, a song studying one’s dating patterns. And one of the things that should be studied in those patterns is whether the person could spend one’s life with the other because if they couldn’t, it would wreck a home relationship, our theme today.
Now, let’s continue our triple plays and begin this next set with a song that is saying to a friend, “I won’t go home without you.” They sing: “I may not make it through the night”. It is a song of pain and speaks of a relationship that just didn’t work out, but the man in the relationship is determined to get it to work again. “I asked her to stay but she wouldn't listen. She left before I had the chance to say the words that would mend the things that were broken. But now it's far too late, she's gone away. Every night you cry yourself to sleep, thinking: ‘Why does this happen to me? Why does every moment have to be so hard?’ Just give me one more chance to make it right.” In the video to the song, he has to go home without her, and the video points out how difficult it is to work out the love relationship after something has happened—in this case, after something was said. Often we are reminded of those tough times that may have wrecked the home, our theme today, and maybe it is good to be reminded. This is Maroon 5 from 2007 from their album “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long” and the song “Won’t Go Home Without You” on MATT.
(triple) WON’T GO HOME WITHOUT YOU / Maroon 5
HOLD ON WE’RE GOING HOME / Drake
ISSUES / Julia Michaels
Part 6
A great song of meaning there from Julia Michaels and her song “Issues,” from her album “Nervous Systems” from 2017 on MATT. Julia Carin Cavazos better known as Julia Michaels is a 32 year old young lady from Davenport, Iowa, and her song is a song about the issues that every person has. “You don’t judge me,” she sings, “’cause if you did, I would judge you too. ‘Cause I got issues, but you got them too. So give them all to me, and I’ll give mine to you. Bask in the glory of all our problems ‘cause we got the kind of love it takes to solve them. Yeah, I got issues, and one of them is how bad I need you.” I believe it is a great song because of its truthfulness. We do all have issues, and if we want a relationship, what must happen is that we work out the problems, or as she sings, “bask in the glory of all our problems ‘cause we got the kind of love it takes to solve them.” If we don’t, and we are in a relationship or building a home, things will not go so well, our theme today.
Before her, we heard from Aubrey Drake Graham, better known simply as Drake born in Toronto, Canada from his album “Nothing Was the Same,” and his song “Hold On We’re Going Home” from 2013. It is a song of intense emotion of the man in the relationship for the woman. “I got my eyes on you,” he sings, “you’re everything that I see. I want your hot love and emotion endlessly. I can’t get over you. You left your mark on me. ‘Cause you’re a good girl and you know it. You act so different around me. I know exactly who you could be. Just hold on, we’re going home. It’s hard to do these things alone.” There is nothing wrong with emotion, of course, but when we are all caught up in that emotion, we may miss what a relationship is all about. Unfortunately, too much emotion can wreck a home or relationship, our theme today.
And we have played our way to another break right now, having spent one hour together on this second Sunday in May with you. Again, happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers that are listening. We still have another hour of great popular music to go. In order of appearance, directly in front of us, we have right here in our studio, or at least in our computers of the studio: in this order: Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne, Raye, Olivia Dean, Elle King and Ed Sheeran. How's that for a great combination of artists. I hope you remain with us. Another thought before we go to break. It comes from one of my anonymous authors in my quotebook and speaks of the newspaper: "Those who don't read the paper are uninformed; those who do read the paper are misinformed!” Well, maybe not every paper, but we have to be very careful when it comes to believing what we read. Perhaps we have to subscribe to the three source theory—get it from three sources, and it MAY be true. I'm Fr. Mike, and this is the MATT music network on Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
Every song has a message and that message can usually help us in one way or another. Such is our belief. Welcome back to MATT and the top 10 songs of today and the past 46 years. My name is Fr. Mike, and we are beginning hour number 2 of our show, a show that is talking about things that can wreck a home or relationship. Again, we remind you of our task which is to enjoy the music that we play here on Mix 103.3 and in particular here on MATT, and at the same time listen to the message in the hopes of improving our lives.
We begin this hour with yet another triple play, and it begins with a song about Elizabeth Taylor. The song has all kinds of references to Elizabeth Taylor’s movies, and the video has the same. The words reflect the similarities of the two stars. They say how fame and public perception affect personal relationships. “I’d cry my eyes violet.” she sings, “Elizabeth Taylor, tell me for real: do you think it’s forever. You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. And I can’t have fun if I can’t have you.” The study of the lyrics leads to a study of the life of both Elizabeth Taylor and Taylor Swift. As one studies the song, one of the things that I think about is that everyone of us is unique and we can do good or not so good, that is, we can build or we can wreck, our theme today. Taylor Swift here, from her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and her song written with the thought of a person who is thought to be similar to Taylor Swift herself, namely Elizabeth Taylor who died in 2011, and the song named “Elizabeth Taylor” on MATT.
(triple) 8 ELIZABETH TAYLOR / Taylor Swift
NOBODY’S HOME / Avril Lavigne
9 WHERE IS MY HUSBAND / Raye
Part 8
From her album “This Music May Contain Hope,” her song at number 9 this morning, “Where is My Husband” on MATT. The artist is Raye, a British singer/songwriter whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen. It is a song about the desire for a partner in her life, or as she says in a traditional way, a husband. To me, it is a tongue-in-cheek desire to find where love is, the desire of a lady to find a person who truly loves her, a statement, I believe, of someone’s need for romantic love. “Where is my husband,” the lady sings, “Why is this beautiful man waiting for me to get old? Why he already testing my patience? I only fear he taking time with other women that ain’t me / while I’ve been reviewing applications. Wait til I get my hands on him. I’ma tell him off too for how long he kept me waiting, anticipating, praying to the Lord to give him to my loving arms. Help me, Lord. I need you to tell me.” In terms of our theme this week, the man she is with right now and her have some communication to do, and if they don’t, it will wreck their relationship, our theme today.
Before her, we went back to 2000 and another song with “Home” in its title, this time from Avril Lavigne from her album “Under My Skin,” and her song “Nobody’s Home”. “Well, I couldn’t tell you,” she sings, “why she felt that way. She felt it every day and I couldn’t help her. I just watched her make the same mistakes again. What’s wrong—too many problems, don’t know where she belongs. She wants to go home, but nobody’s home. That’s where she lies, broken inside with no place to go, no place to go to dry her eyes, broken inside. She’s lost inside.” Wow, what a description of someone who is very close to despair. You really want to reach out to such a person and help. The problem is that all too often they don’t want help. But she needs it, no doubt about it. To me, it is the perfect description of the way many teenagers feel at times. And an attitude like it, if it is not addressed, could easily wreck a relationship, our theme today.
Yet another triple play now and we begin it again with a song in our current playlist at number 5. And a song of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any relationship, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication, something that if we don’t have, will wreck any home or relationship, our theme today. This is the first song from her in the top 5 this morning, Olivia Dean, from the album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”, number 5 this week, former number 1, on MATT.
(triple) 5 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
DRUNK (AND I DON’T WANNA GO HOME) / Elle King & Miranda Lambert
CASTLE ON THE HILL / Ed Sheeran
Part 9
With the understanding that a castle is a home, that song is yet another song with the idea of “home” in its title in a sense, “Castle on the Hill”, Ed Sheeran from his album which is a division sign, former number 1, from 2017 on MATT. It is a reminiscent song as the person thinks back to what life was like in younger years, and it seems to have been a happy one. He sings, “I’ve not seen the roaring fields in so long. I know I’ve grown, but I can’t wait to go home. I’m on my way driving at 90 down those country lanes. I miss the way you make me feel and it’s real when we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill.” He speaks of some teenage activities which I consider to be dangerous, but he seems to have survived them, and now he’s anxious to get home. In terms of our theme, there was nothing that wrecked his home, and so he was happy to go back.
Before him, we heard a drinking song from Elle King and Miranda Lambert who is usually on the country charts, and their song with the ominous title of “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”, another song with “home” in its title. The song is about drinking as well as cheating on one’s spouse. “I’ve got some money in my pocket, got some trouble on my tail. Guess I’m heading off the rails, singing I’m talking about you. I’ve got some new best friends forever; see, I met them at the bar. Well, the whiskey goes down better when they don’t know who you are. Gonna feel this in the morning ‘cause I’m going hard tonight. So, bartender, take my keys, what do you want from me. I’m drunk and I don’t wanna go home.” And he doesn’t want to go home because he’s got his “missus” there and that would cause a lot of problems. This man’s life is already messed up and he is well on his way to wrecking his life, let alone his home, our theme today. He is in need of help.
Our subject this morning is that idea of a wrecked relationship and what causes it. We will have some more thoughts along that line after this break. In fact, we have the top 4 to go yet and 2 others, one our final “home” song, the other a birthday wish. First, leading us to break, let’s hear from Mr. Charles Schultz of Peanuts fame: “Sometimes I lie awake at night, and ask, 'Where have I gone wrong? Then a voice says to me, 'This is going to take more than one night.'” Ah, yes. This is the top 10, this show is MATT, this radio station is Mix 103, and we'll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 10
We welcome you back to the only show that gives you the music and meanings of the top 10 of today and yesterday in our area, maybe in the whole world. We call it MATT on Mix 103.3. My name is Fr. Mike, and we are studying the songs of our show today in light of the thought of the idea of our homes and what can wreck them or build them up. It's great to have you with us on this second Sunday of the wonderful month of May, as we celebrate Mother’s Day today. We are playing the music and listening to the messages of our top 10 and 12 others.
As promised, our final top 10 song with “home” in its title will begin this triple play. It is a song that I have looked at as an interesting song with a double meaning. The lady in the relationship is talking of a love relationship that she sees as the “only thing that’s good” as she sings. But she’s also talking about the problems of the world it seems. Her refrain is: “Walk me home in the dead of night. I can’t be alone with all that’s on my mind. So say you’ll stay with me tonight ‘cause there is so much wrong going on outside.” So, the solution for her mind to her situation is him; and she needs him to overcome her loneliness and her despair about what’s happening in the world. My way of looking at it anyway. Such despair can wreck a home and relationship, our theme today. This is Ms. Alecia Beth Moore Hart better known as Pink and a song from 2019, “Walk Me Home” from her album “Hurts 2B Human” on MATT.
(triple) WALK ME HOME / Pink
LOVE SOMEBODY / Morgan Wallen bd
4 GOLDEN / Huntr/X
Part 11
That was Huntr/X from the soundtrack of the best animated feature of this year according to the Academy Awards, “KPop Demon Hunters” the name of it, and their song at number 4 this week, former number 1, “Golden” on MATT. The group Huntr/X is three talented Korean ladies and their song is the theme of a Netflix film that follows them who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” It is a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, the right thing in a relationship or at home is to bring about true love and then that relationship cannot be wrecked, our theme today.
Before them, we heard from Morgan Wallen whose birthday we celebrate on Wednesday when he will be 33 years old. We heard from his song “Love Somebody” from his album “I’m the Problem.” It is a song that criticizes former friends, but at the same time gives us an understanding of what true love should be: “Rumors goin' all over town,” he sings, “Can't keep my name out of their mouth these days. They say I live too fast to settle down. Truth is, I just ain't about these games they all play; Wanna find somethin' stronger than the whiskey, And I've tried, but every time I feel her kiss me, I keep comin' up empty. I just wanna love somebody who won't leave a hole in my heart; I just wanna love somebody that don't want me fallin' apart. And I'll be lucky if I ever find somethin' more than just a crazy night, who ain't hypnotized by dollar signs and blindin' lights like they tend to; I need someone that I'd be proud to take on back to my hometown, honest eyes that just ain't gonna lead to lonely nights, even when she's up against me. And I'm still empty; I just wanna love somebody.” In terms of our theme this week, it sounds like he wants true love and that will never wreck a home or relationship.
Our top 3 is next. It begins with a song that has been in our top 10 every week for a whole year, and number 1 for 19 weeks. It is a song about the opposite of its title. The title of it is “Ordinary” and it is about what is not ordinary. It is a song which 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. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make life a little better—try to make the mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces, and if we do that well, we will never wreck our home or a relationship, our theme today. From his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” this is Alexander Warren Hughes or simply Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”, number 3 on our countdown this week on MATT.
(double) 3 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
2 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
Part 12
It was number 1 for 6 weeks, now at number 2, the song “I Just Might” from his album “The Romantic”, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez on MATT. It is another song of wanting another to show her love for a man by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, we will never be wrecking home or any relationship if we work at dancing well together.
And the number 1 song for two weeks in a row is the second song in the top 10 for her, London born Olivia Dean, also from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, if they intend to be together for life, that love had better work well or else they will wreck their relationship or future home .
Our thought today has revolved around that thought of what wrecks a home or relationship. My prayer for you and for me is that we will be able to make our homes and every relationship truly healthy and loveable. Thank you for your time today. My thanks also to the producers of “Message at the Top,” especially Jeff and to the staff here at Mix 103.3, and to our sponsors, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, my friends at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays and Auto World 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, America, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on the Gospels, on these songs and some great movies and a transcript of the show. Remember that you can catch us on the web every Sunday morning at www.hayspost.com at 10 CDT and choosing Mix 103.3. One final thought before we leave. It comes from Andy Rooney: “The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.” Ah, yes. As Olivia Dean and her song “So Easy” leads us out, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music, Mix 103 and our advice to you, among all the other things we have said is to hold a good thought. Be safe out there. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. From West Virginia through Lawrence, KS and finally Hays, KS, peace to you, and be good!
1 SO EASY / Olivia Dean
May 3, 2026
“Compromise”
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world and thank you for joining us this 3rd day of the 5th month of the year 2026—the beautiful month of May. Welcome to “Message at the Top.” Get set for the top 10 songs of our area right now as determined by the research from your requests and Mediabase 24/7 for the reporting date of today, and get ready for some pretty good songs of the past as well, this morning including German DJ Zedd, Alex Warren and Raye among others. I am Fr. Mike, and you have your dial set to Mix 103.3, the number one popular music station of Central Kansas, and this morning let’s talk about the subject of compromise.
And the reason for that is Zedd’s song about compromise, or as they call it meeting in the middle. It is the subject of my website popular song presentation on www.frmikescully.com for May 1. “Take a seat,” they sing, “Right over there, sat on the stairs, stay or leave. The cabinets are bare and I’m unaware of just how we got into this mess. Got so aggressive. I know we meant all good intentions. So pull me closer, come on over. I can’t let you go. Why don’t you just meet me in the middle?” Looks like one of them made a mistake, and now he or she is seeking some type of “making up” and they are doing the right thing—they are seeking a compromise to the mess they are in.
I think it is a good song because it gives the solution to two people who love each other but they disagree on whatever. They must learn to compromise.
Here is an observation by Mr. Dale Ellerman.
The use of compromise is a common solution to resolving disagreements in negotiation and mediation processes. While it may produce an agreement, compromise does not always resolve problems that contain underlying interpersonal or organizational conflict. This is because compromise is frequently a "settled" resolution to a problem and not typically the optimal solution sought by either party. It may generate a functional or material solution but not resolve emotional or behavioral issues associated with the disagreement. As a result one or both parties in the dispute may continue to harbor ill feelings or other dissatisfaction that can surface again if the parties continue to have contact with each other.
That last statement is a very important one, I believe. Compromise is a great idea, but there are often ill feelings or other dissatisfactions that result, and when they do, they will probably not be solved easily.
As Dale Ellerman concludes he reminds us: Compromise can be an effective and appropriate method when other approaches are not workable or when the situation can benefit from this method. The ability for parties to agree to disagree and come to the conclusion that compromise is in the best interest of both will contribute to the success of this approach.
Let’s spend some time with the theme of “Compromise” and see what our songs suggest. MATT presenting here Anton Zaslavski better known as Zedd. He produces this song which is sung by American singer Maren Morris and the American duo known as Grey and their song “The Middle” from 2018 on MATT.
(double) THE MIDDLE / Zedd f/ Grey & Maren Morris
STAY THE NIGHT / Zedd f/ Hayley Williams
Part 2
Double Zedd there, that last one from his album “Clarity,” and his song “Stay the Night” and in this song, he features Hayley Nichole Williams, the lead singer of the rock group Paramore from 2013 on MATT. It obviously is an invitation for another to stay the night, and because the relationship is in such a mess, he should not stay the night unless they are trying to work it out in my humble opinion. In the song, they are not trying to work it out—they only want a good feeling. “I know that we are upside down,” she sings, “so hold your tongue and hear me out. I know that we were made to break. So what, I don’t mind. Are you gonna stay the night, doesn’t mean we’re bound for life.” Like I say, it seems that they have some work to do on their relationship. And in that process, they will probably begin with some compromises, our theme today, but their communication will have to be a little bit stronger as they progress in their relationship—if indeed it gets that far.
Let’s go to our countdown for this first week in May and begin it with number 10 and a song about love contradiction. It is a song about the fact that the couple have given themselves completely to each other physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends, and that is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, judging from how often this happens among people, people often pursue a love relationship by pursuing it in a physical way too early. When a couple discovers this and it bothers them, they will have to work at compromising their behavior somehow, our theme today. This is number 10 in our countdown here on MATT: Shane Michael Boose, better known as sombr, the first of two in the top 10 for him, from his album “I Barely Know Her” and his song “Back to Friends” on MATT.
(triple) 10 BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr
NO EXCUSES / Meghan Trainor
SAY SOMETHING / Justin Timberlake f/ Chris Stapleton
Part 3
Justin Timberlake for the first time this morning on MATT along with Chris Stapleton from Justin Timberlake’s album, “Man of the Woods,” and their song “Say Something”, from 2018 on MATT. It is obviously a song about communication as so many of these songs are, this one with a very important possibility. “Everyone knows all about my direction,” they sing, “and in my heart somewhere I wanna go there, still I don’t go there. Everybody says say something, I don’t wanna get caught up in the rhythm of it. But I can’t help myself. Maybe I’m looking for something I can’t have. Sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at all.” I believe that that last line is a great insight, but at the same time I firmly believe that saying something is the best way to go. And good communication demands good compromising in choices, our theme today.
Before them, also from 2018—and many of our songs on our show today were first heard in 2017 and 2018, MATT presented from Meghan Trainor, “No Excuses” from her album “Treat Myself”. It is a song of reproach to a boyfriend by the lady in the relationship saying that he is showing her no respect. “What you sippin’ on / that got you talking crazy?” she asks, “Looking at me sideways, always coming at me. I keep it real for you, but you trying to play me. Have you lost your mind? Open up your eyes. You must have confused me with someone else. There ain’t no excuses. Your mama raised you better than that.” She is not happy with him at all. In order to make this relationship work, he is going to have to compromise a lot, our theme today.
Some great thoughts from the popular music of today and yesterday. During our next segment, we will hear messages that range from control of bad habits to doing whatever it takes to have a good life. Before we get there, here’s a thought from author and educator John Holt who died in 1985: “The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don’t know what to do”. Now, that is one great thought. If we behave well when we are dealt some difficult cards, it is a pretty good indication that we are thinking the right way and will be able to compromise if we have to. “Message at the Top” will continue right after these important messages. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to keep that dial set at today’s best music, Mix 103.3.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 4
It is great to have you back with us. Thank you for joining us; we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending today, May 3, 2026. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of Mix 103.3, “Message at the Top.” Our format involves only the top 10 songs of today and the top 10 songs of the past 46 years since we began this show in 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—if we think about it for a while. Our theme today is “Compromise” from a song produced by Zedd and his song “The Middle.”
As promised, we are up to a song about bad habits, a song whose conclusion although unwritten is that bad habits will never take away a problem. And that is a pretty good conclusion to remember. Her situation is that her boyfriend left and the lady of the once-upon-a-time relationship sings: “I gotta stay high all the time to keep you off my mind.” In the process, she mentions all of the bad habits that keeps her high—like going to sex clubs and binging on Twinkies—but she realizes that it will get her nowhere. As she sings, “I’m staying in my play pretend where the fun ain’t got no end.” But she’s only pretending and this type of behavior—bad habits—will never solve any problem. In terms of our theme this week, if she is going to make any compromises in life, bad habits should not be part of any compromise—IMHO. Her real name is Ms. Tove Ebba Elsa Nilsson, a Swedish singer/songwriter/musician and this is from her album “Queen of the Clouds,” Tove Lo, and her song “Habits” from 2013 on MATT.
(double) HABITS / Tove Lo
9 AMERICAN GIRLS / Harry Styles
Part 5
From his latest album “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” that was “American Girls” number 9 this morning, Harry Styles on MATT. It is a song about thinking about dating in a philosophical way. Harry Styles comments that the song gives him the opportunity to look at his own dating patterns even as he sees his friends getting married. “I’ve known you for ages,” he sings, “it’s all that I’ve heard. My friends are in love with American girls; I’ve seen it in stages all over the world. Her sweet eyes, your temptations don’t deny her frustrations. Just spend your life with those American girls.” So, in a sense, a song studying one’s dating patterns. And one of the things that should be studied in those patterns is their communication and ultimately whether they can compromise or not, compromise being our theme today.
Staying in our countdown, we go to number 8 as we begin a triple play and a song from the lady who calls herself Raye, a British singer/songwriter whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen. It is a song about the desire for a partner in her life, or as she says in a traditional way, a husband. To me, it is a tongue-in-cheek desire to find where love is, the desire of a lady to find a person who truly loves her, a statement, I believe, of someone’s need for romantic love. “Where is my husband,” the lady sings, “Why is this beautiful man waiting for me to get old? Why he already testing my patience? I only fear he taking time with other women that ain’t me / while I’ve been reviewing applications. Wait til I get my hands on him. I’ma tell him off too for how long he kept me waiting, anticipating, praying to the Lord to give him to my loving arms. Help me, Lord. I need you to tell me.” In terms of our theme this week, the man she is with right now and her have some communication to do, part of which will include some sort of compromise. This is from her album “This Music May Contain Hope,” and her song at number 8, “Where is My Husband” on MATT.
(triple) 8 WHERE IS MY HUSBAND / Raye
THUNDER / Imagine Dragons
WHATEVER IT TAKES / Imagine Dragons
Part 6
That was Imagine Dragons as we closed off a double play from them from their album “Evolve,” and their song “Whatever It Takes” from 2017 on MATT. It is a song involving thinking outside the box and trying to do good, “I was born to run,” they sing, “I was born for this. Whip, run me like a racehorse, pull me like a ripcord. Break me down and build me up, I wanna be the slip, word upon your lip, letter that you rip, break me down and build me up. Whatever it takes, ‘cause I love the adrenaline in my veins. I do whatever it takes, ‘cause I love how it feels when I break the chains. Whatever it takes. Always had a fear of being typical.” The person in the song will do whatever it takes to be different but accomplish something. In terms of our theme, there is little doubt that if they want to accomplish things that involve other people, working on some compromise will really help.
Before them, them again, Imagine Dragons and a song that says to all of us to “never give up on your dreams,” which is part of the words of the song. Also from their album “Evolve” and their song “Thunder”, from 2017. The person in the song sets the stage of not being just another person: “I was dreaming of bigger things, not a follower, I was lightning before the thunder.” Other kids were making fun of him, but now he sings, “I’m smiling from the stage while you were clapping in the nosebleeds. Never give up on your dreams.” It is a great leadership song—follow your dreams, be what you can be. Considering it with the theme of the make-up of a compromise, as you follow your dreams, you will no doubt have to compromise a little because other people are important as you work on your dreams.
We will continue with the thought generated by Zedd and the thought of his song “The Middle” as we listen to and study top 10 music of the past and present. First, this thought from the Mahatma Gandhi, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Great quote, and forgiveness is always something that must be remembered as we learn to compromise. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.3. Hey, why not stay right where you are. We’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
Thank you for joining us this morning. We are back for the second hour of “Message at the Top” which gives you the top 10 popular songs of our area as of this week ending today May 3, 2026, the first Sunday of May. We take the top 10’s of today and the past 46 years, put them all together with a theme, and then call our show MATT. Our theme this week came from Zedd’s song sung by Maren Morris and the duo Grey—their song “The Middle” and our theme is looking at the thought of compromise. I’m your host Fr. Mike on “Message at the Top” on today’s best music, Mix 103.3, and get ready for two triple plays beginning right now.
The first one is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.” The love that he wants just may come to be, as the video shows, but before it happens, there will have to be some compromise to work things out, not to mention that he has to make a decision of which one to pursue in a relationship. We’ll make it our theme next week, but this is number 7 this morning, the second song for sombr on our countdown this morning, “Homewrecker” on MATT.
(triple) 7 HOMEWRECKER / sombr
BEAUTIFUL TRAUMA / Pink
WAIT / Maroon 5
Part 8
The very popular group Maroon 5 on MATT from their album “Red Pill Blues” and their song “Wait” from 2018. It is a song of begging another to listen to an apology for past behavior. “Oh, let me apologize,” they sing, “I’ll make up for all those times. Your love, I don’t wanna lose, I’m beggin’ you. Wait, can you turn around, can we work this out, can you come here please? ‘Cause I wanna be with you. Can we talk for a moment?” The man in the relationship has done some things that are totally wrong, and now, he’s begging her to give him another chance. It sounds as though he is willing to work with compromise, our theme today, and if he is, it might just save the relationship.
Before them, we heard from Alicia Beth Moore Hart better known as Pink from the album, “Beautiful Trauma”, the lead song from it, “Beautiful Trauma”. “It’s like we burn so bright we burn out,” she sings, “I made you chase me. My love, my drug, we’re messed up, ‘cause we’ve been on the run so long they can’t find us. Who’s gonna have to die to remind us that it feels like we chose this blindly. These tough times they keep coming. After we were high, it was you, the pill I keep taking, the nightmare I wake in, there’s nothing but you, my perfect rock bottom, my beautiful trauma.” It seems that she is saying that the man in the relationship is very much like a drug that makes her feel tremendously good, but then is let down hard, the perfect rock bottom. How might the song fit into our theme today of the make-up of a compromise? Well, how’s this: one of the ways to help avoid hitting rock bottom is to learn to compromise in life.
Right now, a really important message especially for the marriages of our world. “One more kiss,” they sing the thoughts of the man in the relationship, “could be the best thing, but one more lie could be the worst. And all these thoughts are never resting, and you’re not something I deserve. In my head there’s only you now. In this world there’s real and make believe, and this seems real to me. I’m torn between this life I lead and where I stand. And you love me, but you don’t know who I am. So let me go.” Before we can say that we love someone, we really have to know them—the reason why so many marriage counselors suggest dating for a long time before marriage takes place. During that time, one will have to learn many things about the other, and one of the big ones is how to compromise, our theme today. From the album “Seventeen Days” from 3 Doors Down, the number 1 song of meaning in 2005, “Let Me Go” on MATT.
(triple) LET ME GO / 3 Doors Down
SUIT & TIE / Justin Timberlake
6 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
Part 9
The number 6 song from Taylor Swift and her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the song “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT. It is a familiar song to our current top 10—she entered the top 10 last October with the song. It is one of 2 songs in our top 10 that have been here for more than 7 months straight. As we have said over the months it has been in the top 10, it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. The play is a tragedy, but the song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and you can bet that both of them have learned the art of compromise, our theme today.
Before her, we heard from Justin Timberlake’s album “The 20/20 Experience,” and his song “Suit & Tie” from 2013. The song is a love song, extolling the art of dancing and dressing up for that dancing. The refrain is “As long as I got my suit and tie, Ima leave it all on the floor tonight. And you got fixed up to the nines. Let me show you a few things. All dressed up in black and white, and you’re dressed in that dress I like. Love is swinging in the air tonight. Let me show you a few things about love. Now, we’re in the swing of love: let me show you a few things about love.” The love he is referring to, of course, is romantic love, and dancing may be part of it, but a lot more important is the ability to compromise, our theme today.
And we have played our way to another brief hiatus. Our final segment will begin in just a few minutes. Before we go to break, here is another thought from another internet author, that is anonymous, or someone who stole it from someone else—whatever—, it is good one: “It is easier to preach ten sermons than it is to live one.” And we have to live it by dealing well with what life gives us, like being able to compromise in relationships. My name is Fr. Mike, this radio station is Mix 103.3, this show is “Message at the Top” and we’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 10
Hi again, everybody. I am Fr. Mike and this is “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.3, your top 10 show giving you not only the current top 10 but some of the top 10’s 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 and me in our lives right now. Our theme this morning is dealing with the different and difficult moments of life by means of compromise.
Let’s go to our top 5 in our countdown, and at number 5 is a song of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any relationship, namely, communication, and part of it, our theme today, compromise. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication and therefore the ability to compromise, and she gives the reason why—the relationship depends on it. This is the first song from her in the top 5 this morning, Olivia Dean, from the album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”, number 5 this week, former number 1, on MATT.
(triple) 5 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
LET ME LOVE YOU / DJ Snake f/ Justin Bieber
4 GOLDEN / Huntr/X
Part 11
That was Huntr/X from the soundtrack of the best animated feature of this year according to the Academy Awards, “KPop Demon Hunters” the name of it, and their song at number 4 this week, former number 1, “Golden” on MATT. The group Huntr/X is three talented Korean ladies and their song is the theme of a Netflix film that follows them who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” It is a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, doing the right thing often involves some compromise.
Before thrm, we heard from a French producer whose name I would mess up and whom we know as DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber and their song, “Let Me Love You” from 2016 from DJ Snake’s album “Encore”. It is a song about a relationship that had been rocky over the years, and now the man in the relationship says to let it mature. “Go through the darkest of days,” he sings, “Heaven’s a heartbreak away. Never let you go, never let me down. Oh, it’s been a ride driving the edge of a knife. Don’t give up, I won’t give up. Let me love you.” So, a relationship that seems to be working through some things. If the couple can work through it, you can bet that they will compromise a lot, our theme today.
Our number 3 song is the other song that has been in our top 10 every week for over 7 months, in fact, almost a year, 11 months. It is a song about the opposite of its title. The title of it is “Ordinary” and it is about what is not ordinary. It is a song which 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. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make life a little better—try to make the mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces, and in order to do that well, there will have to be some compromises on what is important no doubt, compromise, our theme today. From his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” this is Alexander Warren Hughes or simply Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”, number 3 on our countdown this week on MATT.
(double) 3 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
2 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
Part 12
It was number 1 for 6 weeks, now at number 2, the song “I Just Might” from his album “The Romantic”, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez on MATT. It is another song of wanting another to show her love for a man by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, when it comes to dancing, there always has to be a compromise with regard to what is good or not, that both must agree to.
And the new number 1 song is the second song in the top 10 for her, London born Olivia Dean, also from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, a person with this much love for another will no doubt make compromises to make the relationship work.
Our theme today has been that thought of compromise. My prayer for you and me is that in our interaction with people in our world, we learn the art of compromise. My thanks to our producers, and our sponsors, especially Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School, both in Hays, and to Hays Car and Truck Alignment, and Auto World of Hays. If you would like to request a song to be studied or want to comment on any of my comments, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on some Gospels, these songs, and some great movies, and a transcript of the show.
I hope you join us again next week at 10 am CDT on Sunday morning as we listen to the top 10 of today and yesterday. And remember that you can join us on the web at www.hayspost.com and choosing Mix 103.3. One final thought from President Theodore Roosevelt: “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.” As you listen to the number 1 song from Olivia Dean and her song “So Easy”, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103.3 and our advice to you among the other things that we have said is to hold a good thought. From beautiful West Virginia and likewise beautiful Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe. Peace to you, and be good!
1 SO EASY / Olivia Dean
April 26, 2026
“Loneliness”
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top” your top 10 show on Mix 103.3. This is the show that gives you the messages of the top 10 of today and yesterday, and, surprisingly enough, the songs enable us to see exactly what can help our lives be a bit better than they are already. I’m your host, Fr. Mike; thanks for being part of our show this morning. We have the top 10 music of today and the past 46 years all warmed up on our computers. Some of those songs include music from Morgan Wallen, Huntr/X, Lil Nas X, Bruno Mars and a lot more. Our motto continues to be to enjoy the music which you are doing or else you wouldn’t listen to this great radio station, but at the same time—what our show adds—listen to the message, allowing that message to sink into our minds and actually guide us to better living. And today, let’s think about loneliness.
It is the topic of the featured song on my website www.frmikescully.com today, the song “That’s What I Want” by Lil Nas X from 2021. It is a difficult topic because it is one of those realities that must be experienced before it can really be understood. The person in the song has experienced it, to be sure. “These days I’m way too lonely,” he sings, “I’m missing out. I know these days I’m way too alone, and I’m known for giving love away, but I want someone to love me, I need someone who needs me, ‘cause it don’t feel right when it’s late at night and it’s just me in my dreams. So I want someone to love, that’s what I really want.” I adjusted some words there.
It is a problem for a person who has nothing to do for whatever reason, and a problem even for those of us who are “busy” because when all the activities are over, the feeling of boredom can set it.
What causes it? The answer that I think of right away is the fact that we often become so wrapped up in ourselves that we believe that there is no one who loves us or who cares for us. Perhaps we must spend time on the fact that we are loved and cared for by others.
Often that doesn’t do it either. And so, it is always good to do some reading about it. The internet has all kinds of references to overcoming loneliness. One that I read as I prepared for today gave 12 ways to overcome loneliness. See what you think of these: I’ll read them slowly and I’ll repeat them at the end of the show just in case you want to jot some of them down. They come from a lady by the name of Michele Jordan. They are: “Be Kind to Yourself; Be Kind to Others; Plan Ahead; Adopt a Pet; Use Social Media Wisely; Rediscover a Hobby; Reconnect with Others; Find Your Why; Get Outside; Move Your Body; Seek Therapy; Learn to Cherish Alone Time.”
Some good advice in those twelve suggestions. So let’s think of “Loneliness” today and as I said, we’ll begin with Montero Lamar Hill better known as Lil Nas X from his album “Montero,” his song, the featured song on my website today, “That’s What I Want” on MATT.
(double) THAT’S WHAT I WANT / Lil Nas X
THE HEART WANTS WHAT IT WANTS / Selena Gomez
Part 2
Another song about wanting something, this time about a girl who desperately wants the love of a boyfriend, Selena Gomez from her album “For You” and her song from 2014 “The Heart Wants What it Wants.” The boyfriend she wants is apparently not returning her love. The video to the song presents the picture clearly. "There’s a million reasons why I should give you up, but the heart wants what it wants,” she sings. “The future that we hold is so unclear, but I’m not alive until you call. The heart wants what it wants. You got me scattered in pieces shining like stars and screaming but then you disappear and make me wait, and every second's like torture, finding a way to let go. No, I can't escape.” A lot of pain there, and loneliness, our theme today, causes much of that pain. We have to recognize it, and want to do something about it.
Let’s go into our countdown this last Sunday of April morning. At number 10 is a song about thinking about dating in a philosophical way. Harry Styles, the singer, comments that the song gives him the opportunity to study his dating patterns even as he sees his friends getting married. “I’ve known you for ages,” he sings, “it’s all that I’ve heard. My friends are in love with American girls; I’ve seen it in stages all over the world. Her sweet eyes, your temptations don’t deny her frustrations. Just spend your life with those American girls.” So, in a sense, a song studying one’s dating patterns. And that can make one lonely, our theme today, if he is not in a pattern of his own. In fact, he said of the song that the song to him is quite a lonely song in a lot of ways. From his latest album “Kiss All the Time. Disco Occasionally,” this is “American Girls” number 10 this morning, Harry Styles on MATT.
(triple) 10 AMERICAN GIRLS / Harry Styles
9 HOMEWRECKER / sombr
8 BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr
Part 3
Closing off a top 10 double play for him, number 8 in our countdown here on MATT: Shane Michael Boose, better known as sombr, from his album “I Barely Know Her” and his song “Back to Friends” on MATT. It is a song about the fact that the couple have given themselves completely to each other physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends, and that is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, judging from how often this happens among people, people often pursue a love relationship by pursuing it in a physical way too early, and that often leads to loneliness, our theme today.
Before him, him again, sombr, the beginning of a double play of top 10 songs for him, and his song new to our countdown, number 9 this morning, “Homewrecker.” It is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.” The love that he wants just may come to be, as the video shows, but before it happens, and especially if it doesn’t happen, he can expect to be lonely, our theme today.
The thought that we are working with today came from Lil Nas X and his song “That’s What I Want” which is the song on my website today with the theme “Everyone of us must feel that someone loves us or else we will be lonely. ” Let me take you to break with a thought about love, and there are literally hundreds of them on the internet quote books. Here’s one from the Mahatma Gandhi: “Love never claims; / it ever gives.” Giving to another is such an important element and a person who learns to give to another completely will seldom be lonely. In our next segment, we have in order of appearance: a great song from Foreigner, Adam Lambert, Raye, Morgan Wallen along with Tate McRae, and finally Christina Aguilera. I hope you don’t even think of touching that dial. It is set for the Mix and this is MATT.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
You are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show on today’s best music Mix 103.3 on the last Sunday of April, 2026. Welcome back to the songs that have been the most popular in this area during this week that ends today. We are giving you the top 10 of today and some of yesterday along with their meanings, and then we call our show MATT. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We have taken our theme from a song from Lil Nas X and his song “That’s What I Want .”
Since 1980, there have been 6 songs whose title contains both the words “What” and “Want”. We have played two of them; we will play the other four in our next set of music. This next one is 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 here, namely Foreigner employed a college choir group to help them with the refrain to the 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, as we said before, if we really understand love, we will hardly ever be lonely people. This is Foreigner, “I Want to Know What Love Is” on MATT.
(double) I WANT TO KNOW WHAT LOVE IS / Foreigner
WHATAYA WANT FROM ME / Adam Lambert
Part 5
An artist from the American Idol program. Not quite at the top, but a great singer to be sure, Adam Lambert, from his album named “For Your Entertainment”, and his song “Whataya Want From Me”, the number 2 song of meaning from the year of 2010. He sings: “There might have been a time I would give myself away, but now here we are. So whataya want from me. Just don’t give up: I’m workin’ it out. Please don’t give in, I won’t let you down. It’s plain to see that you’re beautiful and it’s nothing wrong with you. It’s me. But thanks for lovin’ me ‘cause you’re doing it perfectly.” So, the man in the relationship admits that the problem in the relationship is him, and he really doesn’t want her to give up. He has to make some changes, and he is saying it to her. The man in the relationship is seeking to control his desire of selfishness, a desire whose origin is often loneliness, our theme today.
Yet another triple play is in store for us right now, and it begins with our number 7 song from Taylor Swift. It is a familiar song to our current top 10—she entered the top 10 last October with the song. As we have said over the months it has been in the top 10, it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. In the story, Mr. Shakespeare has Ophelia drown herself after a rejection from Prince Hamlet and after her father’s death at the hands of Hamlet. So a tragic situation, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her and according to the people who should know about such things, as I have said, resembles the likes of her famous current boyfriend. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and if the feelings are true, they have certainly found the love they desire, and there is no loneliness, our theme today. It is the number 7 song from Taylor Swift and her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the song “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT.
(triple) 7 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
WHAT I WANT / Morgan Wallen & Tate McRae
WHAT A GIRL WANTS / Christina Aguilera
Part 6
From the year 2000, and the number 8 song of all the songs of meaning of that year, the sixth song whose title has both words of “want” and “what,” Christina Aguilera, and her song “What a Girl Wants” on MATT. “There was a time I was blind,” she sings, “I was so confused, I’d run away just to hide it all from you. But you knew me better than I knew myself. They say if you love something, let it go, and if it comes back, it’s yours, that’s how you know it’s for keeps, and you’re ready and willing to give me more than what a girl wants, what a girl needs. And I’m thanking you for giving it to me.” Her boyfriend in particular is what she wants, and he is there for her. I like that idea of “thanking” him, the thought of gratitude being very important in life and in love, and a pretty good remedy to loneliness, our theme today.
Before her, talking about having fun in life, Tate McRae singing with Morgan Wallen from Morgan Wallen’s album “I’m the Problem”, and their song “What I Want.” It is a song about fun without too much of a commitment. “She said ‘You don’t want this heart, boy, it’s already broke’” they sing, “told me everything she touch / just goes up in smoke, only stay a couple nights, then she’s gonna be gone. I said, ‘Baby, that’s what I want. And you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no trust issues with me. I got ‘em too; you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no exes that’s crazy, I got ‘em too. If you’re in a hurry, nah, you ain’t gonna hurt me tonight and it won’t be the worst thing if this is all it is and in the middle of a kiss.” The couple is only beginning their relationship and it sounds like they are being totally honest with each other, and almost like they expect there to be a breakup. And they are okay with that. Certainly a way not to get hurt, but it can easily lead to some type of loneliness, our theme today.
That is our theme today, and it came from Lil Nas X’s song “That’s What I Want.” As always, the songs of our show can take that theme and work with it—with a little bit of help. Songs always seem to say a lot if we are looking for the messages. We are exploring the idea of loneliness in each of the songs of our show today. Still to come on MATT during the beginning of our next hour together is music from Raye and Aerosmith among others. Let me take you to break with this thought about true love. It comes from one of the people responsible for the moral thinking of the founders of America, Francois de la Rochefoucauld: “True love is like ghosts, which everyone talks about / but few have seen.” Think about that! That’s a pretty negative statement, but unfortunately, it could be true! And the cause of a lot of loneliness in our world. There’s a challenge for seeking love for all of us. It is great to have you with us on 100,000 watts of power, Mix 103.3, and MATT.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
We are back for “Message at the Top” on today’s best music Mix 103.3. Thank you for giving a little of your Sunday to us, as we are well into the wonderful season of Spring in the Heartland and in the beautiful state of Kansas where our show originates and West Virginia where I am now. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through the second hour of our show this last Sunday of April Sunday morning. We urge you to keep enjoying the music but to listen to the message because that message may even help you a little just as it helps me.
We have played all of the songs on our playlist with both the words “want” and “what” as part of their titles. Let’s close off the extra songs of our show today with some songs that have the word “want” in their titles. There are far too many of them to play on our show today, so we will choose a couple that I especially like for one reason or another. That means that we will have to go to the 80’s, where some of my favorite songs reside. Let’s go to the year 1984, and one of the top songs of that year. It is one interesting song about a lady who only wants to dance, even though there is trouble all around her. He sings of that trouble: people picking up prisoners, rebels causing problems, Molotov cocktails, crazy people walking around with blood in their eyes, wild eyed pistol waivers, selling weapons, a civil war, and an unhappy clientele wanting to chase them from their island. In the midst of that trouble, all she wants to do is dance and make romance. I remember commenting on that song back in 1984, that dancing and making romance is a heck of a lot better than all of that fighting, but the truth is that we find time for both usually. Perhaps the lady is showing us what we really should want for our world—love over hatred. If we don’t manage to do that, we will end up lonely people, I believe. This is Don Henley from the album “Building the Perfect Beast,”, 1984, “All She Wants To Do Is Dance” on MATT.
(triple) ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS DANCE / Don Henley
I DON’T WANT TO MISS A THING/ Aerosmith
6 WHERE IS MY HUSBAND? / Raye
Part 8
A song about the desire for a partner in her life, or as she says in a traditional way, a husband, the lady who calls herself Raye, a British singer/songwriter whose real name is Rachel Agatha Keen from her album “This Music May Contain Hope,” and her song at number 6, “Where is My Husband” on MATT. It is a song that is a tongue-in-cheek desire to find where love is, the desire of a lady to find a person who truly loves her, a statement, I believe, of someone’s need for romantic love. “Where is my husband,” the lady sings, “Why is this beautiful man waiting for me to get old? Why he already testing my patience? I only fear he taking time with other women that ain’t me / while I’ve been reviewing applications. Wait til I get my hands on him. I’ma tell him off too for how long he kept me waiting, anticipating, praying to the Lord to give him to my loving arms. Help me, Lord. I need you to tell me.” In terms of our theme this week, searching for and finally finding that love is the hope of every relationship, and usually comes about because of some type of loneliness.
Before her, “The Bad Boys of Boston,” as they were called, or their real name Aerosmith and their song “I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing” from the soundtrack of the 90’s movie “Armageddon”, and a song of intense commitment, / that idea not uncommon to the songs we play here. They sing: “Don’t want to close my eyes; I don’t want to fall asleep ‘cause I’d miss you, and I don’t want to miss a thing, ‘cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do, I’d still miss you. And I don’t want to miss a thing.” Like I say, intense commitment. He is totally dedicated to her. And it must be that way if they are making a permanent commitment to each other. Of course, she must feel the same way, and in the movie, she does. Again, and we say this a couple of times today—if there is true love between the two, neither will be lonely, our theme today.
Let’s stay with our triple plays and continue our countdown at number 5 and a song of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any relationship, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication, and she gives the reason why—the relationship depends on it. There is no doubt that one of the remedies for loneliness is the ability to communicate well. This is the first song from her in the top 10 this morning, Olivia Dean, from the album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”, number 5 this week, former number 1, on MATT.
(triple) 5 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
I WANT A NEW DRUG/ Huey Lewis & the News
4 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
Part 9
From his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” that was Carlsbad, California-born Alexander Warren Hughes or simply Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”, number 4 on our countdown this week on MATT. It is a song about the opposite of its title. The title of it is “Ordinary” and it is about what is not ordinary. It is a song which 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. Our colors will fade eventually.” But he has a solution; he continues: “So, if our time is runnin’ out day after day, we’ll make the mundane our masterpiece.” Right there is a great description of how to make life a little better—try to make the mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces, and if we manage to do that, we will never be lonely. As I have mentioned, the song came into the top 10 on May 11 of last year and is still there after spending a record setting 19 weeks at number 1.
Before him, we heard from the 80’s again, Huey Lewis & the News was the group, from their “Sports” album, “I Want A New Drug” from 1984. They want a drug that did not make the person in the song sick, or make him crash the car, no pill, nothing that would cost too much, nothing that would keep him up all night, or sleepy during the day. What he needed was love, they sing. A drug that makes him feel good like when he’s with her. We all need to develop such a love, and when we have it, we will find very quickly that such a romantic love can control the situations of our lives. If we really have that kind of drug, it will give us the power we need to be truly loving people and will conquer any loneliness in our lives.
We are studying the top songs of this week ending today, April 26, 2026. And we have our last segment to go yet, when we’ll hear among other people, Olivia Dean again and Zedd. Taking us to break is this thought from Ms. Lilly Tomlin: “I personally think we developed language because of our deep need to complain.” Now, that is a unique perspective, and my guess is that complaining does not lead one to better times and often gives rise to dishonest conversation and may even cause us to be lonely. I’m Fr. Mike, and you’re listening to “Message at the Top” on the Mix. I hope you stay right there.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Every song has a message, and our belief is that the message can help us in one way or another. This is the MATT music network on today’s best music, Mix 103.3, your music station in Central Kansas. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to give you the final segment of our show, this last Sunday of April, 2026. It is great to have you with us once again as we are developing a theme that Lil Nas X gave us with his song “That’s What I Want,”and a theme of loneliness.
We have three more songs with the word “want” in their titles during this segment 10 presentation. The first one comes from the Calloway brothers, Reginald and Vincent, better known as Calloway who are more producers now than singers. In the song, perhaps they are speaking the mind of the majority of American people. People want to be rich. Why do we want to be rich? Calloway tells us the answer in their song: “For a little love, peace and happiness.” They speak the mind, as I say, of the majority of American people. The clear truth that may be unwritten in our society, but fundamental at the same time, is that we believe that wealth is an answer to the problem of achieving the good things in life. And the good things in life will enable us to have love, peace and happiness. It sounds like simple logic, but there is a catch to the whole thing. Rich people tend to concentrate on themselves and make it difficult for them to hear about the importance of others or giving to others. One of the secrets to inner peace is that we must grow out of such selfishness, and likewise one of the realities is that many of us do not do it, thus bringing about some loneliness in our lives. Another opinion of mine. / From 1994 this is the duo Calloway, and their song “I Wanna Be Rich” on MATT.
(triple) I WANNA BE RICH / Calloway
I WANT YOU TO KNOW / Zedd f/ Selena Gomez
ALL YOU WANTED / Michelle Branch
Part 11
What MATT called the number 6 song of meaning of 2002, from Michelle Branch and “All You Wanted” from her album “The Spirit Room”. “I wanted to be like you,” Michelle Branch began her song there. “I wanted everything, so I tried to be like you, and I got swept away. I didn’t know that it was so cold, and you needed someone to show you the way. So I took your hand and we figured out that when the tide comes, I’d take you away. If you want to, I can save you. I can take you away from here. So lonely inside, so busy out there, and all you wanted was somebody who cares.” She’s the person who cares for him, but what happens is very interesting. She starts sinking, she sings. She becomes exactly like him, mired in despair, and she reaches out her hand so he can hold on to her. It’s like both of them are going to end in despair. But she is trying to help him. Like I say, interesting. Tying it into our theme of loneliness, both of them are lonely, but if they succeed in carrying out their desire to help each other, they will probably overcome that loneliness.
Before her, we heard from Mr. Zedd or his real name Anton Zaslavski. He was born in Germany, the son of two musicians and grew up as a classical trained musician. He has grown to be an excellent producer of music. The song is sung by Selena Gomez. It is from Zedd’s album “True Colors”, and the name of the song “I Want You to Know” sung by Selena Gomez from 2014. “I want you to know that it’s our time,” she sings, “You and me bleed the same light. I want you to know that I’m all yours. You and me run the same course. I’m slippin down a chain reaction, and here I go. And once again I’m yours in fractions. It takes me down, pulls me down low. It’s raining tonight, but storms always have an eye. Tell me you’re covered tonight, or tell me lies. I want you to know that it’s our time. You and me we’re the same force, I want you to know that it’s our time.” So, a song of wanting the presence of another, and the lady’s reasoning why. For her, it is a way of overcoming the hurt in her life. And in general, experiencing love is a way to overcome the hurting in our lives, one of which is loneliness.
As usual, we close off with our top 3 songs as we speak. At number 3 is the Academy Award winning Best Song of the Year. It comes from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X, three talented Korean ladies and the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” As I have said with the song, it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, doing the right thing may unfortunatly make us lonely people, our theme today. This is Huntr/X from the soundtrack of the best animated feature of this year according to the Academy Awards, “KPop Demon Hunters” the name of it, and their song at number 3, former number 1, “Golden” on MATT.
(double) 3 GOLDEN / Huntr/ X
2 SO EASY / Olivia Dean
Part 12
The second song in the top 10 for her, Olivia Dean, also from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”, number 2 this morning on MATT. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, a person with this much love for another will not be lonely if things work out. But if they don’t, perhaps it will be the worse case scenario of loneliness.
And at number 1 for six weeks altogether is the song “I Just Might” from his album “The Romantic”, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez. It is a song of wanting another to show her love for him by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, if someone takes the time to learn to dance well, the person will not be lonely.
Today we have looked at that thought of loneliness. My prayer for you and for me is that we will understand that we can overcome any loneliness in our lives. I said that I would repeat the 12 ways to overcome loneliness from Ms. Michele Jordan. Here they are again, all great ways to overcome loneliness in our lives. “Be Kind to Yourself; Be Kind to Others; Plan Ahead; Adopt a Pet; Use Social Media Wisely; Rediscover a Hobby; Reconnect with Others; Find Your Why; Get Outside; Move Your Body; Seek Therapy; Learn to Cherish Alone Time.” And one we would add here after listening to our top 10—When You Fall in Love, Do it Completely. Good stuff there.
My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top,” who put the show together, to the staff here at Mix 103.3, and to our sponsors, my friends at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, Auto World in Hays, and Hays Car and Truck Alignment. If you have some song suggestions, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some great movies and a transcript of the show. Remember that you can join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 central daylight time by going to www.hayspost.com and choosing Mix 103.3. Let me close by quoting my dear friend Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous: “When I have a problem, I sing, then I realize that my voice is a lot worse than my problem.” No wonder I like to sing. Bruno Mars leads us out with his song “I Just Might”, and as you listen to it, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103.3, and among other things we remind you to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Stay safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars