KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays

DECEMBER 14, 2025

“TALK”

Part 1

Good morning Central KS and around the world; thank you for joining us this 14^th day of December, 2025, as we are right on top of the Christmas season. Welcome to “Message at the Top” for this Sunday. Get set for the top 10 songs of our area right now as determined by the research from your requests, people like Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish and get ready for some top 10 songs of the past as well including people like Morgan Wallen and David Guetta. And we will call to mind a number of birthdays this week. I am Fr. Mike and you have your dial set to Mix 103, number one in Central Kansas. Our number 1 song last week was from Taylor Swift and we’ll see if she stays there today.

What is the most important thing to learn before a person commits her or himself to another in marriage or some other permanent state? It seems to me to be an extremely important question, and one that every one of us must answer, whether we marry or not. What is the one thing that we must have in order to live well? A number of answers no doubt have been suggested, but as anyone who listens to this show will know, I believe there’s only one really necessary answer and that is “communication,” the ability to talk and not hold back when the other has a right to know how one feels.

That message comes out loud and clear in just about every show that we produce since we say that we should listen to the message of every song, and to be sure, in every show of 22 different songs, the idea of communication is one that will be part of at least one of the songs.

That is certainly true this week since our lead song is the latest one in our top 10, namely “Man I Need.” It is the statement of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any love relationship or any relationship really, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, baby, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication and she gives the reason why. Let’s make it our lead song today, and call our show simply “Talk.” This is British singer/songwriter Olivia Lauryn Dean or simply Olivia Dean from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need” number 6 this week on MATT. Listen to the words.

(double) 6 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean

LITTLE TALKS / Of Monsters and Men

Part 2

The group named Of Monsters and Men from their debut album “My Head is an Animal,” and their song from 2011, “Little Talks” on MATT. The group was formed in Iceland in 2010. “Hey”—a word used quite a lot in the song—“I don’t like walking around this old and empty house,” they sing, “so hold my hand, I’ll walk with you, my dear. Some days I can’t even trust myself; it’s killing me to see you this way ‘cause though the truth may vary, this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore. There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back: well, tell her that I miss our little talks. Soon it will be over and buried with our past. We used to play outside when we were young and full of life and full of love. Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear.” The meaning is a little complicated, but it sounds like the lady in the relationship is in need of help, and the man is trying to encourage her by encouraging her to talk, our theme today, and is no doubt jealous of those who could help her more.

Our first triple play will begin with the song that was our theme last week when we said that when we fall in love with someone who is a better person that we are, it is good for us. The man in the relationship was not a very good person before he met her. “Love was a game I played,” he begins his song, and he went off the deep end because of too much drinking, but then he met his girlfriend like an angel waiting. “I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes, like to pray to Jesus, spending Friday nights at home. Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind, deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold. You’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want. There’s a God and you’re proof in those brown eyes. I know that I got to find a better me for you.” And the presumption is that he changes for the better. In terms of our theme this week, in order to change for the better he had to have some good conversations with her and some good insights for himself. This is Max McNown from his album “Night Diving”, number 7 on our playlist and “Better Me For You” on MATT.

(triple) 7 BETTER ME FOR YOU / Max McNoun

BANG / AJR

HO HEY / The Lumineers

Part 3

Before them, we heard the song “Bang’ ’from the group AJR and the album “OK Orchestra.” It was on MATT’s top songs of 2021 at number 4. According to them, "We wrote 'BANG!' about the weird middle ground between being a kid and becoming an adult; a time when we're doing all the things adults are supposed to do, but we don't yet feel grown up. The fact is, adulthood is bound to hit us at some point, so the plan we made in the song is to 'go out with a bang.'" So, a song about the age just before adulthood. “I get up, I get down and I'm jumpin' around” they sing. “And the rumpus and ruckus are comfortable now. Been a heck of a ride but I'm thinkin' it's time to grow (bang! bang! bang!) So I got an apartment across from the park, put quinoa in my fridge, still I'm not feelin' grown. Been a heck of a ride but I'm thinkin' it's time to go (bang! bang! bang!) here we go!” I cleaned up the words a little. In terms of our theme, they are singing about being happy, but in an adolescent way, and the way to real happiness just might be the way of more mature thinking, and mature thinking demands better communication, our theme today.

Every song has a message, and that is what we are all about here on MATT—discovering the messages located in the songs. Our lead song came from newcomer Olivia Dean. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to stay with us. After a short break, we will continue our presentation of the top 10 of today and the 2000’s, and some 90’s and 80’s. Let me take you to break with a hopeful thought from Mother Teresa: “It’s not how much you give, but how much love you put into giving.” A pretty good guide for giving and a way to happiness. Your dial is set for interesting stuff, media-style—Mix 103 and you are listening to “Message at the Top”.

+++COMMERCIAL BREAK+++

Part 4

You are in tune with MATT, your top 10 show on the best mix of music around these parts, Mix 103. We call it MATT because we take the top 10 songs of our area, and study their messages in the hopes that our lives that are often so complicated because of our lifestyles, those lives can be better by using the messages of the songs that we play. I’m Fr. Mike, your host, and it is great to have you with us this second Sunday of the winter month of December, almost Christmas in the heartland. The theme that we are using today came from the latest song from Olivia Dean, that is “Man I Need” and the theme from it, namely, “Talk”.

Let’s begin this portion of our show with a double play, and let’s begin that double with our number 9 song on our playlist right now. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, if both were willing to talk things out, they might understand their predicament. Shane Michael Boose here, better known as sombr and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” number 9 in our playlist on MATT.

(double) 9 BACK TO FRIENDS / sombr

I’M GOOD / David Guetta and Bebe1 Rexha

Part 5

A song about good feelings from David Guetta for the first time today and Bebe Rexha there—“I’m Good (Blue)” from Bebe Rexha’s album “Bebe” from 2023. “I’m good,” they sing, “yeah, I’m feeling alright. I’ma have the best happy night of my life, and wherever it takes me, I’m down for the ride. Don’t you know, I’m good, yeah, feeling alright. I don’t need the finer things in life. No matter where I go, it’s a good time. I don’t need to sit in VIP; middle of the floor—that’s where I’ll be. Don’t got a lot, but that’s enough for me ‘cause I,m feeling alright.” I cleaned up the words a little. In terms of our theme, we may be able to have good feelings without a lot of communication, but those feelings will not last long. Usually good feelings are enhanced by good communication.

Another triple play is all ready on these fancy computers and let’s begin it with a song on our playlist at number 4. It 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 line which we have quoted with the song. In terms of our theme this week, if they achieve that outcome, they will have done some very sincere communication. It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” from Alex Warren and his song “Ordinary”, number 4 on MATT. Good song.

(triple) 4 ORDINARY / Alex Warren

JEALOUS / Nick Jonas

LAST NIGHT / Morgan Wallen

Part 6

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, the only way the relationship can be healed is through words sincerely spoken again.

Before him, we heard from Nick Jonas and his song “Jealousy” from his album named after him. It is obviously about jealousy, and the man of the relationship is quite jealous of all kinds of people. “I don’t like the way he’s looking at you,” he begins his song, “I’m starting to think you want him too. Am I crazy, have I lost ya? Even though I know you love me, can’t help it. Turn my cheer music up, and I’m puffing my chest; I’m getting red in the face. You can call me obsessed. It’s not your fault that they hover. I mean no disrespect. It’s my right to be hellish. I still get jealous ‘cause you’re too sexy, beautiful, and everybody wants a taste. That’s why I still get jealous.” The person is jealous and he will have to work with that a little more as he works on his relationship. In the end, he will have to take the time to spend a lot of communication concerning his jealousy, communication being our theme today.

Our show is full of good advice from these top 10 songs, and great messages from those songs, even if we have to stretch the meanings of the songs a little bit. The title of MATT today is simply “Talk.” Newcomer Olivia Dean gave us the thought. Our next 30 minutes of music and message will explore that theme with songs from David Guetta and friends, Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift again along with the band Panic! At the Disco, and Sia. Here is a quote about age from Mr. Mark Twain: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” I can understand that. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top”. Don’t even think about touching that dial!

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

We are back, and as that fine announcer just said, we are MATT on Mix 103, as we celebrate the second Sunday of December together. I hope it is a good one for you. This is “Message at the Top”. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to lead you through another 30 minutes of music and message today. All of our songs this morning are working on a theme which takes the songs’ meanings, and ties them into the thought of the importance of communication.

And let’s begin our second hour together with a triple play and begin that triple play with our number 5 song on our playlist right now. It is new to the top 10 coming from three top artists. One of the people who write about these songs says that the song itself explores the intensity and volatility of a passionate relationship. “We were fire,” they sing, “impossible to tame like oil in the ocean, no wqy to put out the flame. We were just runnin, eyes closed in the dark, headed for a wall, full speeed, oh, it’s about to leave a mark. I only want you when you’re gone, playing like we’re done. I love your game, drive me insane.” That is, the feelings of an intense relationship are not easy to study or understand because they are too mixed up. In terms of our theme, to be able to talk through the feelings is literally the only way that we can be sure of what the feelings of a relationship are. The three artists are David Guetta, Teddy Swims and Tones and I, debuting at number 5 on our playlist, and our theme next week, “Gone, Gone, Gone” on MATT.

(triple) 5 GONE, GONE, GONE / David Guetta

SORRY / Justin Bieber

8 DAISIES / Justin Bieber

Part 8

Closing off a double play from him, a song that speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again from his latest album “Swag”, number 8 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment, and important words said in the process, our theme today.

Before him, him again, from his album “Purpose”, Mr. Justin Bieber and his song “Sorry” from 2015. One of the ways that will actually help our happiness is to be sorry as expressed in the song. It is a song asking for forgiveness. “You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty” he sings. “You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies. I hope I don't run out of time. Could someone call the referee ‘cause I just need one more shot at forgiveness. I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice. And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple a hundred times. So let me redeem myself tonight. ‘Cause I just need one more shot at second chances. Is it too late now to say sorry? Yeah I know that I let you down.” As I said, when it comes to being personally happy, one of the ways is to always think of the possibility that we should be asking for forgiveness. We can say that it is something we all should do. Unfortunately, too often such a situation turns to revenge, and people get hurt. In terms of our theme today, we have to learn to communicate well in order to express our sorrow for whatever.

We stay in our top 10 now and begin another triple play, and another song new to the top 10 on our playlist. It is from Taylor Swift and perhaps her own explanation is necessary first. She says that she has always loved opals. Opal is also Travis Kelce’s birthstone, Travis being Taylor’s fiance. Swift took inspiration from the facts connected with opals, saying that opalite is a metaphor for the idea that happiness can be created voluntarily. Opal is also believed to symbolically represent hope, healing and positive energy. She described the song as a song about forgiving yourself for having gone through something that didn’t pan out the way you wanted it to and giving yourself peermission to have it all figured out or not marry the first person you ever dated. So she sings: “Life is a song, it ends when it ends; I was wrong, but alright, you were dancing though the lightning strikes, but now the sky is opalite.” Tough to understand, but ultimately it means that things will work out eventually. In terms of our theme, things will work out if they are willing to talk things out. This is Ms. Taylor Swift again, two in the top 10—popular lady—a song of hope, from her number 1 album right now, “The Life of a Showgirl,” number 10 on our charts, “Opalite” on MATT.

(triple) 10 OPALITE / Taylor Swift

HIGH HOPES / Panic! At the Disco XXXXXX

CHEAP THRILLS / Sia bd

Part 9

We have four birthdays that we want to acknowledge today, and she is one of them--Australian singer/songwriter Sia from her album “This is Acting” from 2016 and her song “Cheap Thrills” on MATT. Sia is Sia Kate Isebelle Furler, and the song is one of song of having fun by dancing on a weekend. “Turn the radio on,” she sings, “It’s Friday night and I won’t be long. Gotta do my hair, I put my make-up on. I won’t be long till I hit the dance floor. I got all I need. No, I ain’t got no cash. I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight. I love cheap thrills. I don’t need no money as long as I keep dancing.” So a dance song of happiness. Tying it into our theme, dancing is one of the fun activities that can accompany couples as they are growing in love, but sometimes it can be used to hide some problems which could cause breakups because they get into dancing rather than talking.

Before her, we heard from the song that is on my website www.frmikescully.com for today, December 14. It was a former number 1 for a long time, and a great song, the band Panic! At the Disco with leader Brendon Urie and their song “High Hopes” and excellent advice. “Had to have high hopes for living,” they sing, “shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing. Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision, always had high hopes. Mama said, fulfill the prophecy, be something greater, go make a legacy, rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams.” Smart Mama, one who knows something about good communication, our theme today, since she is telling her son exactly what he should be pursuing.

That is our thought today as we ask our songs what they have to say about “communication.” Get ready for a final segment that will give you songs from our top 10 that we haven’t played yet, that is numbers 3, 2 and 1. We also have music from songs of three more birthday people. Before we get there, here is an inspiring thought from American evangelist Billy Sunday who died in 1935: “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” You bet. My name is Fr. Mike; this show is MATT; this station is Mix 103, and we’ll be right back!

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

Welcome back to the show that gives you the top 10 of today and yesterday along with their messages. We call it MATT. I’m your host, Fr. Mike, and we have taken off from an idea of Olivia Dean and we’re talking about talking. It’s great to have you with us as we are celebrating the second Sunday of the cold month of December together, almost Christmas. Happy shopping, everyone!

As promised, let’s remember three more birthday people this week. First, we remember Christina Aguilera who will be 45 on Thursday of this week. Remembering her, let’s play her song “Beautiful.” “Everyday is so wonderful, then suddenly, it’s hard to breathe,” she sings. “Now and then I get insecure, from all the pain, I’m so ashamed. I am beautiful no matter what they say. Words can’t bring me down. I am beautiful in every single way. Yes, words can’t bring me down, so don’t you bring me down today.” The problem is that words can bring us down, and often do. I think that this is a high song of meaning because it implies that words should not bring us down, and indeed they should not—because we are all beautiful in our own way as we think of good communication this morning. And if we really believe that—and we should—then our lives will be stronger and better. It is a great song of meaning from 2003, and her song “Beautiful”, her being Christina Aguilera from her album “Stripped” on MATT.

(triple) BEAUTIFUL / Christina Aguilera bd

WHAT WAS I MADE FOR / Billie Eilish bd

THE TIME OF MY LIFE / David Cook bd

Part 11

David Cook, American Idol number 7, has a birthday this Saturday when he will be 43 years old and we just heard his song “The Time of My Life” from 2008. He is a singer/songwriter who was raised in Blue Springs, Kansas City, Missouri from his album named after him on MATT. He sings: "I've been waiting for my dreams to turn into something I could believe in and looking for that magic rainbow on the horizon. Now, I’m coming alive, body and soul, and feeling my world start to turn. And I’ll taste every moment and live it out loud. I know this is the time, this is the time to be more than a name or a face in the crowd. I know this is the time of my life." And what has brought about this feeling? As he expresses it, it is a conversion experience: "I couldn’t see until I let go, gave into love and watched all the bitterness burn." For the person in the song, the idea of giving into love was the beginning of his happiness. And you can bet that as he came into the idea of giving love, words, our theme today, played a significant part.

Before him, we celebrated another birthday person—Billie Eilish who will be 24 years old on Thursday, and a great song from her--the Record of the Year from the Grammys of 2023 from the soundtrack of the movie “Barbie”, “What Was I Made For” 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.” 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. In terms of our theme, our communication will play a major role accomplising that end.

Let’s move to our top 3 right now. At number 3, a song about the feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, and it may cause a breakup. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out because they seem to be able to talk, our theme today. It is from Ed Sheeran’s album “Play,” his song “Camera” at number 3 this morning on MATT.

(double) 3 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran

2 GOLDEN / Huntr/X

Part 12

The song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X, number 2 on MATT. It is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and in terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, we will certainly talk about it, our theme today.

And our number 1 song for six weeks in a row is from Taylor Swift again and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and his 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 little tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover who is a literal resurrection 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.” In terms of our theme this week, it is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other, and both will be willing to talk to one another about it, our theme today.

We have talked of that today—how important is communication. And some pretty good insights from the songs that we have played beginning with our lead song from Olivia Dean and her number 6 song “Man, I Never.” Let’s close with this segment from one of my favorite authors, Mr. Will Rogers: “Never miss a good chance to shut up.” And the person who learns that will be able to learn more about one’s own personal happiness. You bet. My thanks to our producers and our sponsors, in particular Holy Family Elementary School, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, and TMP-Marian High School in Hays. If you want to contact me by mail, I hope you do so at KJLS-FM, Hays, America, 67601 or my e-mail address here at the station is frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com. where you will find meditations on the Gospels, these songs and movies. Our meditation today is on the song “High Hopes” which we heard earlier on the show. As you listen to the number 1 song in our country and area right now from Taylor Swift and her song “The Fate of Ophelia,” may I remind you to hold a good thought. Thank you for the privilege of your time today. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. From the beautiful downtown Lawrence KS, my wish to you is to be safe; peace to you, and be good.

1 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift

December 7, 2025

“Making a Better Me”

Part 1

Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top” your top 10 show on Mix 103. This is the show that gives you the messages of the top 10 of today and yesterday, and, surprisingly enough, the songs often enable us to see exactly what can help our lives be a bit better than they are already. I’m your host, Fr. Mike; thanks for being part of our show this morning. We have the top 10 music of today and some from the past 45 years all warmed up on our computers. Some of those songs include music from Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake 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 brains and actually guide us to better living.

I work with the show for many reasons, and one of them, as we say often enough, is to improve our lives, to help us learn a little more about who we are and how we think. It involes studying our behavior and in general, making ourselves a better person or making ourselves a better me, in terms of our theme song today.

The song at number 9 is new to our playlist and basically says that if we fall in love with someone who is a better person that we are, it is good for us. The man in the relationship was not a very good person before he met her. “Love was a game I played,” he begins his song, and he went off the deep end because of too much drinking, but then he met his girlfriend like an angel waiting. “I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes, like to pray to Jesus, spending Friday nights at home. Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind, deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold. You’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want. There’s a God and you’re proof in those brown eyes. I know that I got to find a better me for you.” And the presumption is that he changes for the better.

That’s a pretty good theme to work with as we spend some time thinking about thanking others and celebrating life at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Basically, we all can make ourselves a better me as by serious thinking or even not so serious thinking by using the popular songs of our world to teach us something.

Such will be our intent as we work with the songs of our show this morning. “How can we make ourselves a better me?” will be our guiding question. It comes from a good song to think about. This is Max McNown from his album “Night Diving”, number 9 on our playlist and “Better Me For You” on MATT.

(double) 9 BETTER ME FOR YOU / Max McNown

A LOT MORE FREE / Max McNown

Part 2

Double Max McNown there, newcomer Oregon born Max McNown and his song from his album “Wandering” and his song “A Lot More Free” on MATT. It is a song that is almost thankful for the pain of leaving someone because it makes him more free. “Leaves start falling, my cold wind blows,” he begins his song, “Birds start singin’ when the spring rolls ‘round, flowers blooming through the thawing ground. When you love somebody and the love grows cold, the sun starts shining when you let it all go. There’s a certain kind of hurting only time can heal. I’m a little bit hurt but a lot more free. I ain’t saying that you never took a toll on me. For what it’s worth, I can finally see that I’m a little bit hurt but a lot more free.” It is exactly what our theme is all about: take the negatives and make them a positive as you become more aware of what life is doing to us. No matter what happens we can make ourselves a better me by allowing whatever happens to make us better. He called the song a song that shaped his future and you can easily see why.

The song at number 4 on our playlist this week 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 line which we have quoted with the song. In terms of our theme this week, if the couple really work at making the mundane a masterpiece, they will always become a better “me” in the process, our theme today. It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)” from Alex Warren and his song “Ordinary”, number 4 on MATT. Good song.

(triple) 4 ORDINARY / Alex Warren

BETTER DAYS / Goo Goo Dolls

CLOSE TO ME / Ellie Goulding f/ Diplo

Part 3

From 2019, Ellie Goulding, Diplo and Swae Lee, and their song “Close to Me” on MATT. It is a song of really wanting someone special to be close to someone, and not accepting anyone else. “We know that we’ll be alright,” they sing, “So don’t let me down, keep me in trouble, born to be wild out in the jungle, And I don’t want to be somebody without your body close to me, and if it wasn’t you, I wouldn’t want anybody close to me. ‘Cause I’m an animal, an animal like you.” When it comes to making a better me, our theme today, we need close friendships, friends who will says thinsg that we need to hear to make us better people. Having the word “better” in our lead song today inspired me to look at our playlist and discover some other songs with the word “better” in their titles, and so we have a number of them on our show today. One of them we heard before Ellie Goulding’s song and it is from the Goo Goo Dolls and their 10+ category song “Better Days” from their album “Let Love In.” It can be considered to be a Christmas song, actually. They sing: “And you ask me what I want this year?” Their answer: “Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days 'cause I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings, and desire and love empty things. So take these words and sing out loud ‘cause everyone is forgiven now, 'cause tonight’s the night the world begins again.” They go on to say what will happen as the world begins again—it will be a world of faith and trust and peace and concern for children, suggesting that we stop and say a prayer for them. They sing that one poor child has saved this world, and that if everyone was loved, somehow we would stop all fighting. In terms of our theme today, how about this thought: if we want to make ourselves a better me, every one of us should learn some child-like qualities of living well. Good song.

Which brings us to our first break this December Sunday morning. We have taken the theme of making ourselves a better “me” during our show this morning. We will continue to pursue it in just a couple of minutes with music from in order of appearance, a better song from Leona Lewis, Sombr, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, a better song from the group Collective Soul and finally Huey Lewis and the News. First, a thought from G. C. Lichtenberg, a scientist that lived in the 1700’s: “Nothing contributes more to a person's peace of mind / than having no opinions at all.” Now, I don’t know whether we can do it, but it might help us be better me’s. I’m Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top”, this radio station is today’s best music Mix 103, and we’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

We are back for “Message at the Top” and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of today and yesterday as determined by our research and your requests. We call our show MATT because we take those top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the top 10 show of today’s best music Mix 103, and we are pursuing a theme from Max McNoun’s song “Better Me for You,” and we are studying songs in light of making each of us a better “me.”

As promised, let’s begin with a “better” song from Leona Lewis. The lady in her song is in pain, but she is mature enough to know that she must work her way through it, as she says, she's going to smile and live her life as it should be. She knows that all she has to do is to allow time to do some healing, and then things will be better. It is excellent advice, and exactly the way we should work with pain in our lives. She sings: "It’s been the longest winter without you. I didn’t know where to turn to. Somehow I can’t forget you after all we’ve been through. Thought I couldn’t live without you. It’s gonna hurt when it heals too. It’ll all get better in time, and even though I really love you, I’m gonna smile ‘cause I deserve to. It’ll all get better in time." The pain is there, but she has given up the relationship, and has decided to move on. "Since there’s no more you and me," she sings, "it’s time I let you go so I can be free, and live my life how it should be." It was painful, but she knows that she can put up with the pain and will be a better “me” because of it. This is British performer Leona Lewis from London, England, from her album “Spirit”, “Better in Time”, from the year 2009 on MATT. Listen to the words.

(double) BETTER IN TIME / Leona Lewis

6 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr

Part 5

Shane Michael Boose there, better known as Sombr on MATT and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” number 6 in our countdown. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, remembering that our actions should follow our words, it will make us a better “me” if we allow that to happen.

Yet another triple play is up for us next, and it begins with a song from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars and should be familiar to all of our listeners since it has been on our playlist for over a year. It is a song about a true commitment to another: “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment and at the same time become a better “me” for each other, our theme today. This is “Die With a Smile”, Lady Gaga, sung together with Bruno Mars at number 8 this week on MATT.

(triple) 8 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

BETTER NOW / Collective Soul

I WANNA NEW DRUG / Huey Lewis & the News

Part 6

One of my favorite 80’s bands, Huey Lewis & the News, 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 wqould 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 help control the situations of our lives, and we will be a better “me” as a result, our theme today.

Before them, we heard one of our “better” songs from the songs of meaning of 2005, and a very high category song of meaning from their album “Youth”, Collective Soul and their song “Better Now”. They are still on the music scene. “Oh, I’m newly calibrated,” they began their song, “all shiny and clean, I’m your recent adaptation, time to redefine me. Let the word out: I’ve got to get out, oh, I’m feeling better now. Break the news out, I’ve got to get out, Oh, I’m feeling better now. The world’s done shaking me down.” A girlfriend has come into the person in the song’s life, and has redefined the way that he should act. He has to get out of his selfishness and the way the world was shaking him down, and as he chooses to go that route, he’s feeling better. One of the things that we should accomplish in life should be to be to get out of the selfishness in our lives and to perhaps re-define the way we’re thinking. Tying it into our theme today, if we manage to get out of our selfishness, there is no doubt that we will be a better “me”.

Important things as usual are being said here as a result of the theme of our show today which is working on life to make us better. We will continue with that thought generated by a song from Max McNoun in just a few moments. Before we go to break, let me give you this thought from the wisdom of Japanese culture: “In baiting a mousetrap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse”. That is, always remember what you are supposed to be doing. If you don’t, you’ll discover no beauty in your invention and besides that it won’t work very well. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103. Why not stay right where you are as you enjoy your December Sunday morning with us. We’ll be right back.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

Your dial is set to Mix 103, today’s best music in Central Kansas, 100,000 watts of sheer power. My name is Fr. Mike, and the show you have on that station right now is MATT, a show that takes the top 10 of today and yesterday, and not only plays the songs, but studies their meanings in the hopes that we can all be just a little bit better than we are right now. Our motto and guiding thought during this show is to enjoy the music, and to listen to the message and let it inspire us. This morning, we are following the lead of a song from Max McNoun and his song “Better Me for You.” The song is leading us to think about ways to find a better “me” in life.

Let’s see how this triple fits into that theme as we begin with our number 10 song right now. It is a song concerning a necessary virtue to develop for a good life, namely, self-confidence, and the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but as I have mentioned with the song, being over-confident could be the end result and in the end, cause a breakup, which obviously could destroy the permanent commitment. Be that as it may, one of the virtues that will make us a better “me” is being self-confident about what we are doing in life. This is number 10, from his album “American Heart” and and his song “Mystical Magical”, Benson Boone on MATT.

(triple) 10 MYSTICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone

BETTER THAN ME / Hinder

7 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran

Part 8

A song about the feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song. It is from Ed Sheeran’s album “Play,” his song “Camera” at number 7 this morning on MATT. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, and it may cause a breakup. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out and be able to both become a better “me” in the process, our theme today.

Before him, we heard another one of our “better” songs from the band Hinder. It is from the year of 2007 from their album “Extreme Behavior,” the American rock group Hinder who were formed in 2001 in Oklahoma and their song “Better Than Me”. The person in their song has very poor self-esteem. In fact, he has in effect given up on himself, and tells the woman in `the relationship that she can do much better than staying with him. “I think you can do much better than me;” the man in the relationship begins the song*. But I remember what it feels like beside you; I really miss your hair in my face, and the way your innocence tastes, and I think you should know this: you deserve much better than me.” As I say, his self-esteem is very low. As we think of the subject of making a better “me”, everything that we do should have that as an end in my humble opinion, and therefore he must change some ways of thinking to be who he should be.

Our next triple play begins with our current number 5 song which happens to be new to our top 10. It is the statement of what I call the virtue which is most needed in any love relationship or any relatioinship really, namely, communication. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, baby, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication and she gives the reason why. In order to be the “me” that I want, I have to let others know, our theme today. This is British singer/songwriter Olivia Lauryn Dean or simply Olivia Dean from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need” number 5 this week on MATT. Listen to the words.

(triple) 5 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean

I LIKE ME BETTER / Lauv

CAN’T STOP THE FEELING / Justin Timberlake

Part 9

The song featured on the website www.frmikescully.com for today, Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling.” on MATT. It came from 2016 from the album “Trolls Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.” It is a song about good feelings. “I got this feeling inside my bones,” he sings; “It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on. All through my city, all through my home, we're flying up, no ceiling, when we are in our zone. I got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good song in my feet. I can't take my eyes off it, moving so phenomenally. You gonna like the way we rock it, so don't stop. I can't stop the feeling, so just dance.” So, a song about good feelings and in particular dancing. Feeling good is something that we’re supposed to do no matter what the situations we get in, but sometimes it’s not so easy. But there is little doubt that a person can become a better person, a better “me”, our theme today, if they always try to have “good feelings.”

Before him, another “better” song from An Stapran Leff, better known as Lauv. It is a statement of permanent love, with a great video that shows that the young love was indeed permanent. It is from his debut album “I Met You When I Was 18”, and the song “I Like Me Better” from 2019. “To be young and in love in New York City,” he sings, “To not know who I am but still know that I’m good long as you’re here with me. I like me better when I’m with you. I knew from the first time, I’d stay for a long time. I don’t know what it is but I got that feeling waking up in this bed next to you, swear the room it got no ceiling. If we lay, let the day just pass us by. I like me better when I’m with you. Stay here with me.” It is a song that extols the thought of our lead song this morning from Max McNoun. He is better in life and love simply because his fiancee is around him. He is better because of it. As I said before, a great compliment.

We will continue to look at the remainder of the top 10 of this week along with some extras in just a few moments. Let me take you to break with a quote about having fun from Kahlil Gibran: “If you cannot work with fun but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work.” Think about that, but before you leave, you might want to spend some time in deep thought. I’m Fr. Mike, this show is “Message at the Top” and your dial is set at Mix 103.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

We are back for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 and we do welcome you back to the top 10 songs of today and yesterday as determined by our research and your requests. We call our show MATT because we take those top 10 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world—and it IS complicated these days. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show that gives you the meanings of the songs that we play here on today’s best music, Mix 103, and we are pursuing a theme from Max McNoun and his song “Better Me For You.”

We have spent a lot of time with the word “Better” this morning, and let’s finish off that time with three more “better” songs beginning with one of my favorites from the band U2. Their song is “Better Than The Real Thing”. U2 is a group from Dublin, Ireland that began back in 1976 who often give social commentaries in song and otherwise. In this song, they sing: “You’re honey to a swarm of bees, give me one last chance to ride on the waves that you bring. You’re the real thing, even better than the real thing.” The song is a statement of sorrow for something that the person in the song has done in the past. He’s willing to make up for it now, and so, he is showering her with compliments. My thought is that he must do more than offer compliments if he wants to make both of them better people, our theme today. From their album “Achtung Baby”, 1992, “Even Better Than the Real Thing” U2, on MATT.

(triple) EVEN BETTER THAN THE REAL THING / U2

TREAT YOU BETTER / Shawn Mendes

JUST FEEL BETTER / Santana f/ Steven Tyler

Part 11

78 year old Carlos Santana’s band there from their album “All That I Am”, and their song “Just Feel Better”, and it featured the artistry of Steven Tyler of the group Aerosmith from 2005. We heard him sing, “Part of me says let it go, life happens for a reason. I’m gonna try anything to just feel better, tell me what to do. You know that I can’t see through the haze around me, and I would do anything to just feel better. And I can’t find my way. Girl, I need a change.” From the song, you can’t tell whether he makes that change, but as we think about the idea of making ourselves better people, our theme today, part of it is realizing that others can make us better in the way we behave.

Before them, we heard a song of meaning that is a very interesting song that shows some domestic violence in the video, and at the end of the video, the domestic violence hotline is listed. It came from Shawn Mendes, an 18 year old—at that time, he’s 27 now—Canadian singer/songwriter and the song from his album “Illuminate”, “Treat You Better” from 2016. It is the story of a young man who knows that the girlfriend that he would like / is dating someone else, but that someone else is not treating her correctly. The video points out the problem very well. He sings that he knows the other guy is not right for her, and he senses that she knows it also. “I know I can treat you better than he can,” he sings, “And any girl like you deserves a gentleman.” He asks her why she’s spending time with him, and begs her to come over to him. In fact, he sings, “I’ll stop time for you the second you say you’d like me to; I promise I’ll never let you down.” If we want to be a better “me”, our theme today, we have to listen to other people who are truly interested in us.

As usual now, we close our show with the top 3 songs on our playlist right now, and we begin with number 3 from Justin Bieber. The song speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment, and those days will make both of them a better “me” in the process, our theme today. From his latest album “Swag”, number 3 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT.

(double) 3 DAISES / Justin Bieber

2 GOLDEN / Huntr/X

Part 12

The song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X, number 2 on MATT. It is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and that is an appropriate thought for us as we celebrate positive thoughts on our show. In terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, and we work at it, in the end we will become a better “me”, our theme today.

And our number 1 song for five weeks in a row is from Taylor Swift and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and his 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 little tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover who is a literal resurrection 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.” In terms of our theme this week, it is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other.

Today we have spoken of how to make ourselves better than we are, that is, making us a better “me.” We took the idea from Max McNoun’s latest song “Better Me For You.” My prayer for you and me is that we will always find ways to better ourselves. If you would like to get a hold of me, my e-mail address is: frmikescully@yahoo.com or the address at the radio station: KJLS-FM, Hays, America, KS 67601. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of this show and lots of meditations on music and movies. The meditation today as I mentioned is on Justin Timberlake’s song “Can’t Stop the Feeling”. My thanks to the producers of our show and to our sponsors, especially, Thomas More Prep-Marian High School in Hays, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, and Holy Family Elementary School in Hays. My closing thought for you comes from the Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps the very best advice that you will ever hear about revenge: “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” No wonder they called him Mahatma, meaning the Great. Thank you for your time today. As you listen to the number 1 song in our land, “The Fate of Ophelia” from Taylor Swift, may I remind you, as I always do to think good thoughts. From beautiful downtown Lawrence KS, decorated for Christmas, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe. peace to you, and be good!

November 30, 2025

Like You’re Supposed To Do

Part 1

Good morning Central Kansas and around the world! Thank you for joining us this last Sunday and last day of the beautiful Fall month of November as we are into the shopping days for the birthday of Jesus. Welcome to MATT. Get set for the top 10 songs of our area right now as determined by the research from your requests, as well as the research of Mediabase 24-7 for the reporting date of this last day of November 2025 and get ready for some top 10 songs of the past as well. I am Fr. Mike, and you have your dial set to today’s best music Mix 103, the number one popular music station in Central Kansas. You spend time with us every Sunday morning, and you not only will know the top 10, but you will know their meanings as well. And with a little bit of help, those meanings will help shape our lives to be a little better than they are already. This morning we have songs by some really good artists like Adele, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift and many more.

Sabrina Carpenter’s latest song comes from her album “Man’s Best Friend,” and named “Tears” at number 8 on our playlist today. It is a rather explicit statement of how the lady in the relationship feels when she is treated well. “I get wet at the thought of you,” she sings, “being a responsible guy, treating me like you’re supposed to do, tears run down my thighs. A little initiative can go a very long, long way; Just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you want. A little communication, yes, that’s my ideal foreplay, a little respect for women can get you very, very far, remembering how to use your phone gets me.” So, she wants the interaction, and the way to prepare for it is communication. That is something worth remembering, and if the couple has learned that, their relationship will be a good one.

But I am interested in why she feels so well. She says she feels the way she does because he does what he is supposed to do. What are we supposed to do? That’s a pretty good question to ask ourselves, and if we ask it the right way and answer it likewise, the right way, the chances are that our lives will improve.

So, let’s address that question today on our show—what are we supposed to do as we pursue a good life? To start us off, as we pursue a love life, we are supposed to treat the other as they want to be treated. This is Sabrina Annlynn Carpenter``````` that thought coming from her song “Tears”, number 8 on MATT.

(double) 8 TEARS / Sabrina Carpenter

Taste / Sabrina Carpenter

Part 2

Double Sabrina Carpenter as we begin our show this Sunday morning, that last one, her song “Taste” from her album “Short ‘n Sweet” on MATT. It has quite a video which I would not recommend for the faint-hearted. It is the story of an ex girlfriend and the present girlfriend, and it is one of strong jealousy. “Now I'm gone, but you're still layin' next to me, one degree of separation. I heard you're back together and if that's true, You'll just have to taste me when he's kissin' you. If you want forever, and I bet you do, Just know you'll taste me too. He's funny now, all his jokes hit different. Guess who he learned that from?” In her explanation of the song, she speaks of the unfortunate events of relationships, and there is no doubt that hanging on to past relationships and then having a difficult time with the person that takes one’s place in the relationship is quite a challenge. What we are supposed to do, our theme today, is to learn to break up well because more often than not, there will be break ups as we develop love situations. Tough song.

Our first triple play right now begins with a song after a breakup again. She- sings, “There ain’t no gold in this river that I’ve been washing my hands in forever. I know there is hope in these waters, but I can’t bring myself to swim. When I am drowning in this silence, let me in. Go easy on me, I was still a child, didn’t get the chance to feel the world around me. I had no time to choose what I chose to do, so, go easy on me. There ain’t no room for things to change when we are both so deeply stuck in our ways. You can’t deny how hard I have tried. I changed who I was to put you first, but now I give up, go easy on me.” It is an excellent song for anyone who is thinking of marriage because it shows how difficult marriage can be if we have not given ourselves completely to each other. Marriage is only for the very mature, and in terms of our theme, what we are supposed to do is prepare for it well. This is the beautiful voice of Adele Laurie Blue Adkins or simply Adele, from her album “30”, a song inspired according to her by her divorce, “Easy on Me,” from 2022 on MATT. (triple) EASY ON ME / Adele

CAN’T STOP THE FEELING / Justin Timberlake

5 MYSICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone

Part 3

Number 5, from his album “American Heart” and and his song “Mystical Magical”, Benson Boone on MATT. It is a song concerning a necessary virtue to develop for a good life, namely, self-confidence. It is the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but as I have mentioned with the song, being over-confident could be the end result and in the end, cause a breakup, which obviously could destroy the permanent commitment. Be that as it may, one of the virtues we are supposed to develop in order to live well is self-confidence.

Before him, we heard from Justin Timberlake from 2016 and his song ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling” from the album “Trolls Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.” It is a song about good feelings. “I got this feeling inside my bones,” he sings; “It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on. All through my city, all through my home, we're flying up, no ceiling, when we are in our zone. I got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good song in my feet. I can't take my eyes off it, moving so phenomenally. You gonna like the way we rock it, so don't stop. I can't stop the feeling, so just dance.” So, a song about good feelings and in particular dancing. Feeling good is something that we’re supposed to do no matter what the situations we get in, but sometimes it’s not so easy.

Every song has a message and that is what we are all about here on MATT--discovering the messages located in the songs, and with our theme today, “What are we supposed to do?”. Our lead song came from Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Tears”. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to stay with us. After a short break, we will continue to learn from the songs of our show. We need these breaks so that we can thank our sponsors from time to time. Let me take you to that break with a thought from my quote book, and it is marked anonymous: “It is just as easy to expect the best as to look for the worst.” That is pretty good and if we really understand it, we will do what we are supposed to do, that is try to live as well as we can. Your dial is set for learning, media-style by popular music—Mix 103 and you are listening to “Message at the Top”.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

You, my friends, are in tune with MATT, your top 10 show of the best mix of music around these parts, Mix 103. We call our show MATT because we take the top 10 songs of our area, and study their messages in the hopes that our lives that are often so complicated because of our lifestyles, those lives can be better by using the messages of the songs that we play. I’m Fr. Mike, your host, and it is great to have you with us this last Sunday and last day of November. The theme that we are using today came from the song “Tears” from Sabrina Carpenter and the theme we are using is the thought of “trying to find what we are supposed to do in the situations we are in.”

Let’s go to a double play right now, and begin it with a song about the feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song. “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, and it may cause a breakup. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out and be able to celebrate what should be, our theme today, namely their permanent commitment. This is from his album “Play,” his song “Camera”, him being Ed Sheeran at number 9 this morning on MATT..

(double) 9 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran

How Do I Say Goodbye / Dean Lewis

Part 5

Dean Lewis Grant Loaney better known simply as Dean Lewis on MATT. 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, and something that we really are supposed to do. The video is well done, by the way.

Yet another triple play is all set up on these computers right now, and let’s introduce it with a song that comes from the soundtrack of the fantasy movie “Alice through the Looking Glass.” The song itself is a song of the desire to improve oneself. “I know that I'm running out of time” she sings, “I'm walking on a wire, trying to go higher, feels like I'm surrounded by clowns and liars. We came here to run it. Just like fire, burning out the way. If I can light the world up for just one day, just like magic, I'll be flying free. See I would rather we just go our different way than play the game.” If we are people who are continually trying to improve ourselves, we will be pretty happy people, and we will be doing what we’re supposed to do, our theme today. Alicia Beth Moore Hart here, better known as Pink and her song “Just Like Fire” from 2016 on MATT.

(triple) JUST LIKE FIRE / Pink

CRUEL SUMMER / Taylor Swift

9 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr

Part 6

Shane Michael Boose there, better known as Sombr on MATT and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” number 9 in our countdown. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” It seems as though the lady in the relationship wants to have a breakup or at least a temporary time apart, but the two have already made it clear that they are committed to each other. It is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, our actions are supposed to follow our words, something we must remember when we use words of solemn commitment.

Before him, we heard the number 3 song of popularity in 2024 and a song that tells us that we really have to work at a relationship, and if we don’t, it will lead to some tough times. It is from the very popular Ms. Taylor Swift and the song from her album “Lovers”, the name of the song, “Cruel Summer”. “Fever dream high in the quiet of the night,” she begins the song, “You know that I caught it. Bad boy, killing me slow, out the window, I’m always waiting for you to be waiting below. Devils roll the dice; angels roll their eyes. What doesn’t kill me makes me want you more. I’m drunk in the back of the car, and I cried like a baby coming home from the bar; said, ‘I’m fine,’ but it wasn’t true; I don’t wanna keep secrets just to keep you. Oh, it’s a cruel summer. He looks up grinning like the devil.” That relationship is just beginning, and one of the characteristics of early love should be complete honesty but often is not, and a directive as we think about what we are supposed to do, our theme today, is to always be honest. At least, try to be.

And we have played our way to a brief pause. In our next half-hour beginning our second hour, get ready for music from / in order of appearance Max McNown, Justin Bieber, birthday person Andy Grammer, Lady Gaga and friend, Calvin Harris and Alex Warren. Leading us into our break, here is a thought from author Michael Angier: “Recognize that everything you do, every step you take, every sentence you write, every word you speak—or don’t speak—counts. Nothing is trivial. The world may be big, but there are no small things. Everything matters.” That is a pretty good thought, and if everyone of us understood it, we would probably do what we are supposed to do. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top”. Don’t even think about touching that dial…please!

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

We are back, as we celebrate the last Sunday and last day of November together, what the Christian world calls the First Sunday of Advent as we prepare for Christmas. I hope today is a good one for you. This is “Message at the Top”. I’m Fr. Mike, ready to begin our second hour together and lead you without interruption through another 30 minutes of music and message today, and all of our songs this morning are working on a theme which asks about what we are supposed to do.

The song at number 10 is new to our playlist and fits into that theme this way: if we fall in love with someone who is a better person that we are, it is good for us. The man in the relationship was not a very good person before he met her. “Love was a game I played,” he begins his song, and he went off the deep end because of too much drinking, but then he met his girlfriend like an angel waiting. “I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes, like to pray to Jesus, spending Friday nights at home. Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind, deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold. You’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want. There’s a God and you’re proof in those brown eyes. I know that I got to find a better me for you.” And the presumption is that he changed for the better. In terms of our theme today, he did what a person is supposed to do in life—he became a better person because he met her. A good song to think about, this is Max McNown from his album “Night Diving”, number 10 on our playlist and “Better Me For You” on MATT.

(triple) 10 BETTER ME FOR YOU / Max McNown

SORRY / Justin Bieber

KEEP YOUR HEAD UP / Andy Grammer bd

Part 8

Happy birthday to him, Andy Grammer, whose birthday is this Wednesday when he will be 42 years old. His song is a 10+ category of meaning song from 2011, one of my favorite positive songs, from the album named after him, and his song “Keep Your Head Up”. “I’ve been waiting on the sunset,” he sings, “bills on my mindset: I can’t deny they’re getting high, higher than my income. I’ve been trying to survive the glow that the sun gives right around sunset; it helps me realize this is just a journey. Drop your worries, you are gonna turn out fine. But you gotta keep your head up, and let your hair down. I know it’s hard to remember sometimes, but you gotta keep your head up.” It is a very positive song and a very good song of meaning. There are negatives in life, there is pain, like hitting rock bottom, but there are good things as well, as we need to concentrate on them and realize that it is up to us to do it, and consider it something that we are supposed to do, our theme today. A great song.

Before him, we heard from his album “Purpose”, Mr. Justin Bieber and his song “Sorry” from 2015. One of the ways that will actually help our happiness is to be sorry as expressed in the song. It is a song asking for forgiveness. “You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty” he sings. “You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies. I hope I don't run out of time. Could someone call the referee ‘cause I just need one more shot at forgiveness. I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice. And by once or twice I mean maybe a couple a hundred times. So let me redeem myself tonight. ‘Cause I just need one more shot at second chances. Is it too late now to say sorry? Yeah I know that I let you down.” As I said, when it comes to being personally happy, one of the ways is to always think of the possibility that we should be asking for forgiveness. We can say with our theme that it is something we all should do. Unfortunately, too often such a situation turns to revenge, and people get hurt.

We continue with triple plays, this time beginning with the song at number 6 on our playlist this morning. It comes from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars and should be familiar to all of our listeners since it has been on our playlist for over a year. It is a song about a true commitment to another: “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment to one another, and celebrating then and there a great moment together, something that is supposed to happen, our theme today, in a sincere commitment. This is “Die With a Smile” Lady Gaga, sung together with Bruno Mars at number 6 this week on MATT.

(triple) 6 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

BLAME / Calvin Harris f/ John Newman

4 ORDINARY / Alex Warren

Part 9

The song at number 4 on our playlist this week. It talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)” from Alex Warren and his song “Ordinary” 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. 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 line which we have quoted with the song. In terms of our theme, if the couple really work at making the mundane a masterpiece, they will always do what one is supposed to do, our theme today. Good song.

Before him, we heard a song about blame from, Calvin Harris and singing along with him is English singer/musician John William Peter Newman or simply John Newman from Calvin Harris’ album “Motion,” their song simply called “Blame.” It is the story of how we act in our lives when we have done something that is not right. We often blame it on others. “Guilt is burning,” the man in the relationship sings, “Inside I’m hurting. This ain’t a feeling I can keep. So blame it on the night; don’t blame it on me. Can you see it: I was manipulated. I had to let her through the door; I had no choice in this. I’m so sorry, I promise I will be better this time. Don’t blame it on me.” The truth is that it was his fault—he didn’t have to let the other lady-friend into his life, but he did. And so, he tries to shift the blame—putting it on the night or the other person, claiming that that is the reason. It would never be him in his mind, and he deserves another chance. It is the acting out of the definition of blame: we want to feel superior in every situation and that means that even if we did it, we don’t want to admit it because we still want to look good. In terms of our theme today, what we are supposed to do is admit guilt, accept the blame, and then go on with life.

We will listen to our top 3 today in just a few minutes. Our theme is the idea of discovering how to keep on going in life or being determined. Get ready for a final segment that will give us the top 3 songs of the whole year of 2018. First, here is a very practical thought from Albert Einstein, not only a brilliant man, but a very wise man with regard to just thinking clearly: “Not everything that counts can be counted, / and not everything that can be counted counts.” Important to remember this time of year, I believe, and that man always gave us lessons that we should learn. My name is Fr. Mike; this show is MATT; this station is the Mix, and we’ll be right back!

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

Every song has a message, and most of the time that message will help our lives. Such is our thought as we continue on MATT on Mix 103. Welcome back to the show that gives you the top 10 of today and yesterday along with their messages. We call it MATT. I’m your host, Fr. Mike, and we have taken off from a song from Sabrina Carpenter called “Tears” and we’re talking about what we’re supposed to do. And some great songs in front of us right now, as we give you the top 3 songs of the whole year of 2018.

At number 3 that year was a song about compromise, or as they call it meeting in the middle. “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 what they are suppose to do, our theme today—they are seeking a compromise to the mess they are in. This is Anton Zaslavski better known as Zedd, singing with American singer Maren Morris and the American duo known as Grey, and their song “The Middle”, number 3 of the songs of meaning of 2018 on MATT.

(double) THE MIDDLE / Zedd f/ Grey and Maren Morris

PERFECT / Ed Sheeran

THUNDER / Imagine Dragons

Part 11

MATT presenting there from their album “Evolve,” the group Imagine Dragons number 2 of all the songs of meaning of 2018 and their song “Thunder” on MATT. It was number 2 in popularity as well. It is a song that says to all of us to “never give up on your dreams,” which is part of the words of the song. 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.” It is a great leadership song—follow your dreams, be what you can be. It is a great resolution for next year from a great song.

And before them, we heard a great love song at the number 1 song of meaning and the number 1 song of popularity of that year of 2018. It comes from Mr. Ed Sheeran, from his album which is just a division sign, and the name of the song, “Perfect”. “I found a love for me,” he begins the song, “just dive right in and follow my lead. I found a girl, beautiful and sweet, I never knew you were the someone waiting for me ‘cause we were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was. I will not give you up this time, your heart is all I own and in your eyes you’re holding mine. When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath, but you heard it, you look perfect tonight.” One of the important things that we are supposed to do, our theme today, for people in love is that they show it in as perfect a way as possible. And for those who are not in love in a romantic way, we should learn love of others in as perfect a way as possible also.

As usual now, let’s move to 2025, November 30-style and give you the top 3 songs as we have them right now. At number 3 is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and that is an appropriate thought for us as we celebrate positive thoughts on our show. In terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, and we work at it, then we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing. This is the song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X, number 3 on MATT.

(double) 3 GOLDEN / Huntr/X

2 DAISIES / Justin Bieber

Part 12

From his latest album “Swag”, number 2 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. The song speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment, and in terms of what we are supposed to do, our theme today, if we say that we will make a permanent commitment, we have to follow through.

And our number 1 song for four weeks in a row is from Taylor Swift and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and his 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 little tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover who is a literal resurrection 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.” In terms of our theme this week, it is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other.

We have talked of that—what we are supposed to do as we try to live a good life on this complicated earth of ours. It came from the song newest to our playlist right now from Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Tears.” My prayer for you and for me is that we will be people who are determined to do the right thing in our lives and to keep at it. My thanks to our producers and to our sponsors, in particular Holy Family Elementary School, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, and TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays. If you want to contact me by mail, I hope you do so at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS, 67601 or my e-mail address is frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on the Gospel and these songs and some great movies as well. You can catch us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 as well by tuning to www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103. Before we listen to the number 1 song in our country and area right now, let me give you another thought for this upcoming week. It is one that is quoted often and comes from Cheryl Hanson quoting her father Jim Hanson, the Muppets creator, at Jim Hanson’s funeral: “I believe in taking a positive attitude toward the world. My hope is to leave the world a little better than when I got here.” Great thought there, great hope that you and I can easily imitate. Thank you for your time today. As you listen to the number 1 song from Taylor Swift and her song “The Fate of Ophelia,” may I remind you that you are in tune with today’s best music Mix 103, and our advice, among all the other positive things we have given you today is to hold a good thought. Speaking fromwhat will be beautifully decorated downtown Lawrence, KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. I hope your December and holidays will begin well for you. Have a great last day of November. Be safe, peace to you, and be good.

1 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift

November 23, 2025

Giving Thanks

Part 1

Hello, Central Kansas and around the world. Good morning to all of you. Welcome to “MATT” on Mix 103. It’s great to have you with us today as we look at some of the top 10 songs of yesterday and today. I’m Fr. Mike, your host for “MATT” and it’s my pleasure to serve you up some great songs and some great messages. We take the most popular songs of the past 45 years and talk about their meanings and exactly what that should mean for us. The guiding thought of our show is to enjoy the music, and listen to the message!

We are approaching the Thanksgiving weekend, and in one way or another, we will all be considering some things that we can be thankful for. I thought we’d consider that thought this Sunday morning during the Thanksgiving holiday, and use the positive statement “I am Thankful” as our theme throughout the show. First a little history which puts this Thanksgiving break into perspective. Thanksgiving day is a national holiday in the United States, commemorating the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony in 1621. The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by President George Washington for November 26, 1789. President Abraham Lincoln revived the custom in 1863 during the down days of the American Civil War. And in 1941 Congress decreed that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November. The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the four wild turkeys served at the Pilgrim’s first thanksgiving feast. From four turkeys to what will take place this coming weekend in just about every home in America. Now that’s quite a jump. Incidentally, God was very much a part of that original celebration, since the early settlers in America were most aware of God’s presence in everything that happened. But one doesn’t have to believe in God to be thankful. One of the traits of good human living must be the desire to be thankful to others, and to carry a thankful attitude into everything we do and receive.

One of the songs that expresses that thought came from Alanis Morissette in 1998. She explained the song this way on MTV at that time: “Basically, I had never stopped in my whole life,” she said, “hadn’t taken a long breath, and I took a year and a half off and basically learned how to do that. When I did stop and I was silent and I breathed, … I was ready to deal with things. I was left with an immense amount of gratitude, and inspiration, and love and bliss, and that’s where the song came from.” And so, she thanks India, terror, disillusionment, frailty, consequence, clarity, nothingness, and especially silence. What a great idea. It is the proverbial, “take the time to smell the roses” type of story, and she is thankful that she had the opportunity. For her, life means saying thank you to someone. Not a bad thought. We have another Thanksgiving song as part of this double play from Dido, but this is Alanis Morissette, 1998, from her album “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie,” “Thank U” on MATT.

(double) THANK U / Alanis Morissette

THANK YOU / Dido

Part 2

Continuing our theme of being thankful, as we celebrate Thanksgiving this time of year, and fitting right into it / is that song that is another statement of thank you from Dido in 1999 and her album “No Angel”, simply called “Thank You”. “My tea’s gone cold,” she began her song, “I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all. The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all, and even if I could it would all be gray”—now that is excellent imagery of real negativity, but the song is just the opposite, because even though she has those negative feelings, she goes on to say, “But your picture on my wall—it reminds me that it’s not so bad.” And then, the person in the song goes on to thank her boyfriend—exactly what our theme is today. And making it more personal, we can say “I am thankful for the ability to love in my life.”

The other songs of our show will easily fit into our thanksgiving theme, and we begin those other songs with the beginning of our top 10 today. It comes from Lady Gaga and is the first of two from her in the top 10. It is a song about a breakup, and one that she has come out of quite well. In fact, she describes it as having fun with friends after having gone through a breakup. “Like the words of a song,” she begins, “I hear you call; like a thief in my head, you criminal. You stole my thoughts before I dreamed them, and you killed my queen with just one pawn. This goodbye is no surprise; this goodbye won’t make me cry. Yeah, I’ll keep on dancin’ until I’m dead. ‘Cause when you killed me inside, that’s when I came alive. Yeah, the music’s gonna bring me back from death. You’ve created a creature of the night—now I’m haunting your air, your soul, your eyes.” The breakup actually helped her and she could therefore be thankful it happened, our theme today. This is the latest from Stephanie Joanne Angelina Germanotta, that is, Lady Gaga, part of the soundtrack to the second season of the Netflix show “Wednesday” in which Lady Gaga appears, with quite an interesting video, at number 10 this morning, “The Dead Dance” on MATT.

(triple) 10 THE DEAD DANCE / Lady Gaga

PICTURES OF YOU / The Last Goodnight

VICTORIA’S SECRET / Jax

Part 3

Rapidly becoming one of my favorite songs because of its excellent message, a great teaching song from 2022 that was to go on to become number 1 for a number of weeks. It was from Jackie Miskanic better known as Jax of American Idol fame and her song “Victoria’s Secret” from her album “Dear Joe,”. The lady who sings the song gave the reason why she wrote the song. She was watching a young girl for a family and she took her to the store Victoria’s Secret. This is her quote: “Yesterday, I picked her up from the mall, because she was going to her first boy-girl pool party. Her and her friends went bikini shopping at Victoria's Secret. She literally got in the car, hysterically crying to me, because this one little brat said something to her that made me cringe. So, I wrote a song for her, because when I was her age, I had a lot of eating problems, and I wish someone would have said these things to me.^” Those things, she sings: “All bodies aren’t the same, photoshop itty-bitty models on magazine covers, told me I was overweight. I stopped eating, what a bummer, can’t have carbs and a hot girl summer. I’d say: I know Victoria’s secret and girl, you wouldn’t believe she’s an old man who lives in Ohio making money off of girls like me, cashing in on body issues, selling skin and bones. She was made up by a dude, Victoria was made up by a dude.” Actually Victoria’s Secret was founded by a man from Connecticut, but that’s not important—she is speaking to girls especially the important message that they don’t have to follow some advertising technique to be loveable in this world. She is speaking the fact that just because she is alive she can be loved and that is something to be thankful for, our theme today. At least, that’s what she should be thinking. Great song.

Before her, we heard a song of meaning from 2007, from the group The Last Goodnight, and their song “Pictures of You”. It is a high category of meaning song for me because they call to our mind exactly what we are doing to our world. "This is the clock upon the wall," they sing, "this is the story of us all, this is the first sound of a newborn child before he starts to crawl. This is the war that’s never won, this is a soldier and his gun, this is the mother waiting by the phone, praying for her son. Pictures of you, pictures of me, hung upon your wall for the world to see; pictures of you, pictures of me remind us all of what we used to be.” And they close the song, "Pictures of you, pictures of me remind us all of what we could have been." The song brings out what is happening in our world, and makes us think about what we should be. Thinking of our theme today, we can be thankful for the good things that have happened in the midst of that mixed up world. But it’s good to be aware of the bad stuff as well. We can understand it, say a prayer for those hurt, and move on with a good life. Good song.

Our Thanksgiving show of MATT is on your radio right now, coming from the studios of Mix 103 in Hays, KS and my studio which is actually my nice room in Lawrence KS. During the show, we are concentrating on the top 10 songs right now, as well as top 10’s of the past. Up next for you, we have music from Los Lonely Boys, Sombr, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and Sabrina Carpenter. Before we go to break, here is a Thanksgiving thought: “There’s always something to be thankful for!” Good thought— Stay with us, this is today’s best music Mix 103 and MATT.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 4

My friends, you are in tune with “Message at the Top,” your top 10 show on the best mix of music in this area, Mix 103. Welcome back to the songs which have been the most popular in this area as we celebrate Thanksgiving during this week. We take the top 10 of today and yesterday and study their messages, and then, call our show MATT. Our thought is that you can enjoy the music, and at the same time, you should listen to the message. I’m your host, Fr. Mike. It’s great to have you here. We have taken our theme from the season of Thanksgiving and we are finding things in our songs for which we should be thankful.

One of them would be eternal life. MATT called it the number 1 song of meaning of the year 2004. The song is a prayer, and being of that bent as a clergyman, I am sort of into prayer, as they say. The person in Los Lonely Boys’ song, prays to God: “Save me from this prison, Lord, help me get away ‘cause only you can save me now from this misery. Well, I’ve been lost in my own place, and I’m getting weary—How far is heaven—And I know that I need to change my ways of living—How far is heaven—Lord, can you tell me.” I firmly believe that one of the ways to lead us out of the problems of our lives is to open our thoughts and minds to God, and ask for help, one of the messages of Easter, our theme today. This is a true song of Easter from their album named after them, Los Lonely Boys, 2004, and their song “Heaven” on MATT.

(double) HEAVEN / Los Lonely Boys

9 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr

Part 5

Shane Michael Boose there, better known as Sombr on MATT and his song “Back to Friends” from his album “I Barely Know Her,” number 9 in our countdown. It is a statement of a commitment which I believe is very good. That statement comes from the fact that they have given themselves completely to each other, and now one of them just wants to be friends. It is a contradiction. He sings, “How can we go back to being friends when we just shared a bed? How can you look at me and pretend I’m someone you’ve never met?” In terms of our theme, it seems as though she 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. We should be thankful for the opportunity to make a commitment, but we should honor it once it is made.

Yet another triple is in store for us on our Thanksgiving show 2025. And the triple begins with some musical thoughts from Mr. Ed Sheeran. It is a song about the feelings of a love that the man in the relationship had at the moment of the song, “You should see the way the stars illuminate your silhouette,” he begins his song, “I had to count to ten and take a breath. You think that you don’t have beauty in abundance, but you do. That’s the truth. You’re frozen in moment, a perfect picture in a frame. Some visions don’t ever fade. I don’t need a camera to capture this moment. I’ll remember how you look tonight for all my life. When everything is black and white, your color’s exploding. There’s something in the way you shine. I don’t need a camera when you’re in my eyes.” So, some nice poetry about the way his friend looks, and in terms of our theme this morning, the lady in the relationship is not convinced about her relationship yet because of her inferiority complex, and it may cause a breakup. But you get the feeling from the song that they will work it out and be able to celebrate their permanent commitment. That ability to work things out is certainly something to be thankful for, our theme today; this is from his album “Play,” his song “Camera”, him being Ed Sheeran at number 8 this morning on MATT.

(triple) 8 CAMERA / Ed Sheeran

MEMORIES / Maroon 5

7 TEARS / Sabrina Carpenter

Part 6

New to our top 10 here, and our theme next week, another track from her album “Man’s Best Friend,” Sabrina Carpenter and her song “Tears” at number 7 on our countdown today. It is a rather explicit statement of how the lady in the relationship feels when she is treated well. “I get wet at the thought of you,” she sings, “being a responsible guy, treating me like you’re supposed to do, tears run down my thighs. A little initiative can go a very long, long way; Just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you want. A little communication, yes, that’s my ideal foreplay, assemble a chair from IKEA, a little respect for women can get you very, very far, remembering how to use your phone gets me.” So, she wants the interaction, and the way to prepare for it is communication. That is something worth remembering, and if the couple has learned that, they have something to be thankful for in their love life, giving thanks being our Thanksgiving thought today.

Before her, we heard number 1 on January 12, 2020, and it would go on to become the number 1 of the whole year of 2020, from Maroon 5 and their song “Memories” from their album “Jordi”. “Here’s to the ones that we got,” they sing, “Cheers to the wish you were here but you’re not. ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories of everything we’ve been through. Toast to the ones here today, toast to the ones we lost on the way ‘cause the drinks bring back all the memories and the memories bring back you. There’s a time that I remember when I did not know pain, when I believed in forever and everything would stay the same. Now my heart feels like December when somebody says your name ‘cause I can’t reach out to call you. But I know I will one day. Everybody hurts sometimes, everything will be alright.” So some pain, but I like their statement of hope. And the ability to hope for better things is something to be thankful for, our theme today.c+

Yes, to be thankful for, but difficult to accept. We are talking about the top 10 music of today and yesterday, as we play only the songs that have been / or are in the top 10 according to the charts of Mediabase 24-7, the music industry’s own magazine. Our theme this morning has come from the holiday we are celebrating, Thanksgiving, calling our show “Giving Thanks.” Here’s another quote on Thanksgiving, this one from Abraham Lincoln as he proclaimed the holiday on October 3, 1863: “It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwells in the heavens.” Not bad, Abe. This is Mix 103 and MATT.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 7

We are back for “Message at the Top” and we welcome you to the continuation of the top 10 songs of our area of today and yesterday as determined by our research and your requests. We call our show MATT because we take those top 20 songs and analyze their meanings in the light of how we can live better in this complicated world. Our thought always is to enjoy the music, but to listen to the message. I am Fr. Mike, your host for MATT, and we are pursuing a theme from this season of Thanksgiving—what we are calling simply “Giving Thanks.”

Let’s begin our second hour together during our Thanksgiving show with the number 6 song on our countdown. The triple begins with the second of two songs from Lady Gaga in today’s top 10. The song has been in the top 10 for a whole year plus. It is a song about a true commitment to another: “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” It seems that the couple was close to a breakup before, but they did some serious thinking and some strong communication, probably, and they remained together, and no doubt they were able to overcome every problem in their commitment to one another, and celebrating then and there a great moment together, and certainly something to be thankful for, our theme today. This is the song of the year for a duo from the Grammys this year “Die With a Smile” sung together with Bruno Mars at number 6 this week on MATT.

(triple) 6 DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars

KINGS AND QUEENS/ Ava Max

5 ORDINARY / Alex Warren

Part 8

The song at number 5 on our playlist this week. It talks of an “ordinary” love relationship and says that what he has for a friend of his is not part of “the ordinary.” It comes from his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1)”. Finally falling from the number 1 position, which he held for a record breaking 19 weeks, that was Alex Warren at number 5 this week and his song “Ordinary” 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. 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 line which we have quoted with the song. In terms of our theme, if the couple really work at making the mundane a masterpiece, the result will be a permanent commitment for them which is something to be thankful for. Good song.

Before him, we heard from Amanda Ava Koci better known as Ava Max from the top songs of meaning of 2021, and her song “Kings and Queens” from her album “Heaven and Hell”. “If all of the kings had their queens on the throne” she sings, “we would pop champagne and raise a toast to all the queens who are fighting alone. You’re not dancin’ on your own. Can’t live without me, you wanna, but you can’t. Think it’s funny, but honey, can’t run this show on your own. I’ll show you how a real queen behaves. No damsel in distress, don’t need to save me. Once I start breathin’ fire, you can’t tame me. Disobey me, then, it’s off with your head, gonna change it and make it a world you won’t forget.” Right there is the phrase I’d like to take off on—she is going to change the world as a woman. It is a dancing song to be sure, but it’s all about the importance of women, a very good thought, I think. And she can be quite thankful, our theme today, to be a woman in our world.

Moving up to number 4 right now in our countdown, we turn to Benson Boone and a song concerning a necessary virtue to develop, namely, self-confidence. It is the story in song of someone quite sure that things will work out with the romantic love part of their lives. “There’s nothing colder,” he begins his song, “than your shoulder when you’re dragging me along like you do. And then you switch up with no warning and you kiss me like you want it; how rude. But I kinda like it anyways. I don’t mind if this is going to take a million days. I know you’ll come around to me eventually. If you sit back, relax, join my company. Once you know what my love’s gonna feel like, nothing else will feel right ‘cause it feels so mystical, magical.” His confidence is something to be imitated, to be sure, but as I have mentioned with the song, being over-confident could be the end result and in the end, cause a breakup, which obviously could destroy the permanent commitment. Be that as it may, we should be very thankful if we recognize the importance of self-confidence in life. This is number 4, from his album “American Heart” and “Mystical Magical”, Benson Boone on MATT.

(triple) 4 MYSTICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone

ROAR / Katy Perry

THUNDER / Imagine Dragons

Part 9

The subject of our featured song tomorrow on my website www.frmikescully.com, MATT presenting there from their album “Evolve,” the group Imagine Dragons from 2017, and their song “Thunder” on MATT. It is a song that says to all of us to “never give up on your dreams,” which is part of the words of the song. 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.” It is a great leadership song—follow your dreams, be what you can be. With our theme being “Giving Thanks” there is some adversity in following our dreams all the time some of which we do not want to give thanks, but if we can always see the other side, the side that says to keep trying, life will turn out well. The theme we use for the song is: “We can be more than we are if we want.” Good song.

Before them, we heard the number 1 song of meaning of 2013 from Katherine Elizabeth Hudson better known as Katy Perry from her album “Prism”, and her song “Roar”. “I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath”, Katy Perry sings, “scared to rock the boat. So I sat quietly. I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything. Get ready ‘cause I’ve had enough. I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire ‘cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar, louder than a lion. Now I’m floating like a butterfly, stinging like a bee, I earned my stripes, I went from zero to my own hero.” The lady in the song has discovered that she must have a good self-image and it is one of those things for which we should be thankful, our theme today.

Which takes us to a break before our final segment today, that segment including birthday wishes to Miley Cyrus and Natasha Bedingfield. Let me take you to that break with a speech—well, not the whole speech, but Winston Churchill gave a famous speech on November 23, 1944 about us. This is part of it: “It is your Day of Thanksgiving, and when we feel the truth of the facts which are before us, that in three or four years the peaceful, peace-loving people of the United States, the United States has in sober fact become the greatest military, naval, and air power in the world—that, I say to you in this time of war, is itself a subject for profound thanksgiving.” He had a way with words. This is MATT on this pre-Thanksgiving Sunday. I hope you stay right where you are. In fact, don’t even think about touching that dial.

COMMERCIAL BREAK

Part 10

Good day to all of you. We are back for our Thanksgiving show on MATT, this Sunday before the Thanksgiving break. I hope that your Thanksgiving break will be a good one for you. I am Fr. Mike, your host, welcoming you to this our final segment of our show which encourages you to enjoy the music, and listen to the message so that the message can help our lives. During this segment we will explore the messages of five artists, two of whom have birthdays this week. Happy birthday to Miley Cyrus who is 33 years old today and to Natasha Bedingfield wsho is 44 on Wednesday.

Miley Cyrus has two excellent songs in her playlist for this great radio station. First of all, let’s listen to a song of determination in this song. She has had a spectacular career, recognized as the Teen Queen when she was a teenager, has won two Grammy awards, one Brit award and 5 Billboard Music awards. But I believe her greatest song of meaning was her very first one—this one. It is recognized now as the classic determination song. Great words here: “I can almost see it.” she sings, “That dream I'm dreaming, But there's a voice inside my head sayin' "You'll never reach it". Every step I'm takin', Every move I make feels lost with no direction. My faith is shakin,' But I, I gotta keep tryin' Gotta keep my head held high. There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna wanna make it move; Always gonna be an uphill battle; Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose. Ain't about how fast I get there, Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side. It's the climb. The struggles I'm facing, The chances I'm taking sometimes might knock me down; But no, I'm not breaking; I may not know it But these are the moments That I'm gonna remember most, yeah, Just gotta keep goin'.” And she can be quite thankful that she has that attitude. This is her greatest song in my humble opinion, from the soundtrack of “Hannah Montana, the movie,” Miley Cyrus here, 2009, “The Climb” on MATT. Listen to the words.

(triple) THE CLIMB / Miley Cyrus

USED TO BE YOUNG / Miley Cyrus

UNWRITTEN / Natasha Bedingfield

Part 11

The number 1 song of meaning of the year 2006, and one of MATT’s super six songs of meaning, songs with absolutely the most meaning, a song from birthday person on Wednesday Natasha Bedingfield, from her album named after the song, “Unwritten”. It is a poetic statement about the fact that we are determining what kind of life we are going to lead. “I am unwritten,” she sings, “can’t read my mind, I’m undefined. I’m just beginning, the pen’s in my hand, ending unplanned. Staring at the blank page before you, let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find. Release your inhibitions, feel the rain on your skin, no one else can feel it for you, only you can let it in. No one else can speak the words on your lips, drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open. Today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.” Marvelous words. I look at it as a statement of where we are / and that from now on, no matter what has happened in our lives before, from now on, we will be able to live our future with arms wide open. We can begin again. It is THE way to live a life, and certainly something to be thankful for, our theme today.

Before her, we heard a second song of strong meaning from Miley Cyrus. It came from her album “Endless Summer Vacation”—“Used to be Young” the name of the song. As she says, “This song is about honoring who we’ve been, loving who we are and celebrating who we will become. I feel proud when reflecting on my past and optimistic when thinking about the future.” So, the past for her is a good thing, and her future is likewise good. She sings, “The truth is bulletproof. There’s no fooling you. I don’t dress the same, me and who you say I was yesterday have gone our separate ways. Left my living fast somewhere in the past ‘cause that’s for chasing cars, turns out open bars lead to broken hearts and going way too far. I know I used to be crazy, I know I used to be fun; You say I used to be wild, I say I used to be young.” She will not look at the past as a negative with all its problems and jealousiess. As she says, she simply “took another road.” And for that she can be thankful. Another good song.

As usual, we close off our show with the top 3 songs in our country right now according to Mediasbase 24-7 and your requests. At number 3, is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntr/X—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “I was a ghost, I was alone, given the throne; I didn’t know how to behave, I was the queen that I’m meant to be. I lived two lives, tried to play both sides, but I couldn’t find my own place. Called a problem child ‘cause I got too wild. But now that’s how I’m getting paid. We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, oh, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. As I have said with the song, I haven’t viewed the story, and my Korean leaves a lot to be desired, but it sounds like a song of determination to do the right thing, and that is an appropriate thought for us as we celebrate positive thoughts on our show. In terms of our theme, if we are determined to do the right thing, and we work at it, that behavior is something to be thankful for, our theme today. This is the song “Golden” from the Korean movie and music of Huntr/X, number 3 on MATT.

(double) 3 GOLDEN / Huntr/X

2 DAISIES / Justin Bieber

Part 12

From his latest album “Swag”, number 2 this morning, and “Daisies”, Canadian singer/songwriter Justin Bieber on MATT. The song speaks of the makeup of a permanent commitment again. “’Throwin' petals like, "Do you love me or not?” he begins his song, “Head is spinnin', and it don't know when to stop. You said ‘Forever’, did you mean it or not? Hold on, And if it ain't right, you know I respect it. But if you need time, just take your time. I get it. Way you got me all in my head, Whatever it is, you know I can take it. I'm countin' the days, how many days 'til I can see you again?” It is an important point that even though the permanent commitment has been made, there are still question marks and there must be days of re-commitment, and we can be quite thankful when we have the opportunity to re-commit ourselves to the commitment.

And our number 1 song for three weeks in a row is from Taylor Swift and the first song from her new album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and his 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 little tragic, but the song writes a different ending. The song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of emotional and psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover who is a literal resurrection 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.” In terms of our theme this week, if we find a love that rescues us, we will be ready for the commitment that is desired, and we can be quite thankful for it.

Our theme this pre-Thanksgiving weekend has been that idea of being thankful. And we’ll continue that theme next week. My prayer for you and me is that we will learn to be truly thankful people in every situation of our lives. My thanks to our producers and our sponsors at Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and Holy Family Elementary School in Hays. My e-mail address if you want to contact me is frmikescully@yahoo.com and my website is www.frmikescully.com where you can find a transcript of the show and meditations on the Gospels and popular songs and some great movies. If you want to contact me by mail, I hope you do so at KJLS radio, Hays, KS, 67601. You can join us on the web also as Mix 103 live streams their station and therefore me on Sunday mornings at 10am. Let me close with a great thought about thanksgiving from Melanie Beattie: “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” As we close with the number 1 song of our land, Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia,”, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music, Mix 103, and our advice to you, among the positive things that we have said to you during the show is to hold a good thought. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! From beautiful downtown Lawrence KS, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe especially during this Thanksgiving time, peace to you, and be good.

1 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift