KJLS-FM 103.3 10am Sundays
June 28, 2026
Slowing Down
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world. Thank you for joining us this weekend. I hope your Sunday is a good one so far, and that it will be a happy and safe one for you. Welcome to “Message at the Top.” Get set for the top 10 songs of our area right now as determined by our research and the national research of Mediabase 24-7. We’ll add to them some songs of past top 10’s as well, including songs from the 2000’s and even some from the 1990’s and 80’s. I am Fr. Mike, and you have your dial set to Mix 103, the number one popular music station of Central Kansas. Our plea to you during our show is that you enjoy the music that we play, but at the same time listen to the message, and allow that message to shape our lives for the better.
It was Ariana Grande’s birthday last Friday when she was 33 years old, and one of her songs is a great one to study because it talks about the solution to some real life problems. She sings “Some days things just take way too much of my energy. I look up and the whole room’s spinning. You take my cares away. I can so over complicate, people tell me to medicate, feel my blood runnin’, swear the sky’s fallin’. I know that all this stuff’s fabricated. Time goes by and I can’t control my mind, don’t know what else to try, but you tell me every time, just keep breathin’.” He/she is giving her great advice, I think. Just slow down and breathe deeply.
Slowing down, I believe, is absolutely necessary in this fast-paced world because it does indeed take all of our energy to live so fast. You can look at that from the point of view of “doing nothing.” If we define doing nothing as laziness, we are talking about as our dictionary says, being unwilling to work, unwilling to do any work or make an effort. But that is not exactly the same thing as “doing nothing” which I would define as refraining from activity for some reason.
I think a case can be made in life for doing nothing. There are times in our lives after some intense activity, for example, when we have to literally sit back and do nothing, just to relax, and allow the brain and muscles to rest just a little. In the spiritual life, as well, one of the ways to commune with a Higher Being that we have chosen to believe in is to do nothing except be in the presence of such a Higher Being how ever we define such a Higher Being. Such an action requires us to do nothing. One of the traits of a good marriage for example is that the husband and wife do nothing but remain and enjoy each other’s presence. One of the thoughts about friendship is the same—you are good friends with someone if you just do nothing but “hang out” with each other. In my definition, then, “doing nothing” is not the same as laziness which has a negative connotation.
The person in Ariana Grande’s song who tells her to just slow down, breathe, and look at things from a relaxed point of view is talking about doing nothing from a positive point of view. It is as I say an answer to the problems in our world, that is, to just let them happen, and deal with them slowly.
In fact, the song can give us our theme today. How about calling our show “Slowing Down.” We will study our song situations with that in mind. Here slowing down will help us study our fast-paced world, and help us put things in proper perspective. Great song here and theme-setter from her album “Sweetener,” and her song, from 2018, “Breathin’” –happy birthday, Ariana Grande, on MATT.
(double) BREATHIN’ / Ariana Grande
SECRETS / OneRepublic
Part 2
Celebrating a birthday also last Friday was Ryan Teddar when he was 47 years old—he is the front man and co-founder of the band OneRepublic. That last song “Secrets” was from them. It was from their album “Waking Up” and is the answer that the person in the song gives to someone whom he has not told enough to in the past. “I’ve been on the brink,” the man in the relationship sings, “so, tell me what you want to hear; I’m sick of all the insincere, so I’m gonna give all my secrets away this time. Don’t need another perfect line, don’t care if critics never jump in line, I’m gonna give all my secrets away.” What has happened in the past leads the person in the song to be sincere, and it is a virtue that we should always try to make part of our lives. And if we learn to slow down a little in life, our theme today, we may find more time to learn that virtue.
The final birthday we are celebrating today is Ms. Tate McRae who will be 23 on Wednesday of this week. The song we are using from her to celebrate her birthday, according to her, is a song celebrating female confidence. “He says, ‘Are you serious,’” she begins her song speaking of the boyfriend in the relationship, “I’ve tried, but I can’t figure out; I’ve been next to you all night and still don’t know what you’re about.” But she says, “I would want myself. Please believe me. I’ll put you through hell just to know me, so sure of yourself, don’t get greedy—that stuff won’t end well.” I changed the words a little. She said of the song that it is about confidence and about female empowerment. And exactly what should be said to someone who wants to control a situation when he/she shouldn’t. In terms of our theme, when someone takes the time and slows down a little, he/she would probably figure out that they should move on after such behavior. From the year 2o24, and a song from her album “Think Later,” her song, “Greedy”—happy birthday, Tate McRae on MATT.
(triple) GREEDY / Tate McRae
EX’S AND OH’S / Elle King
10 I KNEW IT, I KNEW YOU / Taylor Swift
Part 3
Quite popular in our world today, and into our countdown this week is Taylor Swift’s latest song “I Knew It, I Knew You,” from the soundtrack of the movie “Toy Story 5.” It is the story line of the movie, and in particular the journey of the character Jessie, and depicts the concepts of reunion, memory, and the emotions that go with it. Taylor Swift wrote it after she had watched the movie. “I knew you through the daze of the blades of the grass in summer,” she begins her song, “parachutes for the free fall of being younger. I memorized the sound of your bare footsteps running wild. It’s been a long time; life has ways of leaving those days behind. But seeing you tonight, I remembered I loved you, came back when it mattered. I saw you, standing there in the light of the window, wearing that same smile. Man, it’s been a while , but I knew it, I knew you.” In terms of our theme, the lady in the song took the time to slow down and look at her life, and realized how she loved others.
Before her, we heard from Elle King’s album “Love Stuff,” and her song “Ex’s and Oh’s”, and a song about self-confidence, and a song on my website www.frmikescully.com on Friday. Self-confidence is necessary, but being over-confident can have the opposite effect, especially if you speak about it to others. Such is the case here. The lady in the song sings of strong confidence in her own abilities to have lovers. “Well, I had me a boy, turned him into a man,” she sings. “I showed him all the things that he didn't understand. And then I let him go. Now, there's one in California who's been cursing my name ‘cause I found me a better lover in the UK, until I made my getaway. One, two, three, they gonna run back to me 'cause I'm the best baby that they never gotta keep. They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave. Ex's and the oh's, they haunt me like ghosts; they want me to love 'em all. They won't let go.” In terms of our theme this week, if one would take the time to slow down and think about the behavior of someone else with this type of over self-confidence we would no doubt stay away from him/her as a friend.
We are seeking the wisdom of slowing down in life during our show today, that thought having come from birthday person last Friday Ariana Grande and her song “Breathin’.” Here is a thought to close out this portion of our show from Mr. or Mrs. Cynical Anonymous, “Without freedom of speech, we would never know who the idiots are.” Indeed, and there are a bunch of people that probably come to your mind as well as mine. Don’t judge them—just say a prayer for them. You’ve got today’s best music Mix 103.3 on your radio dial, and we implore you to keep it right there.
+++COMMERCIAL BREAK+++
Part 4
It is so good to have you back with us. Thank you for joining us and we welcome you back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending today, the last Sunday of June 2026, the week before our Independence Day week and the second Sunday in this great season of summer—happy birthday, America. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of its kind, “Message at the Top.” During this segment, as usual, we have top 10 music from the present and the past. They are ingeniously fitting into the theme of asking and answering the question “What Are the Advantages of ‘Slowing Down’ in Life.”
And what does our number 9 song this week say about that? Well, it is the first song in the top 10 this week for Peter Gene Hernandez or Bruno Mars. In the American Music Awards, Bruno Mars was named the best R&B male artist, and the album was named best R&B album. It is a strong song of commitment. “For just the chance to win your heart, you could set the bar beyond the stars. I’ll do anything, anything you ask me to. Say you want the moon—watch me learn to fly, ain’t no mountain you could point to I wouldn’t climb. It’s crazy, but it’s true. There’s nothing I won’t do. I’d risk it all for you.” The person who makes such a commitment has taken the time to slow his life down, our theme today, before he made the decision. This is number 9, from his album “The Romantic,” his song of true commitment, “Risk It All”, Bruno Mars on MATT.
(double) 9 RISK IT ALL / Bruno Mars
TRY / Pink
Part 5
Pink, there, that is, Alecia Beth Moore Hart, and her song “Try,” an excellent song of meaning from her album “The Truth About Love” on MATT. It is an excellent song because it illustrates the leadership principle of “Never Stop Trying to do Your Best.” “Ever wonder,” she sings, “about what he’s doing, how it all turned to lies. Sometimes I think that it’s better to never ask why. Where there is desire, there is going to be a flame. Where there is a flame, someone’s bound to get burned. But just because it hurts don’t mean you’re gonna die. You gotta get up and try.” She is singing of a failed love relationship, but it is a very good principle of living. In terms of our theme, this is one of those principles that would become evident about our lives if we allow ourselves to slow down and do some serious thinking. Good song.
We go to another triple play now, and begin it with a song at number 8 this morning. It is from the soundtrack of the best animated feature of this year according to the Academy Awards, “K Pop Demon Hunters” the name of it. It is the theme of the Netflix film that follows them—namely 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. “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.” In terms of our theme this week, the right thing to do in life is to slow down at times and think about the direction of your life. This is the song of the year according to the American Music Awards singing about doing what is right, from three Korean young ladies named Huntr/X, former number 1, “Golden”, number 8 on MATT.
(triple) 8 GOLDEN / Huntr/X
WRONG IMPRESSION / Natalie Imbruglia
7 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
Part 6
The first song in the top 10 this morning from Olivia Dean, and a song looking for what I have called the virtue which is most needed in any relationship, namely, communication. It comes from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”, number 7 this week, former number 1. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication,...and, in terms of our theme, something for all of us to slow down and study, namely our communication with others.
Before her, we heard from Natalie Imbruglia and her song “Wrong Impression” from her album “White Lilies Island”. 51 year old Australian singer/songwriter Natalie Imbruglia sings here, “Calling out, haven’t you wondered why I’m always alone when you’re in my dreams. Calling out, haven’t you wondered why you find it hard just looking at me. I want you, but I want you to understand. I leave you. I love you. Didn’t want to leave you with the wrong impression. Didn’t want to leave you with my last confession of love.” But she is leaving him. A little later on she sings, “Haven’t you wondered what we could have been if you’d only let me in.” It’s his fault, and apparently, he doesn’t know it. That is certainly one of the things that he would have learned if he had slowed down and done a little serious thinking, our theme this morning.
Our theme today is that idea of what could happen if we would slow down a little. As always, the songs of our show can take that theme and work with it—with a little bit of help. Songs always seem to say a lot if we are looking for the messages. Up next, we will explore the artistry and meanings of songs by in order of appearance: Gavin DeGraw, the band Nickelback, Alex Warren, Sombr, Taylor Swift again and OneRepublic again—another great line-up. As we head to break, here is a thought from author Rita Mae Brown: “One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory.” You bet. I’m Fr. Mike, and this is “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.3. We’ll be right back.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Part 7
Welcome back. I am Fr. Mike, your host for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 which is our top 10 show that gives you the songs of today along with their meanings and some great songs from the past with their meanings as well. We are featuring the top 10 songs of our area as we always do, and as always, we are playing other songs from past top 10’s. We play the music, hope you enjoy it, and we advise you to listen to the messages so that our lives may be able to take on a better quality. It’s great to have you with us again as we play the songs that make up the popular music of today and yesterday. We have taken our theme on this second Sunday of summer from Ariana Grande and her song “Breathin’” and our theme is “Slowing Down” as we study the circumstances of the songs.
As promised, let’s begin our second hour with Gavin DeGraw. He is from South Fallsburg, New York and is a 49 year old American musician, singer and songwriter. He begins his song here by singing, “Staring at a maple leaf, leaning on the mother tree, I said to myself we all lost touch.” We have lost touch in his opinion with the natural things—we look at fruit as chocolate covered cherries and we want watermelons that have no seeds. In fact, nothing from the ground is good enough. And so, he begs his chariot, his vehicle, to allow the golden waves of the sun to walk over his face as he rides that chariot into a promised land, the country, where he’ll spend his vacation and give him the freedom he needs. Gavin DeGraw's wish in the song is to keep in touch with nature, and by extension, with what is really important in life. In terms of our theme today, his action is exactly what our theme is all about: he is slowing down and doing some serious thinking in the country. The song is the title song from his album “Chariot,” from 2003, and a song about getting away into the country, Gavin DeGraw on MATT.
(triple) CHARIOT / Gavin DeGraw
GOTTA BE SOMEBODY/ Nickelback
6 FEVER DREAM / Alex Warren
Part 8
Closing off a triple play, the song at number 6, from his album “Wildchild”, Alex Warren on MATT and a song which refers to his wife according to him. It is a song about love overcoming loneliness. “How did you know I was hoping for a sign,” he sings, “My heart was so close to closing time. Somethin’ ‘bout you hit me like a freight train to the chest the day we met. My loneliness left the room the second that you walked in, somethin’ like a fever dream. Haven’t slept in weeks, I think I’m seeing things like our shadows dancing us out of our clothes. I’ll be damned if you love me, damned if you don’t. Maybe it’s fate, maybe it’s late. Told you I ain’t no liar, watching you leave’s haunting my dreams.” In terms of our theme, if one is to overcome loneliness, part of the solution is to slow down and consider why we are lonely.
Before him, we heard from the Canadian band Nickelback and a good song of meaning from the year 2009, “Gotta Be Somebody” from their album “Dark Horse”. “This time I wonder what it feels like to find the one in this life,” they sing, “the one we all dream of, but dreams just aren’t enough, so I’ll be waiting for the real thing, ‘cause nobody wants to be the last one there, ‘cause everyone wants to feel like someone cares, someone to love with my life in their hands—there’s gotta be somebody for me like that ‘cause nobody wants to do it on their own, and everyone wants to know they’re not alone. There’s somebody else that feels the same somewhere—there’s gotta be somebody for me out there.” Their song is a statement of fact, and a statement of hope. The person in the song hasn’t found that somebody yet, but they feel strongly that such a person exists, and you get the feeling from the song that they will extend the energy it takes to find that somebody. One of the ways to help a person find a person that will fulfill their dreams is to slow down and do some serious thinking, our theme today.
Let’s go to our top 5 right now and a song about the fact that a couple have given themselves completely to each other physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends, and that, the artist concludes, 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. As I have mentioned, it is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, I believe that one of the evils of society is giving in to too much physical involvement because the physical involvement tends to dominate rather than thinking about what love truly is. And in order to think about what love truly is, we have to slow down and think, our theme today. This is the best rock/alternative song of the year according to the American Music Awards, and the first song in the top 10 this morning for Sombr, that is Shane Michael Boose from his album “I Barely Know Her” and his song “Back to Friends” on MATT at number 5.
(triple) 5 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr
THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
GOOD LIFE / OneRepublic
Part 9
The number 3 song of meaning of 2011 and a plea to human beings to decide to have a good life. The second time we have heard from them this morning. It comes from OneRepublic’s album “Waking Up”, a 10+ category song of meaning, and their song “Good Life”. The song begins in London, and the group sings, “Day turns to night, night turns to whatever we want: we’re young enough to say. Oh, this has gotta be the good life, this really could be a good life. Got this feeling that you can’t fight, like this city is on fire tonight. Please tell me what there is nothing to complain about: when you’re happy like a fool, let it take you over; when everything is out, you gotta take it in. Oh, this could really be a good life.” They are singing, I believe, that life is what you make it, and wherever you are, whatever you do, you can make it something good. It is what easily happens if people slow down and do some serious thinking about life, our theme today.
Before them, we heard the second song from her this morning on our show, the song featured on my website www.frmikescully.com today, from Taylor Swift and her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the song “The Fate of Ophelia”. As we have said over the months it has been in the top 10, it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. The play is a tragedy, but the song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other. As I have said a couple times, perhaps we should learn from Taylor Swift’s song more than Mr. Shakespeare’s play, and slow down, our theme today, and think about the good things that happen to us.
Our topic this morning is revolving around that idea of slowing down in life and studying how we are behaving. Before we leave this half-hour, here is a thought from an anonymous cynical author again: “I love my country / aside from most of the people in it.” Yes, indeed. Don’t even think of touching that dial—it is set for Mix 103.3 and MATT, and we implore you to keep it there.
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, and I remind you all the time that the messages contained in the songs can be understood in such a way as to help our lives. I’m your host, Fr. Mike and we have taken off from an idea inspired by birthday person last Friday Ariana Grande and that theme is “Slowing Down” as we study the circumstances of the songs.
Let’s go to a song that is on my website this coming Wednesday, and the beginning of yet another triple play. It begins with a song with an inspiring video, “Picture perfect,” they sing, “you don’t need no filter, gorgeous, make ‘em drop dead, you a killer. Shower you with all my attention--these are my only intentions. Shout out to your Mom and Dad for making you, standing ovation, they did a great job raising you. When I create, you’re my muse, that kind of smile that makes the news. Can’t nobody throw shade on your name in these streets. You make it easy to choose, you got a mean touch I can’t refuse.” Giving compliments to our love friends is such a great idea and it is one of those things that everyone of us would understand, if we slowed down a little, our theme today, and really thought about others. MATT presenting here Canadian singer Justin Bieber and rapper Quavious Keyate Marshall better known as Quavo from Justin Bieber’s album “Changes” and their song from 2020, “Intentions” on MATT.
(triple) INTENTIONS / Justin Bieber f/ Quavo
GIRLS LIKE YOU / Maroon 5 f/ Carli B
4 DRACULA / Tame Impala
Part 11
Our theme last week, when we talked about hoping for true love, that is what is called a musical project. It is the creation of Australian instrumentalist Kevin Parker and he is accompanied by South Korean singer Jennie. It is from the album “Deadbeat” and the song “Dracula”, number 4 this week on MATT. According to the experts, the song is wanting a love connection while simultaneously facing vulnerability, portraying a person who feels safest in the shadows and most uncomfortable in the daylight. The lyrics are these: comparing himself to a vampire, “The morning light is turning blue, the feeling is bizarre,” they begin their song. “The night is almost over, I still don’t know where you are. The shadows, they keep me like a movie star, daylight makes me feel like Dracula. In the end, I hope it’s you and me in the darkness, I would never leave. Run from the sunlight, Dracula.” It brings up the thought of hoping for true love midst all the problems and situations that come into our lives, and that is something that can only happen when a person slows down, our theme today.
Before them, we heard a former number 1 song that was in the top 10 for a number of weeks. It came from Maroon 5 and Carli B from Maroon 5’s album “Red Pill Blues” and their song “Girls Like You”. It is a song of a man in the relationship who struggles at working a relationship out with his fiancée; then after he does, things are just fine. “Spent 24 hours,” they begin, “I need more hours with you, you spent the weekend getting even. We spent the late nights making things right between us, but now it’s all good, play me close ‘cause girls like you run ‘round with guys like me ‘til sundown when I come through. I need a girl like you—girls like you love fun and me too. I need a girl like you.” What I like about the song is that they worked on their relationship and the way to help it. What they did in terms of our theme is they slowed down their understanding of love and came up with the real thing.
And what are the top 3 songs of our land right now? Well, we will answer that. At number 3 is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. The American Music Awards said that he was the Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and his album, namely “I Barely Know Her” was best rock/alternative album of the year. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.” The love that he wants just may come to be, as the video shows, but before it happens, there will have to be some compromise to work things out, not to mention that he has to make a decision of which one to pursue in a relationship. And before one does that, he/she will have to slow down his life, our theme today and do some serious thinking. This is Sombr and his song “Homewrecker”, number 3 on MATT.
(double) 3 HOMEWRECKER / Sombr
2 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
Part 12
At number 2 in our countdown, from his album “The Romantic” again, Bruno Mars and the song “I Just Might” on MATT. The song is one of wanting another to show her love for him by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but, as we have done with the song, some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, good dancing might happen if a person slows down and thinks about it. Well, maybe.
And the number 1 song for three weeks in a row this week comes from London born Olivia Dean, from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”, her second song in the top 10 for her. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, once again this love can happen only after a person slows down a little and does some serious thinking.
We have considered that thought of how slowing down can help a situation from Ariana Grande’s 2018 song “Breathin’.” My prayer for you and me is that we will all be able to slow down a little and be able to think seriously about our lives. My thanks to the producers of “Message at the Top,” who put the show together, to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, my friends at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, Holy Family Elementary School in Hays, Hays Car and Truck Alignment and Auto World in Hays. If you have some song suggestions, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some great movies and a transcript of the show. Remember that you can join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 central daylight time by going to www.hayspost.com and choosing Mix 103. Let me close by quoting my dear friend Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous: “Life is like Wi-Fi — sometimes you’re connected, sometimes you’re lost.” We can all identify with that, I think. Our number 1 song is coming up for us-- Olivia Dean’s “So Easy,” and as you listen, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103, and among other things we remind you to hold a good thought. My name is Fr. Mike Scully. Get ready for the fourth, stay safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 SO EASY / Olivia Dean
June 21, 2026
Hope for True Love
Part 1
Hello, Central Kansas and around the world! Thank you for joining us as we begin the months of summer today. And Happy Father’s Day to those who qualify for that greeting. And further, happy harvest to those of you who have been or are currently involved in that. We welcome you to “Message at the Top.” Get set for the top 10 songs of our area as determined by the research from your requests, as well as our own research here at Mix 103 and in particular from Mediabase 24-7. Our motto is to enjoy the music and listen to the message so that the message can help us be better than we are. I am Fr. Mike, and you have your dial set to Mix 103.3, the number one popular music station in Central Kansas. On our show today, we have music from Sombr, Benson Boone, Bruno Mars and 19 others, all with their own message which we will put into the theme of building true love.
The reason for that theme is our opening song from what is officially called a musical project. It is the creation of Australian instrumentalist Kevin Parker and he is accompanied by South Korean singer Jennie. According to the experts, the song is wanting a love connection while simultaneously facing vulnerability, portraying a person who feels safest in the shadows and most uncomfortable in the daylight. The lyrics are these: comparing himself to a vampire, “The morning light is turning blue, the feeling is bizarre,” they begin their song. “The night is almost over, I still don’t know where you are. The shadows, they keep me like a movie star, daylight makes me feel like Dracula. In the end, I hope it’s you and me in the darkness, I would never leave. Run from the sunlight, Dracula.”
It brings up the thought of hoping for true love amidst all the problems and situations that come into our lives, especially if we are hampered by our feelings in some way. So, let’s use that thought today, and talk about hoping for true love in our lives. This is the musical project Tame Impala from the album “Deadbeat” and the song “Dracula”, number 5 this week on MATT.
Part 1
(double) 5 DRACULA / Tame Impala
THE OTHER SIDE / Jason Derulo
Part 2
Speaking the same type of message as the song “Dracula”, Jason Derulo there and his song “The Other Side” from 2014 from his album “Talk Dirty”and a statement that true love is the hope of the man in the song. The song itself is a rather explicit song speaking of physical involvement. Of course, I always feel that such involvement should be relegated to the marriage state, but that is my opinion, of course. In the song, they are very close, and have moved from the thought of “friendship” to the other side, namely “true love.” “Tonight,” the man in the relationship sings, “take me to the other side. Sparks fly like the Fourth of July. Just take me to the other side. I see that look in your eyes. And I know we ain’t friends anymore. If we walk down this road, we’ll be lovers for sure. Take me to the other side.” It is a song of our theme, that is, “hoping for true love”.
Our first triple play this first day of summer Sunday morning begins with a song whose title is similar to our lead song. The artist said of the song, “Writing this song helped me sort through lots of feelings of regret, anger and heartache.” And so, she sings, “Hate to give you the satisfaction of asking how you’re doing now; how’s the castle built off people you pretend to care about. Just what you wanted. I loved you truly, you gotta laugh at the stupidity ‘cause I’ve made some real big mistakes. I should’ve known it was strange. You only come out at night; I used to think I was smart, but you made me look so naive, the way you sold me for parts, as you sunk your teeth into me, oh, bloodsucker, dream crusher, bleeding me dry like a vampire.” As I say, hatred of the person that hurt her. In order to hope for any kind of romantic love, our theme today, one must get rid of this type of hatred. This is 23 year old Olivia Rodrigo, and her song from the year 2023, from her album “Guts”, “Vampire” on MATT.
(triple) VAMPIRE / Olivia Rodrigo
HOW DO I SAY GOODBYE / Dean Lewis
SAFE AND SOUND / Capital Cities
Part 3
From their first album called “In a Tidal Wave of Mystery,” that was the duo Capital Cities and their song “Safe and Sound,” from 2011 on MATT. It is a song of what the man in a relationship could do to the woman if she allowed it. “I could lift you up,” they sing, “I could show you what you wanna be. You could be my luck, even if the sky is falling down, I know that we’ll be safe and sound. I could fill your cup. You know my river won’t evaporate, this world we still appreciate. You could be my luck, even in a hurricane of frowns, I know that we’ll be safe and sound. I could show you love in a tidal wave of mystery. You’ll still be standing next to me.” The man wants the lady to respond, and you don’t know what she will do. In terms of our theme, one of the ways of hoping for true love is the continual desire on the part of each one to get the other party to respond.
Before them, we heard from the song featured on my website last Tuesday, from Dean Lewis Grant Loaney better known simply as Dean Lewis. The song is from his album “The Hardest Love”, and the name of the song, “How Do I Say Goodbye” from 2022. The song was written for his father suffering from cancer and a beautiful tribute to his Dad. His Dad’s disease later went into remission. “Early morning,” he sings, “There’s a message on my phone. It’s my mother saying, ‘please come home’. I fear the worst, how could you leave us all behind? There’s so much to say but there’s so little time. So how do I say goodbye to someone who’s been with me for my whole life? You gave me my name and the color of your eyes. I see your face when I look at mine. When I couldn’t, you always saw the best in me. So, how do I say goodbye.” And he adds a comment about his mother: “And I saw the way she looked into your eyes, and I promise if you go, I will make sure she’s alright.” In terms of our theme, the song is sincere communication with his Dad, a tremendous lesson for all of us, and something that we must have if we hope for true love of another. The video is well done, by the way.
During our next segment, we will continue to listen to the music and messages of our songs to see what they say about finding true love in life. As is my wont, may I lead you to break with a quote. All of our closing quotes today come from Albert Einstein who died in 1955. “There are two ways to live your life; one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” Interesting, indeed. “Message at the Top” will continue right after these important messages. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to keep your radio dial set at Mix 103.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
Welcome back, everyone. Happy summer and happy Father’s Day. Thank you for making us part of your Sunday morning--welcome back to the top 10 songs of our area as of the week ending this third Sunday in June, as we continue the warm weather in the Heartland of America. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of Mix 103 that gives you music and message, “Message at the Top.” Get ready for songs during this segment that give us topics that are as varied as you can get. Our topic today is the question “What does hoping for true love consist of”, a theme we took from the musical project Tame Impala and the song “Dracula.”
A song featured on my website www.frmikescully.com last Friday is a song of total infatuation with a boyfriend. “Something must’ve gone wrong in my brain,” she sings, “Got your chemical all in my veins, feeling all the highs, feeling all the pain. Now I’m seeing red, not thinking straight, blurring all the lines, you intoxicate me, just like nicotine, heroin, morphine. Suddenly, I’m a fiend and you’re all I need. Just one hit of you. I’ll never be the same.” The lady in the relationship is overwhelmed with her feeling of the man. And that is just fine—it is part of the hope of finding true love, our theme today. This is Camila Cabello, “Never Be the Same,” from her album “Camila” from 2017 on MATT.
(double) NEVER BE THE SAME / Camila Cabello
10 THE FATE OF OPHELIA / Taylor Swift
Part 5
At number 10 this morning from Taylor Swift and her album “The Life of a Showgirl,” and the song “The Fate of Ophelia” on MATT. As we have said over the months it has been in the top 10, it cleverly involves a study of one of the plays of William Shakespeare, namely his play “Hamlet” and Hamlet’s once-upon-a-time presumed future wife Ophelia. The play is a tragedy, but the song is a powerful anthem about being rescued from the brink of psychological collapse by an all-consuming lover. He brings about a true resurrection for her. “Late one night,” she sings, “you dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.” It is exactly what is supposed to happen if there is a deep love of each other. As I have said a couple times, perhaps we should learn from Taylor Swift’s song more than Mr. Shakespeare’s play, and be hopeful for true love in our lives, our theme today, so that we can live out those lives in true happiness.
Yet another triple play now, and we will stay with the top 10 this week at number 9. The song is a philosophical thought about dating. Harry Styles said that the song gave him the opportunity to look at his own dating patterns. “Right at home with perfect timing,” he begins his song, “A face that knows her perfect lighting ‘cause time will show that you should try it, those American girls you spend your life with. I’ve known you for ages, it’s all that I’ve heard. My friends are in love with American girls; I’ve seen it in stages all over the world. Her sweet eyes, your temptations don’t deny her frustrations. Just spend your life with those American girls.” He sees that his friends are all getting married as he continues his dating process. In terms of our theme this week, understanding our dating patterns is something absolutely necessary as we hope for true love. This is Harry Styles from his album “Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally,” his song “American Girls” number 9 this morning on MATT.
(triple) 9 AMERICAN GIRLS / Harry Styles
8 GOLDEN / Huntr / X
7 FEVER DREAM / Alex Warren
Part 6
Closing off a triple play of top 10’s, a song new to our countdown at number 7, from his album “Wildchild”, Alex Warren on MATT and a song which refers to his wife according to him. It is a song about love overcoming loneliness. “How did you know I was hoping for a sign,” he sings, “My heart was so close to closing time. Somethin’ ‘bout you hit me like a freight train to the chest the day we met. My loneliness left the room the second that you walked in, somethin’ like a fever dream. Haven’t slept in weeks, I think I’m seeing things like our shadows dancing us out of our clothes. I’ll be damned if you love me, damned if you don’t. Maybe it’s fate, maybe it’s late. Told you I ain’t no liar, watching you leave’s haunting my dreams.” In terms of our theme, he is hoping that the relationship with the lady will be true love.
Before him, we heard number 8 this week and our theme last week, the song which was made the song of the year at the American Music Awards singing about doing what is right, former number 1, “Golden” from three Korean young ladies named Huntr/X. It is from the soundtrack of the best animated feature of this year according to the Academy Awards, “K Pop Demon Hunters” the name of it. It is the theme of the Netflix film that follows them—namely 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. “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.” In terms of our theme this week, the right thing is to look with hope in our lives for true love.
Two triple plays are all set for our listening pleasure during the next half-hour of music and message show, MATT. We will continue with the thought generated by Tame Impala and the music production “Dracula” and discover some further ways of hoping for true love. Get ready during this next segment for music from—in order of appearance, listen to this line-up—Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, Teddy Swims, Train, Olivia Dean and Sombr. May I take you to break with another quote from Albert Einstein: “It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer.” Now, those are words that should direct our behavior and a way to make us live better in life. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103. We’ll be right back.
Good morning, again, everyone. Thank you for joining us this third Sunday of June, the beginning of summer in the Heartland of America, and happy Father’s Day to those of you who qualify for that greeting. We are back for the second hour of “Message at the Top” on Mix 103 which gives you the top 10 popular songs of our area as of this week ending today June 21, 2026. I am your host Fr. Mike and we continue to give you the songs of our show in their raw music—so to speak—but also with their messages, messages that can help our lives be better than they are. Our motto is to enjoy the music, and to listen to the message. And our theme this morning deals with hoping to find true love, a theme that we took from the music project Tame Impala and the song “Dracula.”
As promised, let’s go to the duo Twenty-One Pilots. It is another song on my website—in fact, the next four songs are on my website this week. This one is on Wednesday of this week. And we go back to 2016. Twenty One Pilots is a duo from Columbus, Ohio. “I was told when I get older all my fears would shrink” they sing, “but now I'm insecure and I care what people think. My name's 'Blurry face' and I care what you think. Wish we could turn back time, to the good ol’ days when our mamma sang us to sleep but now we're stressed out. Out of student loans and treehouse homes, we all would take the latter. We used to play pretend, give each other different names; we would build a rocket ship and then we'd fly it far away. Used to dream of outer space but now they're laughing at our face, saying, ‘Wake up, you need to make money.’ ” It is a song of growing up. And as we grow and hope for true love, we have to spend the time necessary to work toward true love, romantic and otherwise. From their album “Blurryface,” this is their song “Stressed Out”, Twenty-One Pilots on MATT.
(triple) STRESSED OUT / Twenty-One Pilots
ROYALS / Lorde
THE DOOR/ Teddy Swims
Part 8
A song on my website on Tuesday, a song about making a serious discovery about the love of someone else, from his album “I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy, part 1,” Teddy Swims and his song “The Door” on MATT. He said of the song that it was a statement of how to save one’s own life and walk out of an abusive relationship. “I took a page out of your favorite book,” he begins his song. “You sold me lies just by the way you look, taught me a language that I’ve never speak. That ain’t for me. You took me higher that I ever flew, too many times, gave you a second chance. I’m just a man. No more thinking’ about you late night, no more runnin’ around with your friends now, done pickin’ up pieces of my soul up off the floor. I said I would die for you, but I can’t take this pain no more. I thought I was willing, but tonight I save my life when I showed you the door. I can’t play this game no more.” In terms of our theme, as we hope for true love of others, we must begin with the ability to see and understand true love when we see it.
Before him, we heard the song featured on my website www.frmikescully.com on Monday of this week from the lady who calls herself Lorde, and her song “Royals” from 2013 from her album “Pure Heroin”. She is New Zealand singer, 29 year old Ella Yerlich O’Connor. In the song, she says in effect that material goods are not as important as romantic love. "I’ve never seen a diamond in the flesh,” she sings. “I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies, and I’m not proud of my address in the torn-up town, no post code envy. But every song’s like gold teeth, Grey goose, ball gowns, trashing’ the hotel room. Let me be your ruler, you can call me Queen Bee, and I'll rule. Let me live that fantasy.” That is, for the lady in the relationship, love is the "buzz" that she craves, more than the "diamonds in the flesh" that she has never seen. As we consider the theme of hoping for true love, one of the ways to do it is to learn that material things are important, but not the most important thing in life.
Continuing the songs featured on my website, today’s song is from the group Train and a song of proposing marriage. “Forever can never be long enough for me,” the man in the relationship sings, “Feel like I’ve had long enough with you, forget the world now, we won’t let them see. But there’s one thing left to do: now that the weight has lifted, love has surely shifted my way. Marry me, today and every day. Marry me. If I ever get the nerve to say ‘hello’ in this cafe, say you will. Together can never be close enough for me. You wear white and I’ll wear out the words ‘I love you.’” As I say, a marriage proposal. The problem with it is that it is all in his mind: he hasn’t got up enough nerve to propose yet. In terms of our theme today, living in your dreams is a nice way to live since it almost always involves happiness, but in order to be happy, we have to do the work, as they say, and discover the true love in your life. This is from the group Train from their album “Save Me San Francisco,” and their song “Marry Me”, 2014, on MATT.
(triple) MARRY ME / Train
6 MAN I NEED / Olivia Dean
4 BACK TO FRIENDS / Sombr
Part 9
The best rock/alternative song of the year according to the American Music Awards, and the first song in the top 10 this morning for Sombr, that is Shane Michael Boose from his album “I Barely Know Her” and his song “Back to Friends” on MATT at number 4. It is a song about the fact that a couple have given themselves completely to each other physically, and now one of them just wants to be friends, and that, he concludes, 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. As I have mentioned, it is unfortunately a common enough experience. In terms of our theme, I believe that one of the evils of society is giving in to too much physical involvement because the physical involvement tends to dominate rather than learning to hope and work for “true love”.
Before him, we heard for the first time in the top 10 this morning from Olivia Dean, and song looking for what I call the virtue which is most needed in any relationship, namely, communication. It comes from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “Man I Need”, number 6 this week, former number 1. “Talk to me,” she begins her song, “looks like we’re making up for lost time; need you to spell it out for me. Don’t be shy, just come be the man I need. Tell me you got something to give. I want it. I kinda like when you call me wonderful, whatever the type of talk it is. Come on then, I gotta know you’re meant to be the man I need. Talk to me. I’d like to think you feel the same way, but I can’t tell with you sometimes. So, let’s get on the same page. Stop making me read between the lines.” So, communication,...and the one thing that we must have to hope for and eventually find “true love”, our theme today.
And once again, we have played our way to a brief pause. In our next segment, get ready for a presentation of birthday wishes as well as the top 3 songs in our land right now. Our quotation for this segment once again comes from Mr. Albert Einstein. It is an equation which he knew a lot about: “If A is a success in life, then A equals x plus y plus z. Work is x; y is play; and z is keeping your mouth shut." Sort of says it all. And a good thing to learn as we hope for true love. Don’t go way. I’m Fr. Mike, and this is the “Message at the Top” music network on Mix 103.
My name is Fr. Mike and this is “Message at the Top” on 100,000 watts of power, today’s best music Mix 103, our only top 10 show that gives you the top 10 as we speak as well as top 10 music of the 2000’s, and even 90’s and 80’s along with all of their messages. The title of our show this morning is the topic of hoping for true love. It comes from the musical project of Australian instrumentalist Kevin Parker called “Tame Impala” and we are considering the song “Dracula.” We continue with the remaining songs of our show with that theme, and we continue to tell you to enjoy the music and listen to the message.
As promised, let’s wish some happy birthdays. Tomorrow is Cyndi Lauper’s birthday when she will be 73 years old. Let’s wish her a happy birthday with one of her excellent songs in my opinion. Her song is about what a person is really like. “Oh, I realize it’s hard to take courage in a world full of people,” she sings. “The darkness inside you can make you feel so small. Show me a smile, then. Don’t be unhappy. I can’t remember when I last saw you laughing. If this world makes you crazy, and you’ve taken all you can bear, you call me up, and I’ll see your true colors shining through. I see your true colors, and that’s why I love you. So, don’t be afraid to let them show. True colors are beautiful, like a rainbow.” In terms of our theme today, finding one’s true colors—their honest lives—is part of finding true love. From Queens in New York City from her album named after the song, from the year 1986, “True Colors”, happy birthday Cyndi Lauper on MATT. Listen to the words.
(triple) TRUE COLORS / Cyndi Lauper
I’M YOURS / Jason Mraz
MYSTICAL MAGICAL / Benson Boone
Part 11
Speaking about “Confidence”, Benson Boone there, from his album “American Heart” and “Mystical Magical” from last year on MATT. Benson Boone will be 24 on Thursday. 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 he must watch being over-confident. In terms of our theme, one needs a certain amount of confidence to be hopeful for true love.
Before him, we wished happy birthday to Jason Mraz with his song “I’m Yours”. He will be 49 years old on Tuesday. It comes from 2009 from his album “We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things”. "Well, you done me and you bet I felt it,” he sings, “I tried to be chill but you’re so hot that I melted. I fell right through the cracks, and I’m trying to get back before the cool done run out. I reckon it’s again my turn to win some or learn some. But I won’t hesitate no more, it cannot wait: I’m yours. Open up your mind and see like me, open up your plans and you’re free; look into your heart and you’ll find love." The person in the song is recovering from a misunderstanding and telling his friend that he is expanding his idea of life, saying that now he has learned some things, and he will give of himself to her. That idea of learning as he is living his life is a good one—and it definitely must occur if someone wants to work toward true love, our theme today.
As usual, we close our show with our top 3 songs. At number 3 is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. The American Music Awards said that he was the Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and his album, namely “I Barely Know Her” was best rock/alternative album of the year. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.” The love that he wants just may come to be, as the video shows, but before it happens, there will have to be some compromise to work things out, not to mention that he has to make a decision of which one to pursue in a relationship. One of the most important decisions that we make in our lives is whether to marry, and who to marry, and a thought to guide us through that is to be hopeful for “true love” in the process. This is Sombr and his song “Homewrecker”, number 3 on MATT.
(double) 3 HOMEWRECKER / Sombr
2 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
Part 12
At number 2 in our countdown, from his album “The Romantic”, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez, and the song “I Just Might” on MATT. The song is one of wanting another to show her love for him by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, good dancing with the person you really love will help a little as one hopes for “true love.”
And the number 1 song for two weeks in a row this week comes from London born Olivia Dean, from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”, her second song in the top 10 for her. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, she certainly hopes that she will be “true love” for him.
Our thought today has revolved around that idea of being hopeful of finding “true love”. My prayer for you and me is that we will find out those things and want to live them. Thank you for your time this first day of summer. I hope the summer is a good one for you. And those of you who are fathers, that the rest of Father’s Day will be good for you. My thanks also to the producers of “Message at the Top,” to the staff here at Mix 103, and to our sponsors, Hays Car and Truck Alignment, my friends at TMP-Marian Junior and Senior High School in Hays, and at Holy Family Elementary School in Hays and Auto World in Hays.
If you have any suggestions for me, or if you want to comment on anything I have said, feel free to write me here at KJLS-FM, Hays, KS 67601 or e-mail me at frmikescully@yahoo.com. My website is www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of this show along with meditations on Gospels, songs and movies. If you are away from your radio, you may want to join us on the web every Sunday morning at 10 am by going to www.hayspost.com and choosing Mix 103. One final thought before we go, again from Mr. Albert Einstein: “Where there is love there is no question." That is one super thought, Mr. Einstein. As you listen to the number 1 song in our land, Olivia Dean’s “So Easy”, may I remind you that you are listening to today’s best music Mix 103, and our advice to you among the other things we have said, is to hold a good thought. From the warm state of West Virginia, through the likewise warm state of Kansas, and Lawrence in particular, to KJLS, 103.3 in Hays and the world, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Be safe, peace to you, and be good!
1 SO EASY / Olivia Dean
June 14, 2026
The Right Thing
Part 1
Good morning, Central Kansas and around the world! Welcome to “Message at the Top” your top 10 show on today’s best music Mix 103.3, and I hope this Sunday of the beautiful month of June is a good one for you. Happy harvest whenever that comes to those of you involved in that line of work. And happy almost Summer since Summer begins next Sunday. You have on your dial this morning a show that gives you the messages of the top 10 of today and yesterday, and, surprisingly enough, with a little bit of help, the songs enable us to see exactly what can help our lives be a bit better than they are already. In fact, that is our intent. I’m Fr. Mike; it’s great to have you with us today. And we have five new songs in the top 10 today.
One of the premier music shows in our world is known as the American Music Awards or AMA. It was begun by television and music personality Dick Clark back in 1973 and who died in 2012. Winners now are determined by a poll of the public who vote through the AMA websites and social media. The show was held this year on May 25. Lots of the artists that occupy are top 10 are honored, and we’ll go through the awards throughout the show today, but I will not mention all of them with the artist or songs—there are too many of them and you can check their website for the complete list.
The winner of this year’s song of the year in the AMA show was the song in our top 10 for a long time by the Korean trio of ladies named Huntr/X. The song was also honored as the Pop Song of the Year, the song “Golden.” Interestingly enough, the artist of the year was BTS, a 7-member Korean group of young men.
As I have mentioned with the song “Golden”, it is the theme of a Netflix film that follows a Korean girls group—Huntrix—who lead double lives facing off against a rival boys band, the Saja boys whose members are secretly demons. The words recall that story. “We’re going up, it’s our moment. You know together we’re glowin, gonna be golden. I’m done hidin’ now, I’m shinin’ like I’m born to be, our time, no fears, no lies, that’s who we’re born to be.” I left out the Korean words, of course. 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.
We tend to do things the same way day after day. We don’t like to disturb those routines, and if we have put into those routines something negative, something wrong, we tend to keep doing the same thing, and therefore make the same mistake. I feel that that happens a lot, and what we have to do is face the fact that we could be doing things wrong, and correct them—as we say here—and be determined to do the right thing. That will be a good thought for us on our special AMA show today. Let’s listen to our songs in light of doing the right thing. To start us off, this is the fictional K-Pop girl group Huntrix from the 2025 animated musical fantasy Netflix film “KPop Demon Hunters” a film inspired by Korean heroines and their song “Golden”, the AMA song of the year, on MATT.
(double) GOLDEN / Huntr/X
MANCHILD / Sabrina Carpenter
Part 2
A song from the AMA album of the year, namely “Man’s Best Friend” by the best female artist of the year, Sabrina Carpenter, and her song “Manchild” on MATT. She begins the song, “You said your phone was broken, just forgot to charge it; Did you just say you’re finished? Didn’t know we started. It’s all just so familiar, what do you call it? Stupid, or is it slow? Maybe it’s useless? But there’s a cuter word for it, I know, Man-child. Why you always come a-running to me? Won’t you let an innocent woman be? Never heard of self-care, half your brain just ain’t there. Man-child, why you always come a-running, taking all my loving from me?” It is a song that is speaking of the immaturity of young adult love, especially men and it is a picture of what can happen when one is only out for fun in a relationship. It is only a selfish relationship and before they can grow into what is right, our theme today, they have to grow away from the selfishness.
Let’s move into our top 10 right now and begin it with a triple play of numbers 10, 9 and 8. At number 10 is a song that has been on our countdown the longest since it has been in the top 10 for a complete year plus. The AMA nominated it for song of the year and its singer for best vocal performance. As I have said, it is a song about the opposite of its title. It is about what is not ordinary in life as 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 description of how to make things right in our world, our theme today—try to make the mundane happenings so special that they become masterpieces. From his album “You’ll Be Alright, Kid” this is Alexander Warren Hughes or simply Alex Warren, and his song “Ordinary”, number 10 on our countdown this week on MATT.
(triple) 10 ORDINARY / Alex Warren
9 DIE ON THIS HILL / Sienna Spiro
8 DROP DEAD / Olivia Rodrigo
Part 3
New to our countdown, the first time we hear from her on our show today, and the lead song from her upcoming album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love” and her song “Drop Dead”, number 8 on our countdown from Olivia Rodrigo. It is a song of desire for a boyfriend that she met on the internet. “One night I was bored in bed,” she sings, “and stalked you on the internet. It’s feminine intuition ‘cause I always had a vision of us standing like this. You’re lookin’ like an angel on the walls of Versailles; the most alive I’ve ever been, but kiss me and I might drop dead. Pisces and a Gemini, but I think we might go really nice together. If you let me stay the night, well, I think I might just have to stay forever.” Therefore a song of hopeful love and again something that feels right at the moment, our theme today.
Before her, another song new to our countdown at number 9 from English singer/songwriter Sienna Spiro from her upcoming album “Visitor” and her song of stubborn love, “Die on the Hill.” She was nominated to be female artist of the year at the AMA show. It is a song of a strained love relationship that the lady of the relationship is remaining in even though she should probably get out of it. “Got me to stay,” she sings, “Said that you need me. Stop—’cause these words don’t have a meaning. No, they don’t, at least not to me. And there’ll be a day I’ll be more creative, a poetic way to say I’m not leaving—to the world, not to your face. I’ll take my pride, stand here for you. No, I’m not blind, just seeing it through. You take my life just for the thrill. I’ll take tonight and die on this hill. I always will.” The right thing for her to do, our theme today, is for her to leave, and she will get hurt, it seems, until she learns that. Tough song.
During our next segment, we will hear messages that continue the thought of doing the right thing from people like Bruno Mars and the duo Twenty-One Pilots. Before we get there, here’s a thought from author Everett M. Dirksen: “Life is not a static thing. The only people who do not change their minds are those in asylums who can't change, and those in cemeteries.” We have to recognize the need to change in life as the right thing to do as we grow. “Message at the Top” and its consideration of the American Music Awards will continue right after these important messages. I’m Fr. Mike inviting you to keep that dial set at Mix 103.3.
It is great to have you back with us. Thank you for joining us this second Sunday of June 2026, as we are thinking especially during our show today of the American Music Awards. I am Fr. Mike, your host for the only top 10 show of Mix 103, “Message at the Top.” Our format involves the top 10 songs of today and the top 10 songs of the past 46 years since 1980. Our motto is to enjoy the music that we play, and to listen to the message because often the message really does help our lives. Our theme today revolves around the American Music Awards’ song of the year “Golden” by Huntr/X.
This next song was sung in part by the AMA country artist of the year and nominated for collaboration song of the year. It is a song about fun without too much of a commitment. “She said ‘You don’t want this heart, boy, it’s already broke’” they sing, “told me everything she touch / just goes up in smoke, only stay a couple nights, then she’s gonna be gone. I said, ‘Baby, that’s what I want. And you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no trust issues with me. I got ‘em too; you ain’t gotta worry ‘bout no exes that’s crazy, I got ‘em too. If you’re in a hurry, nah, you ain’t gonna hurt me tonight and it won’t be the worst thing if this is all it is and in the middle of a kiss.” The couple is only beginning their relationship and it sounds like they are being totally honest with each other, and almost like they expect there to be a breakup. And they are okay with that. It may not be the right thing to do, our theme today, but it is about the beginning of a relationship, and they are discovering what is right. This is Tate McRae singing with AMA country artist of the year Morgan Wallen from Morgan Wallen’s album “I’m the Problem” nominated for the AMA country album of the year, and their song “What I Want” on MATT.
(double) WHAT I WANT / Morgan Wallen & Tate McRae
7 RISK IT ALL / Bruno Mars
Part 5
The third new song to our countdown this morning at number 7, the first of two songs in the top 10 from his album “The Romantic,” his song of true commitment, “Risk It All” on MATT, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez. In the American Music Awards, Bruno Mars was named the best R&B male artist, and the album was named best R&B album. As I say, it is a strong song of commitment. “For just the chance to win your heart, you could set the bar beyond the stars. I’ll do anything, anything you ask me to. Say you want the moon—watch me learn to fly, ain’t no mountain you could point to I wouldn’t climb. It’s crazy, but it’s true. There’s nothing I won’t do. I’d risk it all for you.” If you make the commitment, it is certainly the right thing to do, our theme today, to follow through with it.
Next on our music agenda is a familiar song for these top 10’s from the best male artist of the year and a lady nomimated for best female artist of the year according to the American Music Awards. It is another song of strong commitment to each other. “I just woke up from a dream,” they sing, “Where you and I had to say goodbye; and I don't know what it all means, but since I survived, I realized wherever you go, that's where I'll follow. Nobody's promised tomorrow, so I'ma love you every night like it's the last night. If the world was ending, I'd wanna be next to you. If the party was over and our time on Earth was through, I'd wanna hold you just for a while and die with a smile.” So, as I say, words of strong commitment, but there had been struggles, it seems. They sing, “Lost in the words that we scream, I don't even wanna do this anymore 'cause you already know what you mean to me. And our love's the only war worth fighting for.” Fitting into our theme, if they say it, it is the right thing to do to follow through. This is the number 1 song for the year 2025, in fact on every weekly top 10 chart of the whole year from Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars again and their song “Die with a Smile” on MATT.
(triple) DIE WITH A SMILE / Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars
RIDE / Twenty-One Pilots
6 THE GREAT DIVIDE / Noah Kahan
Part 6
A fourth new song in our top 10 countdown, at number 6 from Noah Kahan and his song of difficulty with life, “The Great Divide” from his album of the same name, on MATT. Noah Kahan is the best Americana/Folk artist of the year according to the AMA, and the song was nominated to be the best song of the summer in that category of the AMA. According to Wikipedia, it is a song about mental health, friendship, distance, and regret, and a particular moment in Kahan’s life when he didn’t help a friend in distress. “I can’t recall the last time that we talked about anything but lookin’ out for cops. You know I think about you all the time and my deep misunderstanding of your life, and how bad it must have been for you back then, and how hard it was to keep it all inside.” The song seems to apologize for his behavior and wish the best for his friend, and that is the right thing for him to do, our theme today.
Before him, we heard the song “Ride” from the AMA Best Rock/Alternative Artist of the Year, Twenty-one Pilots, that is, Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph from their album “Blurryface”, from 2016. It is a song that speaks of life, I believe—that is, trying to live it as best we can, but life is difficult at times. The person in the song is enjoying the ride, taking his/her time living, but it often feels like he/she is falling, that is without direction. During the life, the person thinks about what it means to be a friend of someone, whether he/she would die for the other or not. Then it seems the person in the song feels like he/she is thinking too much, saying “Help me” either to a friend or perhaps even to God. It is a very interesting song, and one that you can spend a lot of time analyzing along with the video. In terms of our theme, finding and being a friend is indeed pursuing the right thing in life, our theme today.
We will continue with the thought generated by Huntr/X and their song “Golden”, a thought called the right thing to do, in a couple of moments. To close off our first hour today, here is a thought from Marcus Aurelius, about 2000 years ago: “The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” Now think about that—an untroubled spirit and knowing things for what they are. Those two thoughts are really important and good principles to be lived, and certainly among the right things we should learn. That man knew what he was talking about / even back then. I’m Fr. Mike for “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.3 as we think especially of the American Music Awards this year. Hey, why not stay right where you are. We’ll be right back.
Thank you for joining us this morning. We are back for the second hour of “Message at the Top” on today’s best music, Mix 103 which gives you the top 10 pop songs of our area as of this week ending today, the second Sunday of June, 2026. We take the top 10’s of today and the past 46 years, put them all together with a theme, and then call our show MATT. Our theme today revolves around the American Music Awards and in particular the song of the year “Golden” by Huntr/X.
Let’s go into our top 5 right now, and another artist nominated for artist of the year in the American Music Awards. The song also was nominated to be song of the summer and is a philosophical thought about dating. Harry Styles said that the song gave him the opportunity to look at his own dating patterns. “Right at home with perfect timing,” he begins his song, “A face that knows her perfect lighting ‘cause time will show that you should try it, those American girls you spend your life with. I’ve known you for ages, it’s all that I’ve heard. My friends are in love with American girls; I’ve seen it in stages all over the world. Her sweet eyes, your temptations don’t deny her frustrations. Just spend your life with those American girls.” He sees that his friends are all getting married as he continues his dating process. In terms of our theme this week, understanding our dating patterns is something absolutely necessary before we make any final commitment. This is Harry Styles from his album “Kiss All the Time, Disco Occasionally,” his song “American Girls” number 5 this morning on MATT.
(triple) 5 AMERICAN GIRLS / Harry Styles
STICK SEASON / Noah Kahan
HO HEY / The Lumineers
Part 8
Nominated for best Americana/Folk artist of the year, the Lumineers on MATT and their song “Ho Hey”from 2005 from their album named after them. They are a rock folk group based in Denver, CO, and their song there speaks of the general need for love. They use the catch words “Ho” and “Hey” throughout and tell a very good story. “I’ve been trying to do it right,” they sing, “I’ve been living a lonely life. So show me family, all the blood that I would bleed. I don’t know where I belong, I don’t know where I went wrong, but I can write a song. I belong to you, you belong with me, you’re my sweetheart. Love, we need it now, let’s hope for some / ‘cause we’re bleeding out.” They are talking about romantic love, it is true, but that’s a great line for all of us—“love, we need it now—let’s hope for some / ‘cause we’re bleeding out.” It leads me to think of some places in which we need love right now, and that is the right thing to do, our theme today.
Before them, we heard the winner of the best Americana/Folk artist of the year, Strafford Vermont-born singer, Noah Kahan for the second time on our show this morning, and this time his song “Stick Season” from 2022 from the album of the same name. It is a song of meaning not only because it treats a problem that should be talked about, but it is a clever song as well. The Vermont singer sings of his State here in the United States. The season is described by him as “a term that refers to the season between Halloween and the first snow. It is a New England expression that describes the time when the leaves have fallen and the trees are bare, before the snow covers the ground. It is also the darkest time of Fall, when the days are short and the nights are long.” It is recognized in Vermont as a lonely time and named “Stick Season”. What he sings about is a topic that must be addressed in everyone’s life, loneliness: “As you promised me that I was more than all the miles combined, you must have had yourself a change of heart like halfway through the drive because your voice trailed off exactly as you passed my exit sign, kept on driving straight and left our future to the right. Now I am stuck between my anger and the blame that I can’t face. And I love Vermont, but it’s the season of the sticks.” In terms of meaning, it’s a song of meaning because of that topic of loneliness. In terms of our theme, it is certainly the right thing to do to work at getting over the loneliness in our lives.
And right away, let’s go to another artist nominated for that category at the American Music Awards—the best Americana/Folk artist—Mumford & Sons. It is a statement about a person’s inability to keep a relationship going. “Weep for yourself, my man” they begin the thoughts of the man in the relationship, “you’ll never be what is in your heart. Weep, little lion man, you’re not as brave as you were at the start. Rate yourself and rake yourself. Take all the courage you have left / wasted on fixing all the problems that you made in your own head. But it was not your fault but mine, and it was your heart on the line. I really messed it up this time, didn’t I, dear?” He is admitting a mistake, and when one is able to do that, it is the right thing to do, our theme today. They are a four-member group formed in London, England in 2007, and their song is “Little Lion Man,” Mumford & Sons, on MATT.
(triple) LITTLE LION MAN / Mumford & Sons
WALK ME HOME / Pink
4 DRACULA / Tame Impala
Part 9
Number 4 in our top 10 right now, the fifth new song on our countdown this morning from Tame Impala, the musical project of Australian instrumentalist Kevin Parker together with South Korean singer Jennie, and their song “Dracula” from the album “Deadbeat.” It is described to be the feeling of a man as a recluse who finds solace in darkness, comparing himself to a vampire. “The morning light is turning blue, the feeling is bizarre,” they begin their song. “The night is almost over, I still don’t know where you are. The shadows, they keep me like a movie star, daylight makes me feel like Dracula. In the end, I hope it’s you and me in the darkness, I would never leave. Run from the sunlight, Dracula.” A little bit difficult to understand, but the idea seems to be the desire to be with another. The right thing to do, our theme today, is to really work at being the romantic partner that you should be. We’ll make it our theme next week.
Before them, we heard the song featured on my website today, www.frmikescully.com from Ms. Alecia Beth Moore Hart better known as Pink and a song from 2019, “Walk Me Home” from her album “Hurts 2B Human”. It is a song that I have looked at as an interesting song with a double meaning. The lady in the relationship is talking of a love relationship that she sees as the “only thing that’s good” as she sings. But she’s also talking about the problems of the world it seems. Her refrain is: “Walk me home in the dead of night. I can’t be alone with all that’s on my mind. So say you’ll stay with me tonight ‘cause there is so much wrong going on outside.” So, the solution for her mind to her situation is him; and she needs him to overcome her loneliness and her despair about what’s happening in the world. My way of looking at it anyway. And overcoming loneliness and despair is the right thing to do, our theme today.
And we have played our way to another brief hiatus. Our final segment will begin in just a few minutes when we will continue songs and artists celebrated by the American Music Awards. Before we go to break, may I quote Thomas Merton, a Catholic mystic: “The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise, we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them.” Let me say that again. Great insight there; one great principle everyone of us should learn. Don’t go way. I’m Fr. Mike, and this is the “Message at the Top” music network.
Hi again, everybody. I am Fr. Mike, and this is “Message at the Top” on Mix 103.3, your top 10 show giving you not only the current top 10 but the top 10 of the 2000’s, and even 90’s and 80’s as well. During our show, our plea to you is to enjoy the music and at the same time listen to the message of the songs so that perhaps the message can help you in your life right now. We are remembering the American Music Awards on our show today, and using the theme of doing the right thing from the AMA song of the year, “Golden,” by Huntr/X.
For our segment 10 presentation today, let’s go back to the last three years of the American Music Awards and play a song from the artist of the year for each of those years. In 2025, the artist of the year was Billie Eilish. Her song here is about falling in love with a person that she wants to "stick together" with. The love to her significant other brings her to tears and begs the lover to never end their relationship. “I want you to stay 'til I'm in the grave”, she begins, “'til I rot away, dead and buried, ‘til I'm in the casket you carry. If you go, I'm goin' too / 'cause it was always you and if I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me. Nothin' left to lose without my baby. Birds of a feather we should stick together. And I don't know what I'm cryin' for; I don't think I could love you more. It might not be long, but I'll love you 'til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘til the day that I die.” The lady in the relationship is truly committed to the other and for her, it is the right way of acting, our theme today. For the commitment to work, of course, it is necessary for him to feel the same way. This is the AMA artist of 2025, Billie Eilish from her album “Hit Me Hard and Soft”, and her song “Birds of a Feather” on MATT.
(triple) BIRDS OF A FEATHER / Billie Eilish
BAD BLOOD / Taylor Swift
DYNAMITE / BTS
Part 11
The American Music Awards artist of the year in 2021 and incidentally in 2026, the seven-member Korean male group BTS, and their song “Dynamite” on MATT. It is the story in song of enjoying life. ‘Cause I’m in the stars tonight,” they begin the song, “So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight. Shoes on, get up in the morn, cup of milk, let’s rock and roll. This is getting heavy; can you hear the bass boom. I’m ready. Life is sweet as honey. Hey, let’s go, shining through the city with a little funk and soul, so I’ma light it up like dynamite.” And he came to celebrate, to have a good time, and that’s great, as long as we don’t hurt ourselves or others in the process. In terms of our theme, it is right and good to have a good time, of course, but without hurting anyone.
The AMA artist of the year in 2022 was Taylor Swift. We played her song “Bad Blood”from 2015 to commemorate her. The song features Kendrick Lamar from Taylor Swift’s album “1989”. “‘Cause, now we got bad blood”, she sings, “You know it used to be mad love. So, take a look what you've done. Hey, now we got problems, and I don't think we can solve them. You made a really deep cut, and, baby, now we got bad blood. Did you have to do this? I was thinking that you could be trusted. Did you have to ruin what was shiny? Now it's all rusted. Did you have to hit me where I'm weak? I couldn't breathe. And rub it in so deep, salt in the wound like you're laughing right at me. Oh, it's so sad to think about the good times, you and I, 'cause, now we got bad blood.” In terms of our theme, to speak about the bad times with someone who can help is the right thing to do.
And we go to the top 3 songs on our chart this morning, all three of them mentioned at the American Music Awards. In those Awards, Bruno Mars was named the best R&B male artist, the song was named the best R&B song and the album was named best R&B. Popular, to say the least. The song is one of wanting another to show her love for him by good dancing. “It would break my heart,” he sings, “if I find out you can’t move. You better show me now ‘cause when I take you to the floor, you gotta get down. Hey, Mr. DJ, play a song for this pretty little lady ‘cause if she dance as good as she look right now, I just might make her my baby.” It is a rather selfish song in the sense that the man is really only thinking of himself, but some general thoughts on dancing might be in order as we think of the song. As usual with him—Bruno Mars—the song has quite a good dance video. In terms of our theme this week, dancing is probably the right thing to do as you prepare to have a permanent relationship. At number 3, finally falling from the number 1 position which he held for nine weeks altogether, the second song in the top 10 for him, from his album “The Romantic”, Bruno Mars, that is Peter Gene Hernandez, at number 3, the song “I Just Might” on MATT.
(double) 3 I JUST MIGHT / Bruno Mars
2 HOMEWRECKER / Sombr
Part 12
Sombr, that is Shane Michael Boose on our countdown this morning, and his song “Homewrecker”, number 2 on MATT. The American Music Awards said that Sombr was the Breakthrough Artist of the Year, and his album, namely “I Barely Know Her” was best rock/alternative album of the year. It is a song of desire for the girlfriend of someone else. “You leave me filled with regret,” he sings, “at the end of the night. I always find myself wondering why. Do you got plans for life? ‘Cause I don’t wanna just romance tonight. I wanna see you in another light—with rhythm, there is rhyme. With you, there always can be I. I don’t wanna talk down on your lover, I don’t wanna be a homewrecker. I just know I can be better, I don’t wanna be a broken record. We lay and contemplate—just one more round of love before you go home to another one.” The love that he wants just may come to be, as the video shows, but before it happens, there will have to be some compromise to work things out, not to mention that he has to make a decision of which one to pursue in a relationship. One of the most important decisions that we make in our lives is whether to marry, and who to marry, and the right thing to do, our theme today, is to spend a significant amount of time deciding.
And the new number 1 song in our countdown this week comes from London born Olivia Dean, from her album “The Art of Loving,” and her song “So Easy”. She and her song received a number of nominations on the AMA show including best new artist and best female pop artist of the year. It is a song of the desire for love of one particular person. “I could be the twist, the one to make you stop,” she begins the song, “The icing on the cake, the cherry on the top. It’s heaven in my heart, and we could find you some space. I could be the world to you, the missing piece, that extra kind of chemistry. Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case ‘cause I make it so easy to fall in love. So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us. I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life. Anyone with a heart would agree: it’s so easy to fall in love with me.” So, a rather straightforward statement to someone looking for love of a particular person. In terms of our theme, it is the right thing to do at that particular time in their relationship.
We have spoken about the American Music Awards today, and their winners and nominees. My prayer for you and me as we think of the AMA song of the year is that we make a practice of always doing the right thing as we know it as given by some particular guide. My thanks to our producers here in the studio, especially Jeff, and a special thanks to our sponsors some of whom are Hays Car and Truck Alignment, Auto World, Holy Family Elementary School and Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High School. If you want to talk to me for any reason whatsoever, my email address is frmikescully@yahoo.com. The address right here is KJLS-FM, Hays, America KS 67601. I invite you to look at my website www.frmikescully.com where you will find a transcript of the show and some meditations on the Gospels, these songs and some really good movies. You can get us on the web every Sunday morning at www.hayspost.com and clicking on Mix 103.3 at 10 am CDT. One final thought before we go. It comes from a friend of mine: “People are less likely to sink your boat if they’re in it with you.” That is, work on being friends with people and knowing how they feel—and be grateful for them. As we listen to the number 1 song from Olivia Dean and her song “So Easy,” may I wish peace to you. Thank you for your time today. From beautiful West Virginia and downtown Lawrence, KS broadcasting into Hays and vicinity and around the world, my name is Fr. Mike Scully. Stay safe, and be good!
1 SO EASY / Olivia Dean