You probably have a love/hate relationship with social media. At times, you feel your can’t live with it or without. That’s the scene for Taylor Leonhardt’s song Happy or Whatever. That’s this week’s Top Song on the MEL. The rest of the most played songs on the MEL is below and includes Ellie Holcomb, Toby Mac/Sheryl Crow, Kurtis Hoppie, Da T.R.U.T.H. and Mat Kearney.
In Happy or Whatever, Leonhardt examines the pressures of social media, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and the jealousy game we play that buys the lie that everybody else is so much happier than you are.
I’m on the other side of the glass / Lookin at the life they have / Ain’t it so much better / It’s always easier to believe / It’s easy for them to be / Happy or whatever
From Happy or Whatever by Taylor Leonhardt
The song really cuts to the emotional bone. You can feel her heart crushing beneath the weight of all the posts that dogpile you with everybody else’s accolades and exceptional performance. Leonhardt wonders why she is the villian in all this.
I’m feeling all alone / My sister moved back home /All she talks about now is her brand new job / And her fancy MBA, her lawyer fiancé / I’m the jerk for wishing she would just die
From Happy or Whatever by Taylor Leonhardt
Okay, the lyric doesn’t say ‘die’. It says stop, but it might as well, since that’s the heart of it.
The song does have a happy or whatever ending. It is better to look within and reflect on how God has done his good work through you. Comparing yourself to others puts your promises in idols and envy.
Throughout the rest of the new album Hold Still, Leonhardt recalls the slow steady faithful work of the Lord beneath the surface who is working everything toward what truly is good.
Cause under all the snow is something green / hiding in the winter is a spring / I know it will take the barren field of heartbreak / a little time for a new rain to fall / I will not hang my head / His banner is over me / He said I am his poetry / He won’t waste a word /I’m gonna wait / wait on the Lord
From Poetry by Taylor Leonhardt
Here’s a live performance of the song. Top Songs on the MEL is below the video.
| 1 | Taylor Leonhardt | Happy or Whatever |
| 2 | Ellie Holcomb | Color |
| 3 | Switch | Better View |
| 4 | Toby Mac | Promised Land w/Sheryl Crow |
| 5 | Kurtis Hoppie | Rooftops |
| 6 | Matthew Parker | Roses |
| 7 | Peabod | Favorite Part |
| 8 | Da T.R.U.T.H. | NEVER FAIL REMIX (feat. Greg Cox) |
| 9 | Hulvey | Came For Me w/Antoine Bradford |
| 10 | Mat Kearney | Save Me |
| 11 | Ben Rector | Supernatural (with Dave Koz) |
| 12 | Lecrae | Holupwait |
| 13 | Sara Groves | Remains of the Day |
| 14 | The Arcadian Wild | Fall:War |
| 15 | Twenty One Pilots | Formidable |
| 16 | Lovkn | Greater Is He |
| 17 | Sarah Reeves | Years |
| 18 | Judah & the Lion | Find Another Reason Why |
| 19 | nobigdyl. | What A Day |
| 20 | Sara Groves | Nothing |
| 21 | Yam Haus | Body Goes |
| 22 | Half-Alive | What’s Wrong |
| 23 | For King & Country | For God is With Us |
| 24 | Lecrae | Wildin w/ 1K Phew |
| 25 | Judah | He Is Good |
| 26 | Soulbox | Faith |
| 27 | Trip Lee | Supernatural |
| 28 | Terrian | Wake Up |
| 29 | Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors | Without A Light |
| 30 | Riley Clemons | Headspace |
| 31 | Matthew Parker | Signal |
| 32 | Alex Delzer | HALLELU |
| 33 | Mat Kearney | Odds |
| 34 | Judah | i love you w/Dante Bowe |
| 35 | Latham Warlick | My Way w/ Tyler Hubbard |
| 36 | Thi’sl | Strange Things |
| 37 | Hulvey | Crack The Tomb |
| 38 | ohsobrkn | Lightning Fast |
| 39 | Colony House | Natural |
| 40 | Hollyn | Opinions |
| 41 | Andy Mineo | Working On It |
| 42 | Taylor Leonhardt | Mother’s Daughter |
| 43 | The Arcadian Wild | Winter: Will |
| 44 | Hollyn | Mood Swings |
| 45 | Leon | Believe In Me |
| 46 | Elizabeth King | Living In The Last Days |
| 47 | Matthew Parker | Burn Like Embers Re-ignited |
| 48 | Soulbox | New Me |
| 49 | Alex Delzer | Dear God |
| 50 | Twenty One Pilots | The Outside |
| 51 | Shoshana Bohlen | Cullen |
| 52 | Yam Haus | Give Me The Keys |
| 53 | Doe | So Good |
| 54 | Bethany Bernard | Call You Blessed |
| 55 | Jonathan Traylor | Hope |
| 56 | Chris Howland | Sweet Somehow |
| 57 | Ross King | Villain |
| 58 | SVRCINA (Sur-Cee-Nah) | Cycles |
| 59 | Sara Groves | Telltale Heart |
| 60 | Natalie Bergman | Shine Your Light On Me |
| 61 | Latham Warlick | Way Out Here |
| 62 | NEEDTOBREATHE | What I’m Here For |
| 63 | Futures | Hills & Horizons |
| 64 | Taylor Leonhardt | The Bridge |
| 65 | Relient K | Who I Am Hates Who I’ve Been |
| 66 | Natalie Bergman | You’ve Got A Friend In Jesus |
| 67 | Johnathan McReynold | Movin’ On |
| 68 | For King & Country | Relate (R3HAB mix) |
| 69 | Hulvey | Cold Nights |
| 70 | Judah | Hallelujah’s Song (Psalm 103) |
| 71 | Gray Havens | It’s Possible |
| 72 | Judah | Just Because |
| 73 | Courtnie Ramirez | Life is Good |
| 74 | Tedashii | Lights In the City |
| 75 | Mat Kearney | Powerless |
| 76 | Futures | Simple |
| 77 | Yam Haus | Sir Duke |
| 78 | All Creatures | wonder working |
| 79 | Mike Donehey | All Together |
| 80 | Colony House | Automatic |
| 81 | Thi’sl | By Your Power |
| 82 | NEEDTOBREATHE | Carry Me (feat. John Foreman) |
| 83 | Marcus Rogers | Child of the King |
| 84 | Blanca | Even At My Worst |
| 85 | NEEDTOBREATHE | I Wanna Remember (w/ Carrie Underwood) |
| 86 | Dante Bowe | Joyful |
| 87 | Royce Lovett | Keep Moving |
| 88 | 116 | La Fiesta (Remix) |
| 89 | Phil J | Love Your Neighbor |
| 90 | Andy Mineo | Momma Taught Me |
| 91 | Royce Lovett | Out Of My Head |
| 92 | Twenty One Pilots | Saturday |
| 93 | Russ Parrish | Skin & Bone |
| 94 | Phil J | Spotlight |
| 95 | NEEDTOBREATHE | Sunshine |
| 96 | Ellie Holcomb, Bear Rinehart | Sweet Ever After |
| 97 | Crowder | Sweet Jesus |
| 98 | Hulvey, Andy Mineo | We Against the World |
| 99 | Edison Glass | Y Were U Hiding? |
| 100 | Trip Lee | You Got It |
