Great suggestion; but I'm afraid it would be an exercise in futility. Since I don't know nearly enough about music to analyze it, I leave that to the experts here. Lyrics are more my thing; and unfortunately, one of our resident analysts once told me that it's hard to gauge anything from just the lyrics. He said that Jon and Richie have written together for so long, and use the same phrases so much, that what one writes bleeds over into the other, and you can't really pin anything down that way (or words to that effect).

I hope that was a joke, too; because that’s the funniest thing I’ve read all day!

But as you say, there’s usually a kernel of truth... So just in case you really are concerned that the only reason I've cared enough to keep up with this cluster**** for 5-1/2 years is because I think Richie's "hot or… whatever", you can put that puppy to rest right now. That’s not even one of the reasons, much less the only one. I do think Richie’s better looking than Jon, so there's your "truth"; but I quit letting a man or his looks drive my decisions a good 30 or 40 years ago. The only reason I responded to sweetmisery the way I did was because people were starting to get nasty with each other; and I hate it when that happens. So I tried to lighten the mood a little.

There now, I hope that helps to ease your worried mind.

BTW, here's a bit of advice for future reference: It's a good thing that you were worried that I only care because I think Richie’s hot. If you had dared to suggest that it was because I was hot for Jon… oh my! Girl, there are people here who would crawl all over your ass for entertaining such a "sexist, misogynistic" thought (which apparently is only sexist or misogynistic if it's Jon who is being objectified). So, if I were you, I’d think twice before throwing an accusation like that at one of the Jon girls. Just sayin’…