Did you ever listen to an Elton John song and think, “Wow, I wish I understood what he was singing about?”

If so, that may be because, according to a new study, the lyrics to the Rocket Man’s songs are among the most sophisticated of all British music stars.

The study, conducted by British tabloid The Mirror, reportedly used algorithms designed to measure the difficulty of school textbooks to analyze song lyrics by a wide range of acts, including The Beatles, David Bowie, Queen, Rod Stewart, The Who, Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac.

The study found that it requires 9.3 years of education to fully understand the words to Elton’s tunes.  It should be noted the lyrics to John’s songs aren’t written by Elton himself, but by his songwriting partners, including his frequent collaborator, Bernie Taupin.

The only British act with lyrics more sophisticated than John’s, says the newspaper, is ’80s New Wave act Depeche Mode, whose lyrics require 10.3 years of education to understand.  Also finishing in the top 10 of the tally are Dire Straits, Bowie, Stewart, Queen and Def Leppard.

On the other side of the spectrum, the study wasn’t too kind to Led Zeppelin. The band’s old blues lyrics, euphemisms for sex and references to mythical beings were deemed the least sophisticated of all the artists studied, notching an average readability score of only 4.4.

They shouldn’t feel too bad, though — The Beatles, The Who, Jethro Tull, Fleetwood Mac and Paul McCartney as a solo artist also are listed among the 10 acts with the least sophisticated lyrics.

Here are the top 10 acts with the most sophisticated lyrics:

Depeche Mode — 10.3
Elton John — 9.3
Dire Straits — 9.2
The Pet Shop Boys — 9.1
David Bowie — 8.7
Rod Stewart — 8.7
Robbie Williams — 8.6
UB40 — 8.5
Queen — 8.5
Def Leppard — 8.5

And here are the top 10 acts with the least sophisticated lyrics:

Led Zeppelin — 4.4
The Who — 5.3
The Smiths — 5.5
The Beatles — 5.7
Jethro Tull — 6.1
Joy Division — 6.5
Fleetwood Mac — 6.5
The XX — 6.7
Paul McCartney (solo) — 6.7
Coldplay — 6.9

From Toys in the Attic to toys under the Christmas tree! Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry has released his first holiday record, a four-song EP titled, appropriately, Joe Perry’s Merry Christmas.

The collection features instrumental renditions of the yuletide standards “White Christmas” and “Silent Night,” as well as the rock legend’s versions of Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph” and Elvis Presley’s “Santa Claus Is Back in Town.”

“Run Run Rudolph” features some rhythm guitar work by Joe’s pal, actor Johnny Depp.  The EP can be purchased on CD for $4.99 — shipping not included — at UnisonMusic.com, and digitally for $3.99 at iTunes.

“I have wanted to do a Christmas CD with Aerosmith for years, but it seems we never have the time to record one,” Perry says in a statement, adding that he finally was able to do the recording as a solo project after he finished his book tour promoting his recently published memoir Rocks.

“The timing was right — we were in L.A. with access to a studio with some really talented friends and it all fell together,” he explains.

Perry says he chose to record “Run Run Rudolph” and “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” because they’re “two of my favorite holiday songs.”

As for how he and his family celebrate Christmas, Joe says they usually have a brunch in front of the fireplace, then open up their stockings.

He adds, “We take our time opening gifts and do not rip through them, making the day last as long as possible.  We usually eat appetizers Christmas Day because we normally have a big Christmas Eve dinner, although it varies from year to year.  We usually end up watching Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story with our family later in the day.”

Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – New Zealand prosecutors are now giving details on who it was AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd allegedly wanted killed.

Prosecutors released a one-page “summary of facts” today that states in September Rudd called a man who had worked for him for three years and threatened to kill him and his daughter.

They say Rudd first called a business associate and talked about “what he wanted done to the man.”

Rudd had told police he didn’t make the alleged phone calls and had not threatened to kill anyone.

He’s also charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Meanwhile, Rudd got in a fight with a witness in his case yesterday and appeared in court over that, but he won’t face charges.

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Foreigner will release a new live album this month that celebrates the band’s classic 1981 album 4.

The Best of Foreigner 4 & More, which hits stores on December 16, was recorded in high-definition at two shows that the group’s current lineup played in early October in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The album offers live renditions of seven of the 10 tunes featured on the 4 track list, including “Urgent,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” “Juke Box Hero” and “Break It Up.”

The record also boasts concert performances of major hits such as “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” which appeared on other Foreigner albums.

“Our music has touched a lot of people worldwide and we’ve unwittingly weaved our music into the fabric of people’s lives,” says the band’s founding lead guitarist and main songwriter, Mick Jones.

Adds longtime bass player Jeff Pilson, “Great songs, great performances and great production are timeless.  4 has all three in spades…Bringing the album to life on stage with the energy and passion the band has always maintained, made us very happy.”

Current Foreigner frontman Kelly Hansen, meanwhile, notes that the new album includes “some tracks that were never previously performed live in this format.”

You can listen to the new live version of “Juke Box Hero” from the album now at USAToday.com.

4 spent a total of 10 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart during 1981 and ’82, and has gone on to sell more than 6 million copies in the U.S.

Here’s the full track list of The Best of Foreigner 4 & More:

“Night Life”
“Woman in Black”
“Urgent”
“Waiting for a Girl Like You”
“Break It Up”
“Girl on the Moon”
“Say You Will”
“Feels Like the First Time”
“Cold as Ice”
“Hot Blooded”
“I Want to Know What Love Is”
“Juke Box Hero”

Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

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More trouble for AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd on Thursday. Rudd, who faces charges of threatening to kill, and possessing methamphetamine and marijuana, was detained by New Zealand police after he had contact with a witness in his case.

Outside court, his lawyer explained, “It was a meeting with somebody he wasn’t meant to associate with in a shop. It was a chance meeting and then there was contact from that,” New Zealand Media and Entertainment reports.

Rudd, 60, was released on bail without facing additional charges. As an additional condition of his bail, he’s barred from consuming illegal drugs.

Rudd has pleaded not guilty to the charges he currently faces.

Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

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NEW YORK (AP) – Mick Jagger and his son will work on a new HBO series about the 1970s music scene in New York.

James Jagger will play the singer of a fictional punk band called Nasty Bits.

Mick Jagger and Martin Scorsese will be the executive producers.

Writer Terence Winter of “Boardwalk Empire” will write the story.

HBO has not set a date when the series will air.

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WASHINGTON (AP) – Eddie Van Halen will explain what it’s like to be American.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History says Van Halen will headline an event there in February, although it did not give details.

It’s part of the Smithsonian’s “What It Means To Be American” initiative with public figures, scholars and ordinary Americans.

Van Halen moved to the U.S. from the Netherlands when he was 7.

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TAURANGA, New Zealand (AP) – The lawyer for AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf in a New Zealand court.

Rudd is accused of threatening to kill and of drug possession.

The judge says Rudd’s case will likely be decided by a judge, rather than a jury, sometime next year.

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