How to Memorize Song Lyrics

Is there a super-popular song that you love, but you just can't remember the lyrics? Do the words on your karaoke machine move too fast for you to follow along? Maybe you want to sing folksongs around the campfire, but end up singing "la la la" after the first verse of Kumbaya. Whatever your trouble is, here are some tips that will help you impress your friends with your awesome song lyric memorization powers.

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The first thing you're going to want to do is find the CORRECT lyrics to the song you want to memorize. There's nothing more embarrassing than boasting about your knowledge of the lyrics to a song, only to find out that you've been singing it wrong all along. In front of how many people did you belt out "Let's pee in the corner" when singing "Losing My Religion" on karaoke night? It may be cute when a toddler sings "She's got a chicken to ride" along with Beatles' Rock Band, but it sure isn't cute when an adult does.

You can go to an online site for lyrics, but they often contain mistakes. The best way to find accurate lyrics is to go old school and look in the CD liner notes. (I know, nobody buys CDs anymore!) Some artists include digital booklets with music downloads, so you may get lucky that way. You can also check a band's website; some may have a page for song lyrics, at least for their most popular songs.

Failing that, listen to the song obsessively, preferably with headphones on in a quiet room. If you focus, you'll be able to decipher the correct lyrics most of the time (unless you're listening to the Pogues).

Chances are that if you had to resort to writing down the lyrics to a song yourself, you've already got it mostly memorized. The act of repetition will fix the lyrics in your brain. There's no set formula for how many times you have to listen to the song, read the lyrics, or sing along; some people find that a particularly catchy tune will lodge in their head after only a few times. For tricky, fast-paced lyrics or really long songs, read the lyrics while listening and singing along at the same time. Using several senses at once helps ensure that your whole brain is engaged in the task.

A mnemonic is a memory device that helps you remember something else. It is often an acronym or short poem, but sometimes it's a song (like using the alphabet song to remember alphabetical order).

• The rhyme at the end of each line can act as a mnemonic device, helping you to remember the next line.
• If a song tells a story, such as just about any song from Harry Chapin's oeuvre, outline the story in your head to keep the lyrics straight. (E.g., "Cat's in the Cradle": Boy is born; dad travels; chorus; boy turns 10; dad's too busy; chorus; boy in college; turnabout; chorus; dad is retired; boy's too busy; chorus.)

But if all else fails, scrawl some notes on the inside of your arm. What does it matter if you cheat a bit? Singing should be fun, not stressful like a final exam!