How to Learn Lyrics

Co-authored by Tanisha Hall

Last Updated: September 16, 2022 References

Some people need to learn song lyrics for an upcoming recital while others just want to for fun. Either way, it's nice to know the lyrics of the songs you like so that you can sing them and enjoy them even more. Memorizing lyrics can be a challenging feat, but with a little work, you can make it happen. Get familiar with the songs, test yourself, and analyze the songs in order to learn their lyrics.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Getting Familiar with the Song

1
Listen to the song often. Play the song anywhere and everywhere, including in the car while you're on your way to school or work, on your phone in your bedroom while you're getting ready each day, and wherever else you can.^{[1]
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- It's easier to listen often if you keep digital copies of the song on multiple platforms, including your phone, your laptop, a CD, a MP3 player, and a thumb drive.^{[2]
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- Listening is great for learning the lyrics, whether or not the words are in your native language.
2
Write the lyrics down. Look up the lyrics online and then print them out. Copy all of the lyrics by writing them down on a sheet of paper while using the printed lyrics as a reference. Copy the lyrics over and over again. You can do this in a quiet place while fully concentrated or while doing a laid back activity such as watching TV.
- If you'd rather type the lyrics out, you can do that as an alternative. It'll have the same effect as writing.
- You can also test yourself by writing down all of the song lyrics without having the printed lyrics nearby.
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3
Sing the lyrics right before getting a full night's rest. In order to memorize anything effectively, you need to be well-rested. Study after study has linked lack of sleep to forgetfulness as well as hindered learning and thinking. Focus on the lyrics throughout the day and sing the song through a few times before going to bed so that it's fresh in your mind.^{[3]
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- Sleep for either 7-9 hours if you're an adult or 8-10 hours if you're a child or teen to ensure a properly functioning memory.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Testing Yourself

1
Sing along to the instrumental version. Get a copy of both the original, complete song as well as the instrumental version. Sing along to the original song and then immediately afterward, sing along to the instrumental version. This will be much more challenging because you'll have no help from the singer on the original track. You'll be on your own if you forget details such as how to start the next verse or how the song ends.
2
Memorize one line at a time. Study just the first line of the song and then sing it out loud without the lyrics in front of you. Then study the second line and sing both line 1 and 2 without the lyrics in front of you. Continue memorizing this way until you can sing the entire song without looking.^{[5]
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- If the song isn't in your native language, make sure that you're getting the pronunciation right as you memorize so that you don't memorize the words incorrectly.
3
Read and then say the lyrics out loud by section. Print out the song's lyrics and then read a section out loud. Then flip the page over and try to recite the entire section again. Do this for all sections of the song over and over until you can recite everything. You should eventually be able to speak the entire song out loud with the sheet of paper turned over.^{[6]
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4
Run through the song in your head. Without any music to listen to or printed lyrics to read, try to sing the entire song in your head. If you get stuck, quickly glance at the printed lyrics and find the spot that you're stuck at. Then flip the lyrics back over and continue running through the song in your head. Repeat this process until you can get through the entire song without looking at the printed lyrics.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Analyzing and Connecting to the Song

1
Visualize the lyrics as you read through them. As you read through or listen to the song, imagine yourself in different scenes doing everything the lyrics are saying. This will help you to remember the lyrics because you can visualize what's happening in the song and what will happen next.
- For example, if one of the lines in the song is, “let's go party, it's Saturday night,” you might picture yourself in your bedroom on the weekend with some fun music on, picking out a snazzy outfit, getting ready to go out.
2
Try to find out what the lyrics mean. Just like with any artistic form, meaning isn't always obvious. While you're reading or listening to the lyrics, really focus on what the writer is trying to communicate and what exactly is going on in the story that's being told. Memorization is a lot easier when you're learning something with meaning that is a part of a whole rather than just a bunch of empty, random words.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Tanisha Hall
Vocal Coach
Expert Interview. 27 March 2020.}
- If you can't figure it out, you can always look up the song's meaning online.^{[9]
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- For example, in “The Scientist” by Coldplay, there's a section that reads: “Questions of science / Science and progress / Do not speak as loud as my heart. / Tell me you love me / Come back and haunt me / Oh, and I rush to the start.” ^{[10]
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  Research source} While studying just these lines, you could come to the conclusion that in this song, the narrator may have made a mistake in a romantic relationship, can't focus on their work because of it, and wants to go back and handle the situation differently.^{[11]
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3
Try to relate to the song emotionally. Similar to other art forms, songs usually express some emotion. As you listen to the song or read over the lyrics, try to pick out the emotions that are being expressed and connect with them by letting yourself experience those emotions while singing the words.^{[12]
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- If singing a song about breaking up, for example, you might hone in on the loneliness and sorrow you would feel if the song was about you.
- If singing a song about standing your ground when someone is hurtful, you might imagine yourself in a powerful, determined state.
4
Translate the song if it's in a foreign language. It's even harder to know what you're singing about and learn song lyrics when the song isn't sung in your native language. Look up a translation of the song online and read through it in your own language so that you can better understand what it's about.
- You can even copy down the translated version if that helps you remember what each part of the song is saying.^{[13]
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- Try using a music translation app such as Musixmatch Lyrics Finder.^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if I don't know the name of the song?

Community Answer

Search a few lines of the lyrics along with the artist's name in Google. Or, next time you hear the song, try using Shazam or asking Siri.
Question

What if it's a rap song?

Community Answer

Try slowly learning each lyric. Once you know the whole verse try putting it together slowly, then slowly going faster. The key here is patience and persistence.
Question

What if it's in a different language?

Community Answer

Just listen to the song over and over again, and try to mimic the accent of the singer. Find the lyrics and look at them and practice.