We’ve all been there: you’ve got a concert, a recital, or you just want to make sure you remember the right words to a song. Not to worry. There are actually a bunch of proven and useful strategies you can use to help drive the lyrics home so you won’t forget them when the big moment comes. To make it easy for you, we’ve put together a handy list of things you can do to help memorize lyrics.

1

Use the start lines to help remember the verse.

  1. The verses are often the trickiest parts to memorize. The start lines are the first lines of a section of lyrics. Most songs are broken down into sections such as verse, chorus, and bridge. The verses are usually the toughest to remember because they’re only repeated once (as opposed to a chorus which is often repeated throughout the song). Focus on remembering how each verse starts and it can help you remember the rest of the words that follow.[1]
    • This is especially helpful for longer songs with lots of verses. Use the first lines to help trigger your memory.
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2

Try to form an emotional connection.

Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    How do you remember the melody of a song?
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association.
    Amy Chapman, MA
    Singing Coach
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Everybody has their own tricks for memorizing music quickly. For most people, it is listening to it a lot, and singing through it many times. But not only that: be active while you're doing it. Say you're walking at a park, you're just taking a walk, and listening to the music. Something about using both sides of your brain helps you remember it better. So if you're doing something else while memorizing, it can help with retention.
  • Question
    I have a callback today and only know half the song I have to sing. How do I quickly memorize the other half?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Listen to the song over and over and over again. Start to sing it. Take 15 to 20 minutes to do something else, something like taking a shower or drawing. You will most likely start humming or singing the song, because by that time it will be stuck in you head. Keep listening/singing to the song. On your way to the callback, keep listening to the song. If you aren't driving and don't get carsick, read the lyrics to yourself. Also, make sure not to strain your voice.
  • Question
    Will it help to write the song lyrics down?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Certainly! Many people find that writing something down (including song lyrics) helps them remember it later on. They find that it also helps them learn faster.
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About This Article

Amy Chapman, MA
Co-authored by:
Singing Coach
This article was co-authored by Amy Chapman, MA. Amy Chapman MA, CCC-SLP is a vocal therapist and singing voice specialist. Amy is a licensed and board certified speech & language pathologist who has dedicated her career to helping professionals improve and optimize their voice. Amy has lectured on voice optimization, speech, vocal health, and voice rehabilitation at universities across California, including UCLA, USC, Chapman University, Cal Poly Pomona, CSUF, CSULA. Amy is trained in Lee Silverman Voice Therapy, Estill, LMRVT, and is a part of the American Speech and Hearing Association. This article has been viewed 689,260 times.
12 votes - 79%
Co-authors: 107
Updated: August 10, 2021
Views: 689,260
Categories: Featured Articles | Songs | Lyrics
Article SummaryX

The best way to memorize the lyrics of a song is by listening to it as often as possible, and practice singing along to it. Once you feel comfortable, try reciting the song as if it were a poem without any music accompanying it. If you’re having trouble remembering the order of the lyrics, look them up online and do some research into the meaning behind the words. Write the lyrics out without listening to the music to test how much you’ve memorized! For tips on finding your learning style and using your strengths to memorize lyrics, read on!

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