Memorizing lyrics to songs can be challenging. Especially if the song has a lot of words with little time to think about them. Most songs are written with a pattern. Figuring out the pattern is what you want to start with. Memorizing songs can fall in some of these basic categories.

1. Write the words down yourself first. This is a good beginning for getting your brain ready for memorizing. Writing one paragraph at a time and memorizing it will keep you from looking at the rest of the song and feeling overwhelmed. A lot of songs usually only have 3 or 4 lines in a verse.

2. Sometimes lyrics will rhyme with each other. "Are you the kind, Are you a find. "Kind and Find are key words to memorize.

3. If the lyrics don't rhyme. Then look for the story in the song. Example( boy meets girl boy loves girl, boy breaks up with girl and so on.) Memorizing the story can be very helpful tool.

4. When writing out a song their may be four chorus parts repeating themselves. Don't write out each chorus because you want every word on the paper. It's may be exactly true to form of the song. But ends up looking long and confusing. Instead write out the first chorus. Then write chorus 2 on the next, chorus 3 after that and so on. This holds true for all parts (verses, bridges, solos,) of the song. If a line repeats itself put a 2 after the line.

This also gives the brain the impression it doesn't have as much to memorize. As shown on the example below.

Give Me One Reason                        Give Me One Reason

                                                                                                                        Band 2 times around

Verse                                                         Verse 1

        Give me one reason to stay here                    Give me one reason to stay here

                  And I'll turn right back around                          And I'll turn right back around -2 times

              Give me one reason to stay here                     Cause I don't want to see you lonely

               And I'll turn right back around                         You gotta make me change my mind

                                          Cause I don't want to see you lonely

                                         You gotta make me change my mind                                  Verse 2

                                                                                                                Baby I got your number

             Verse                                                             I know that you've got mine -2 times

                                                                                                              You can call me baby    

                                         Baby I got your number                                     "     "     " anytime

                                         I know that you've got mine

                                                                                                                                Solo

                                        Baby I've got your number                                                Verse 3

        I know that you've got mine                             I don't want no one to squeeze me

           You can call me baby                                      They may take away my life -2 times

     You can call me anytime                                   I just want someone to hold me

                                                                        And rock me through the night

                                                    Verse

                                          I don't want no one to squeeze me                 Verse 4

         They may take away my life                             This youthful heart can love you

               I don't want no one to squeeze me                   And give you what you need- 2 time

              They may take away my life                            Cause I'm to old to go messing round

                                        I just want someone to hold me                        wasting my precious energy

                                        Oh and Rock me through the night

                                                        Repeat Verse 1

                                                                                        Verse Last 2 lines - I told you that I loved yo

 This youthful heart can love you                    And there ain't no more to say

                                        And give you what you need

                                        This youthful heart can love you

                                        And give you what you need                              Band 2 times around and out

                                        But I'm to old to go messing around

Wasting my precious energy

                                        Verse

Give me one reason to stay here

And I'll turn right back around

Give me one reason to stay here

And I'll turn right back around

I told you that I loved you

And there ain't no more to say

The key is to simplify the song as much as possible. The example on the right shows when the band queues the singer in. Where the solo is and cuts off any repeating lines. The example on the left only gives all the words to the song.

5. Know how many times a band will go around before you start singing a verse. (usually 2 to 4 times around) Write it down you may not remember the night you practice with your band. Also write down if a bridge or solo are coming up. Don't count on anyone to remember it for you. Because they may not.

6. The music playing can give a singer hints of what line is coming next. It could be a drum roll or guitar tone but this technique comes with practicing with your band.

I hope these ideas help in memorizing songs for you. They sure helped me. Have fun......