How to Remember Song Lyrics in a Day

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Expert tips to help you memorize song lyrics fast
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We’ve all been there: you’ve got a concert or recital coming up, or you just want to ensure you remember the right words to a song. Not to worry; many proven strategies can help drive the lyrics home so you won’t forget them when the big moment comes. To make it easy for you, we’ve compiled a handy list of memorization techniques for lyrics, from mnemonic devices and word association to simple repetition, with expert tips from vocal pros Tanisha Hall and Amy Chapman. Let’s dive in!

Quick Ways to Memorize Lyrics Fast

  • Listen to the lyrics as much as possible and recite them to yourself, especially before you go to bed and when you wake up.
  • Break the lyrics down into small, easy-to-tackle sections and memorize one chunk at a time. If necessary, break lyrics down into syllables as well.
  • Visualize the lyrics. Research their meaning and find a way to emotionally connect with them. Then, picture a story or movie based on the lyrics in your mind.
Section 1 of 3:

How to Learn Song Lyrics Fast

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  1. Repeat the words over and over to better remember them. It may seem obvious, but one of the best ways you can help drive the lyrics of a song into your memory is through repetition. Print or write out the lyrics and sing them repeatedly. According to Chapman, singing a song many times will improve your memory of it.
    • It can also help to read the lyrics while listening to the song—to connect your visual and auditory memory.
    • Having a printout of the lyrics is also helpful to ensure you aren’t accidentally saying something incorrectly.
  2. Verses can be the trickiest parts of a song to memorize 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. Then, once you know the first line, build on it and learn the verse line by line. [1]
    • For example, once you learn the first line, move on to the second. Then, once you’ve memorized the second line, add the third. Do this until you have an entire verse memorized.
    • This strategy can help you build momentum and get used to the progression of the lyrics, which can help them stick in your mind.
    • Most songs are divided into sections, such as the verses, chorus, and bridge. A song's “start lines” are the first lines of a section of lyrics (like the start line of a verse).
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  3. This can help make the lyrics stick in your mind, just like writing notes in a classroom can help you retain the information. Grab a notebook or a sheet of paper and write out the lyrics repeatedly until you feel like you can remember them. Do this a few times a day (if you can) to really commit the words into your memory! [2]
  4. If you’re trying to memorize the lyrics to a song that’s already been recorded, take advantage of the recording! Play it in the car, while you’re making lunch, or when you’re going for a run. Surround yourself with the song. Chapman confirms that “For most people, listening to [the music] a lot” is a key part of memorization.
  5. “Chunking” a song can make memorizing its lyrics much more manageable! Split it into sections by verse, chorus, and bridge. Then, work on memorizing the chorus first since it’s the most repetitive part of the song. After that, go through the song piece by piece until you feel confident you’ve learned it and can put the whole thing together. [3]
    • Try labeling each section with a header (like “Verse 1,” “Bridge 2,” and so on) on your printout or lyric sheet. You can also color-code each section with markers or highlighters.
  6. The repetition can help you remember the lyrics better. If you need to read along as you sing, that’s totally fine! It can also be a good idea to sing the lyrics before you go to bed and right when you wake up to drive the words into your subconscious; it’ll make them much easier to remember (and maybe even impossible to forget). [4]
  7. Use those sounds to help you remember the words. Rhymes can stick in your memory better than words alone; in fact, learning rhymes is one of the easiest ways to memorize song lyrics in a foreign language because of it. So, if the song lyrics use a lot of rhyme, pay special attention and repeat the rhyming lyrics to help your mind absorb them. [5]
    • Think of the rhyming sounds as signposts that can help guide you through the lyrics. For example, say you’re learning the song “Helpless” from Hamilton .
    • If you can remember the first line of the first verse ends in “spotlight,” it might be easier to remember that the second line ends in “hot night.”
  8. Go slowly, word by word, and divide each into separate syllables. Sound each word and syllable out slowly; taking your time is okay, especially when singing a new song you want to memorize. As you go, really speak clearly and enunciate each syllable! It can help your mind absorb them more effectively. [6]
  9. A mnemonic device is a memory aid; there are many different types, including chunking (mentioned above). For this, we recommend a type of word association. Take a song line—ideally, one you might be struggling with—and think of a silly but memorable phrase in which each word starts with the same letter of that corresponding lyrical line. [7]
    • For example, say you have the line “Blue since the day we parted” (from ABBA’s song “Mamma Mia”).
    • To remember it, you could use a phrase like “Bunnies snack on tiny donuts with pineapple,” where the first letter of each word is the same as the first letter of each word in the song lyric.
    • Alternatively, make an acronym based on the first letter of each line in the song.
  10. Once you know what the song is about, you can understand it better. You can do this by reading the song lyrics and interpreting them as best you can or by looking up the lyrics online to see if the artist has said anything about them (or what inspired them). [8]
    • For example, genius.com has plenty of song lyric listings and artists' notes about the subject matter.
  11. Think about how the lyrics make you feel and what they mean. We tend to remember things that affect us emotionally; music is no exception! When memorizing song lyrics, think about how the words make you react and what emotions you feel as you listen. It may make it easier for you to remember the words. [9]
    • For instance, if you’re trying to remember the lyrics to a song like Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” think about the melancholy and sadness in the music. Can you relate to it? It may help you remember the words.
  12. “Remember that songs are stories,” Hall says. “The words and phrases usually are connected pieces of thought. When I have a hard time remembering lyrics, I look at them from a storytelling perspective. That helps me remember where the story is going next, and the words connect better.”
    • Try visualizing the story told by the lyrics (of love, loss, happy memories, or so on) as you memorize them. Picture a movie of sorts in your head as you go!
  13. As you memorize lyrics, you might discover a certain line or section of the song that keeps getting messed up. Mark any problem areas (on a printout or written-out lyrics) and pay specific attention to them—especially using any of the aforementioned tricks. For example, you could: [10]
    • Write the problem areas on paper repeatedly.
    • Practice problem lyrics before bed and when you get up.
    • Practice singing problem lyrics syllable by syllable until you learn them.
  14. Hall recommends attaching specific movements to different lyrics so you can learn them faster. “Having a movement that matches a particular word or phrase is one of my main go-tos,” she says. You may also recall lyrics better when associating them with muscle movements.
    • Chapman adds that any movement can help while you practice reading and reciting lyrics, even just tapping your foot or walking in the park. “Something about using both sides of your brain helps you remember lyrics better.”
  15. Then, listen to the recording. The goal isn’t to get too critical; just listen for any slip-ups—moments where you mispronounce a word or forget how a line goes. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what you need to work on and what you already know really well. [11]
    • If you need to, record yourself several times so you can track your improvement.
    • If you’re a performer, you may also want to capture yourself singing on film (so you can see any visual areas that need to be improved).
  16. If there’s a karaoke version of the song, use it to your advantage! You'll know you've fully memorized it once you can sing the whole song along to the music (without the recorded voice there to help you). [12]
  17. It might be easier to learn the music first before learning the lyrics of a song. It can be tricky to play an instrument and sing simultaneously; go easy on yourself by taking things one at a time rather than trying to learn both the music and lyrics all at once. After you get the music down (including any chords, rhythms, or melodies you need to know), move on to the lyrics.
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Section 2 of 3:

The Science of Lyrical Memory

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  1. 1
    Lyrical memory is all about how easy it is for people to remember lyrics. And there’s a reason it’s sometimes easier to remember your favorite song's lyrics than what you ate for dinner the week before! It all concerns your brain and its capacity for short and long-term memory. The human brain can encode, store, and retrieve information, but its capacity for short-term memory is generally more limited than long-term memory. [13]
    • Short-term memories are things your brain needs to recall right now—like details of what you need to get done at work or important information for a test.
    • On the other hand, long-term memory is more permanent; your brain can translate some things from short-term to long-term memory.
    • This includes certain song lyrics! The more you hear and practice them, the more your brain can commit them to long-term memory—so you’ll remember them indefinitely.
    • Even if you struggle with remembering lyrics now, there are plenty of ways to improve your memory .
  2. 2
    Motor memory also affects your ability to remember song lyrics. Motor memory (or procedural memory) is the ability to remember things through practice and repetition—like learning to ride a bike or juggle. You might not associate singing with motor memory, but the two go hand in hand; when you sing songs over and over, they become part of your motor memory. [14]
    • That’s why many people can remember old songs from their childhoods so quickly; they sang and danced to those songs so much that the lyrics became part of their long-term and motor memories.
  3. 3
    Rhyme, rhythm, and repetition make things more memorable. The nature of songs also makes them more memorable than, say, a random news article or piece of writing. They often rhyme and have a beat or rhyme; those tend to stick in the brain more easily and give you a better chance of remembering the song itself, especially if you’re constantly exposed to that song. [15]
    • Alliteration is also a helpful memory aid—so songs with alliteration can be easier to remember.
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Section 3 of 3:

Frequently Asked Questions About Memorizing Lyrics

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  1. 1
    What’s the fastest way to memorize song lyrics? Everyone is different—what works for one person might not be as effective for someone else. There’s no definitive “fastest” way, but a lot of singers use mnemonic devices like “chunking” (breaking the song lyrics into smaller, easier-to-learn chunks) to learn lyrics as fast as possible.
  2. 2
    How can you memorize fast rap songs? It can be challenging to memorize complex lyrics, especially when you have to sing quickly, and there’s a lot to get through. It might help to write those lyrics out on paper and then read them slowly. Pick up the speed gradually so you have time to get comfortable with the lyrics!
  3. 3
    How can you memorize song lyrics in a language you don’t know? First, try translating the song into a language you do know. That’ll help you understand what the song is about! Then, work on pronouncing each word (in the original language) syllable by syllable. Try speaking the lyrics plainly first, then work up to singing them.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you remember the melody of a song?
    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
    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.
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  • 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
    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.
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  • Question
    Will it help to write the song lyrics down?
    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.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Tips

      • Try singing the lyrics in a wacky or offbeat way with weird pronunciation and rhythm. It can help make the words stick in your mind.
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      • You could try watching the official video to the song (if there is one) or watch a video where the song is playing in the background. Then listen to it and sing to it on repeat. My favourite song is Way Less Sad by AJR and I watched the official video so many times, resulting in my knowing it by heart. (Highly recommended)
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      References

      1. ↑ https://youtu.be/OSiOX85si9I?t=104
      2. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/
      3. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/memory-and-mnemonic-devices
      4. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/
      5. ↑ https://vocalist.org.uk/learning-lyrics
      6. ↑ https://vocalist.org.uk/learning-lyrics
      7. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/lib/memory-and-mnemonic-devices
      8. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/
      9. ↑ https://primesound.org/memorize-song-lyrics/
      1. ↑ https://vocalist.org.uk/learning-lyrics
      2. ↑ https://primesound.org/memorize-song-lyrics/
      3. ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/enhancing-your-memory/
      4. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/long-term-memory
      5. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/long-term-memory
      6. ↑ https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/why-does-music-aid-in-memorization.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      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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