Scott:
Nice little tutorial, but wish you could add a go back feature like my pc has. I stopped doing music in about 1985 period, for about 15 years. Prior to that I could probably do 5000 or more songs from memory. Started up again about 5 years ago, and my memory is blank, I bet there isn't 5 songs I could do correctly.

All the years of collecting, mostly in the young years I could hear them on the radio 1,2,or 3 timnes if they were difficult and memorize them for ever. Later I wrote them down with pencil while listening to tapes or records, and commited them to memory that way. Now I can't seem to memorise them unless I use them often, I'm 68 yrs, and don't think there's anything different about me except what all people my age experience. (I don't know what that means either ).
I noticed also that if you really liked the song, or it touched your life somehow, it was memorized easier. Most of the songs were what I deemed automatic, much like rendering a poem, one line set up the next and usually simple after you get the first two words started. These 2 words are the (draw a blank) embarrassing part. I also learned fast how to improvise and do your own words, usually directed at someone or something going on out in the audience, Most times these were terrific, a few times they really bombed.....LOL

Conclusion I would say learning the lyrics and performing them is a lot like playing the music and performing, once you get to the point your relaxed and know no matter what kind of screwup you might do, you can turn it around and cover it up, and come out sounding great, they're not a problem anymore, alot of guys has done new songs with only hearing it once or twice, and running thru the lyrics just once. If you start reading them from a sheet, you're doomed to eternity to do the same... ...My 2 cents.......Pose