Hi Skarpi--
I've been a bit of a stranger here lately, too, so it's nice to touch back in and see that you've been for a visit.

To learn words -- which gets harder and harder with each passing year -- I listen and sing and sing and sing along with the CD as I'm driving to work. But to really memorize them, I follow the Art Thieme method of writing them out by hand and doing it until I have them perfectly. If I rely on singing along with the CD only, it doesn't really make the words lodge in my brain. Somehow the act of moving my pencil across paper seems to scratch the words on my mind and when I'm up there singing, I have this muscle memory of writing the words down, which helps me bring them back.

Also seeing the story of the song like a movie in your mind helps. This is why I always end up closing my eyes while I sing - which may limit my connection with the audience, but increases my connection to the song. Which, ultimately, connects me with the audience more.

Hope this helps--
WyoWoman