With ballads, I learn the story first, then listen to it a lot singing along, like on repeat for a 2-hour commute type repeat. Then I write out all the words that I remember. *Then* I look up the real words, and read them while singing along on repeat [not while driving, though]. Then I sing along without the words in front of me. Then I write out the words again. Repeat till when you write out the words, you know all the words.