I used to wonder how some of the old traditional singers who a collector was recording could remember certain songs perfectly and only fragments of another. One day I realized they're just like us! The singers remembered all the songs on their "A" List, most parts of the songs on their "B" List and only bits and pieces of songs on their "C" List.

On retaining songs: write down a list of all your songs (adding when you remember new old ones) and sit down periodically with the sole purpose of singing only the ones you're starting to forget.

Many singers keep scrapbooks where they written down the words to their songs. Writing helps both in learning and in retaining because you have a reference source for YOUR version. Good luck!

All the best,
Dan