Mostly stop thinking about it -- the song should be more or less on "automatic." There are songs I do ("Bottle of the Best" f'rinstance) that I don't dare think about (except to make sure I don't cross thread the second verse and the final one). But, lord knows, we've all done it -- I put together a tape once (Great Bay Company -- Warts and All") of most of our musical circle, usually at parties and such, but some performances, where each and every one of us has at least one "oh shit" verse. (Actually, that's a good thing to avoid saying if you're on stage ;-) Other times something distracts you and it's gone. Sigh.

Sometimes you can recover and just do another bridge between verses and give yourself time for it to come back. Sometimes it's just gone and you can wrap it up with the chorus or something and do something else. Most of the time if you miss a verse, no one notices if you don't point it out. (Sad, but true. Though if you sing in a loud environment -- like The Press Room in Portsmouth, NH) anyone further away than the other side of the table probably can't hear you anyway.)

Or fake the words (or just mumble) to get to the part you DO remember -- nobody will notice.

The main thing is to have fun singing -- and everyone else will, too. Don't panic! (And always know where your towel's at.)

Linn