Lyric-Challenged

A song came on the radio the other day that I had not heard in a very long while: For a Dancer by Jackson Browne.

 I sang every word.

I am often surprised at how I can still remember the words to every song off of every album I have ever owned. It makes me believe that my brain is still adequately functional despite my middle age. But I am equally surprised that for as much as I listen to pop music, unless it’s a Taylor Swift or John Mayer or Maroon 5 song—all songs that do not interject rap—I cannot completely memorize and sing the words.

And this was brought to light this morning as I drove home from the train station. The song Wild Ones was playing on the radio. I knew all the lyrics sung by Sia: Hey I heard you were a wild one… Oooh… If I took you home it'd be a home run ….But as soon as Flo Rida chimed in, I started mumbling—I could only pick out phrases here and there. And only when the refrain went back to Sia, could I resume my little private sing-a-long.

I have to wonder if my lyric-retention issue is investment-related. Maybe I just do not care to take the time learning the words and repeating them---like memorizing and reciting Shakespeare—which was another thing I had difficulty with. Or maybe the stumbling block is the speed of the rapping—I cannot physically get my brain and mouth to move that quickly—like a skilled auctioneer.

But maybe it’s not so bad after all. Twenty years from now I will at least still be able to sing She Will be Loved by Adam Levine—and better yet I will remember how hot he looked in the video. And I’d trade remembering Adam’s sexy leer over remembering Flo Rida’s lyrics any day.