How to Learn a Song
Learn the text. Read, study, and memorize the text of the song.
Learn the vocal line. Learn the rhythms and pitches (in that order) and vocalize the melody on each of the five pure vowels: in this order [a], [i], [u], [e], [o]. Conduct yourself, feeling the rhythm of the melody in your physical movement.
Learn the rhythm of the text. Speak the text in the rhythm of the music.
Learn the relationship of vowel progression through the melody. Vocalize the melody on the vowels of the text only in an unbroken legato.
Combine text, rhythm, and pitch. Sing the vocal line as written with correct text, rhythm, and pitch.
And so on.... The learning doesn’t stop here. There are vast depths of interpretive possibilities available while adhering to the framework of correct text, rhythm, and pitch.