For me i can only remember lyrics if there is some sort of a "story" and can imagine pictures sort of, like a drunkard coming home in Blues du Soulard, or some lovesick idiot hiding in thorny bushes. But i speak a little French, learned from my parents & school, and later by having to deal with bakers, camping owners, gendarmerie, even vets and checkout girls traveling in France.

BJ, great remark; my aunt's now deceased parrot could speak Dutch, and one also understood what the bird said. Though I always wondered if it knew itself what it just said. Probably had humor too and showed some intelligence: When it said "koppie krauw", meaning scratch my neck, and bended it's head before you actually attempted to scratch it, you risked your fingers: sometimes it suddenly & sneakily aimed for them ... - Nout