# What's the most you've ever memorized? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623 "2002-12-30T05:14:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/21 "2002-12-30T22:08:23Z")
Let’s see…I know all the words to American Pie (the song, not the movie) by heart. Also pretty much all the dialog from Pulp Fiction, and damn near every Python sketch ever made. I’m working on killing those brain cells, though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![nitek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@nitek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitek)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/22 "2002-12-30T23:13:25Z")
I know the first 110 digits of pi and all the countries of the world (or at least those that are in the song from Animaniacs). I also know 1-10 in 9 different languages for no reason. (English, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Japanese, German, Dutch, Hindi, and Latin) At one point I had The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe memorized but now I only remember a couple random lines. ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/23 "2002-12-31T01:53:00Z")
My (former) math teacher had a chart with the first 100 digits of pie posted in his classroom…combined with the fact that I had already taken both of his courses, and the fact that I had him for 4 hours straight…you figure it out I also memorized every word (and choreography) to Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, although not intentionally. In fact it’s been stuck in my head for a good solid month now, and I think it’s slowly driving me crazy… ---
**Author:** ![hobbes730](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/97f17d/32.png) [@hobbes730](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobbes730)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/24 "2002-12-31T01:54:20Z")
Hahaha did i just say “pie”? Yeah, well I guess that just proves how delerious I’m becoming… ---
**Author:** ![Insomnomad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e68b1a/32.png) [@Insomnomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Insomnomad)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/25 "2002-12-31T04:09:50Z")
I don’t have any monumental feats of memory to brag about, but my girlfriend had over 210 digits of pi memorized at one point. That doesn’t quite measure up to **iampunha’s** brother, but I’m still impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/26 "2002-12-31T04:59:47Z")
I used to have a good portion of the Declaration of Independence memorized, and the Bill of Rights. And 100 digits of Pi, 30 digits of which I can still remember. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/27 "2002-12-31T05:06:29Z")
When I was a kid, I memorized ‘Animal House’ - it was on HBO constantly and I probably watched it 60 times. In 4th grade I played a conductor on the Underground Railroad in a play about Harriet Tubman. It wasn’t a major part, but I had quite a few lines. When I was 15 or so I had to memorize Mark Antony’s speech from ‘Julius Caesar’. I still know the first 2/3 of it. I like to think I’m fairly intelligent but I suck at memorizing stuff like that. What some people can remember astounds me. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/28 "2002-12-31T05:07:54Z")
Oh, song lyrics, that’s one thing I used to be fairly good at memorizing. I guess it’s my musical bent that helps with that. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/29 "2002-12-31T06:45:41Z")
Not much. But later this year for French Class, I have to memorize the French National Anthem. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/30 "2002-12-31T06:49:42Z")
100 digits of pi (it was 150 when I was a bored tot), Beowulf up to the appearance of Grendel, Purcell’s opera Dido & Aeneas. ---
**Author:** ![JerseyDiamond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8491ac/32.png) [@JerseyDiamond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerseyDiamond)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/31 "2002-12-31T07:05:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lodrain \* > \*\*So… What’s the greatest amount you’ve ever committed to memory? > > Me, I can’t brag. I could at one time quote the entirety of _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_ from memory. There’s a play or two of which I remember my lines, hundreds of songs and even the occassional poem. Nothing to be proud of, but I guess nothing to be ashamed of. You? \*\* \>coconuts clapping together\> clop clop clop, clop clop clop, clop clop clop… Halt, who goes there? ---
**Author:** ![Trancey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Trancey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancey)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/32 "2002-12-31T08:07:18Z")
“Neeh!” I’m one of the people who have Monty Python’s Holy Grail memorized. God that is the best movie ever made… Anyways… When I was in grade 11 math class, I was bored and made a list of every song I knew off by heart. About 3 weeks later I finished the list and it came out to… 679 songs in total. I’m sure it’s grown by now. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/33 "2002-12-31T18:41:44Z")
I did a degree in Eng. Lit., but strangely enough I’m not really much of a Shakespeare fan. We had to sit 9 papers from a ‘menu’ of 2nd and 3rd year options, and it was supposed to be mandatory to sit the Shakespeare paper. I managed to find a way to rig my options so that I could avoid it, but in my third year my ruse was spotted and I was told I would have to sit the Shakespeare paper anyway. At the time, this written 3 hour exam was only about 3 weeks away. For each of about 28 Shakespeare plays, I had to learn: - plot, subplot and themes - main characters - quotable quotes illustrating imagery, character etc. - quotable quotes from the critics - performance history - relevance to other works in the canon - major sources (i.e. where S. stole the ideas from) - legacy (i.e. who then stole from S. ) All successfully committed to memory in time to sit the exam and pass it. Two minutes after the exam was over I couldn’t tell you any of it. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/34 "2002-12-31T19:08:26Z")
Every phone number of a friend ever (granted, I don’t have _that_ many friends, but the numbers stick for years after I use them). REM’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine).” The 1-800 numbers and PIN numbers of both my calling cards (a good 23 digits apiece). My credit card number and my debit card number. My social security number. About 10 Dylan Thomas poems. The capital of every world country (c. 2000; I don’t rightly know if there’ve been any changes or new ones). Nothing Earth-shattering, to be certain. However, I have the uncanny ability to memorize numbers practically by sight, and immediately by dialing them into a phone. What’s more, they don’t go away. ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_D\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@Jane\_D\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_D_oh)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/35 "2002-12-31T21:43:29Z")
Was Antigone in a grade school production a number of years ago. I could still probably recall 80% of my part and and at least some of Ismene, my dear sister’s part. Sophocles, in 7th grade, yikes! I say. And also assorted songs, Shakespear soliloquies and miscellaneous stuff that mostly just annoys people. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/36 "2002-12-31T21:54:41Z")
My son can sing Tom Lehrer’s **The Elements**. Got extra credit in science class for it. Me, it’s Gilbert and Sullivan ( **Penzance** and **Pinafore.** ) ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/37 "2002-12-31T22:01:57Z")
I can recite the entire book of Esther by heart in Hebrew. This is not the result of an actual attempt at memorization, but rather the studying of it in order to be able to read it in synagouge for the last 10-15 years. In addition, the Torah is divided up into 54 weekly readings, which are read on Shabbos in synagouge. (Some weeks, more two readings are read together, to be able to finish in a year). Since I am the one who reads it in my synagouge, I have to prepare it beforehand. As a result of all this preperation for the last 15 years, I can usually recite vast stretches of the Pentatuch by heart. I can also usually recite the entire reading for the past 2-3 weeks by heart. The ironic thing about all this is that it is forbidden for the reader to recite it by heart for weekly reading in synagouge. It _must_ be read from the Torah scroll. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/38 "2002-12-31T22:08:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by seal\_clubber \* > \*\*My son can sing Tom Lehrer’s The Elements. \*\* Wow! It was useful to him in some bizzare set of circumstances. I guess he’s ready for the short quiz next period. 😃 Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/39 "2002-12-31T22:51:54Z")
I have memorized the songs from Moulin Rouge, Evita, and about 100 other songs. ---
**Author:** ![Genseric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623/40 "2003-01-01T03:23:36Z")
My senior English class in High School had to memorize the Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, in middle english. I still remember a portion of it, ten years later. Whan that Aprill, his shoures soote, The drought of March had perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour, Of which vertu, engendered is the flouer. And Zephyrus eke with hes sweete breath, Inspired hath in every holt and hethe The tender croppes and the young sonne, Hath in the Ram his half-course y ronne… That’s about all I can remember. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-most-youve-ever-memorized/145623.md?page=3)