Classical Guitar and Memorization

As I posted a day or so ago I am at present learning how to play Sor’s Opus 60 No 1. The reason I mention this is because I haven’t yet decided if I am going to commit this song to memory.

Playing a song from sheet music is one thing. Committing it to memory is another. I can play quite a few simple songs, but I don’t memorize all of them. It takes something special about the song before I go that extra step. Maybe it’s something to do with how I connect to it on some level.

I wish I could understand this more because I’d like to pin it down as to what makes me pull the trigger on something like this. Here are the songs I have learned to play without needing the music in front of me:

Gunsmoke Theme
Red River Valley
Shenandoah
Jambalaya
Streets of Laredo
Minute in G
Blood on the Saddle
Barbara Allen
Wayfaring Stranger
Ashokan Farewell

There are one or two others I can’t remember. When I look at this list there is an obvious western theme at work. Not surprising since I am currently so involved in working on that genre, I guess. But even so I would like to figure out what it is about a song that makes me move toward memorizing it. Not that I think it will help me play or anything, but knowledge is power, right? 😛