BEST way to memorize standard melodies

[jobabrinks]

What is the best way to memorize melodies and how many keys do you REALLY need to know them in? I'm asking specifically for melody because I'm pretty good with chord progressions.

So, I've read through some old threads that are sort of the same topic (but more about memorizing songs in totality).

What I do is memorize the melody relative to the song structure. Autumn Leaves ... 1st of Gm, up the scale, leads to 3rd of Cm, up the scale, 1st of F, up the scale, and so on...

I'll try and do this is in 2 keys/positions, but still I screw it up. So, at my level absolutely no more than 3 keys.

Is there a better way? The way I look at it, there's X options...

1) What I mentioned before, memorizing the melody based on each notes relation to the chord you're on.
2) Memorizing the melody based on the parent key. So for Autumn Leaves, it would be thinking of every note of the melody as a degree of Gm or Bb.
3) Muscle memory and visual. Useful but limited.
4) Trusting your ears to find the next note.

I suspect the answer is a combo of all the above, but would like to hear a few suggestions. How do you guys really drill in melodies, beyond, playing it in one position, one key 1,000 times.

[Bop Head]

I learn the lyrics and sing the melody while I practice (or try to figure out by ear) the changes. The lyrics are helpful for the phrasing and for the form.

Bruce Forman recommends to learn the changes relative to the melody. He compares the melody to a clothesline that you hang the chords on. And that is somehow like I always have done it no matter what style of music I play.