diff --git a/src/model/song.rs b/src/model/song.rs
index 42f8d47..58c26f1 100644
--- a/src/model/song.rs
+++ b/src/model/song.rs
@@ -59,16 +59,28 @@ impl FromStr for Song {
             return Err(SongParseError::EmptyString);
         }
 
+        // TODO: some way to encode comments in a song struct so that if/when we
+        // serialize it back into a string format they are preserved?
+        // would probably best be done with an actual AST
+
+        static COMMENT_REGEX: OnceLock<Regex> = OnceLock::new();
+        let comment_re = COMMENT_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"(?s)#[^\n]*").unwrap());
+
+        let s = comment_re.replace_all(s, "").into_owned();
+
+        dbg!(&s);
+
         static HUNK_REGEX: OnceLock<Regex> = OnceLock::new();
-        let re = HUNK_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"\s*[\n\r]\s*[\n\r]\s*").unwrap());
+        let hunk_re = HUNK_REGEX.get_or_init(|| Regex::new(r"\s*[\n\r]\s*[\n\r]\s*").unwrap());
+
         let mut hunks = VecDeque::new();
         let mut last_end: usize = 0;
 
-        for m in re.find_iter(s) {
-            hunks.push_back(&s[last_end..m.start()]);
+        for m in hunk_re.find_iter(&s) {
+            hunks.push_back(s[last_end..m.start()].trim());
             last_end = m.end();
         }
-        hunks.push_back(&s[last_end..s.len()]);
+        hunks.push_back(s[last_end..s.len()].trim());
 
         // process header
         let mut header_lines = hunks.pop_front().unwrap().lines().map(|s| s.trim());
@@ -104,10 +116,16 @@ impl FromStr for Song {
 
         // process verses
         for hunk in hunks {
-            let mut verse_contents = hunk;
+            if hunk.starts_with('(') {
+                if hunk.ends_with(')') && !hunk.contains('\n') {
+                    default_plan.push_back(hunk[1..hunk.len() - 1].to_owned());
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+            let mut verse_contents: &str = hunk;
             let end_i = hunk.find('\n').unwrap_or(hunk.len());
             let verse_name: String = if let Some(i) = &hunk[0..end_i].find(':') {
-                verse_contents = &hunk[end_i + 1..];
+                verse_contents = &&hunk[end_i + 1..];
                 String::from(&hunk[0..*i])
             } else {
                 format!("Generated Verse {}", verses.len() + 1).to_owned()
@@ -134,7 +152,27 @@ mod test {
     fn parses_simple_song() {
         let song: Song = r#"Song Title
                 
-                A verse"#
+A verse"#
+            .parse()
+            .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(song.name, "Song Title");
+        assert_eq!(
+            song.verses.get("Generated Verse 1"),
+            Some(&Verse {
+                content: "A verse".to_owned()
+            })
+        );
+        assert_eq!(song.verses.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(song.default_plan[0], "Generated Verse 1");
+        assert_eq!(song.default_plan.len(), 1);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_song_with_comments() {
+        let song: Song = r#"Song Title
+# this is a comment
+A verse"#
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -153,9 +191,9 @@ mod test {
     #[test]
     fn parses_song_with_plan() {
         let song: Song = r#"Song Title
-                plan(another_plan): Generated Verse 1, Generated Verse 1, Generated Verse 1
-                
-                A verse"#
+plan(another_plan): Generated Verse 1, Generated Verse 1, Generated Verse 1
+
+A verse"#
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
 
@@ -186,37 +224,38 @@ mod test {
 
 
 
-                v1:
-                v1
-                
+v1:
+v1content
 
-                v2:
-                v2
-                
-                (v2)
-                
-                (v1)"#
+
+v2:
+v2
+
+(v2)
+
+(v1)"#
             .parse()
             .unwrap();
 
-        assert_eq!(song.name, "Song Title");
+        assert_eq!(song.name, "Title");
         assert_eq!(
-            song.verses.get("Generated Verse 1"),
+            song.verses.get("v1"),
             Some(&Verse {
-                content: "A verse".to_owned()
+                content: "v1content".to_owned()
             })
         );
-        assert_eq!(song.verses.len(), 1);
-        assert_eq!(song.default_plan[0], "Generated Verse 1");
-        assert_eq!(song.default_plan.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(song.verses.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(song.default_plan[0], "v1");
+        assert_eq!(song.default_plan.len(), 4);
         dbg!(&song.other_plans);
         assert_eq!(
-            song.other_plans.get("another_plan"),
-            Some(&VecDeque::from(vec![
-                "Generated Verse 1".to_owned(),
-                "Generated Verse 1".to_owned(),
-                "Generated Verse 1".to_owned()
-            ]))
+            song.default_plan,
+            VecDeque::from(vec![
+                "v1".to_owned(),
+                "v2".to_owned(),
+                "v2".to_owned(),
+                "v1".to_owned(),
+            ])
         );
     }
 }