Thanks for the input.
I rather learn note for note until the mechanics are gone and until I can play loose and sometimes it fun to play loose and sloppy just as long as you get the feel and vibe of the song.
...and I am basically am asking Mike how long did it take for him to learn the song HTH. I just threw the extra general question about length of learning time to any song because it was on my mind. But going to the general forum is duly noted.