The Moments of Happiness

"The Moments of Happiness" is the musical number that opens Act 2 of Cats.

Context
This number begins slowly, as the cast gradually make their way onstage through various entrances in the auditorium, interacting with the audience as they go. Old Deuteronomy often spends the interval sitting alone onstage, reflecting on the tribe's attitude and hostility towards Grizabella. Eventually he begins to sing, trying to explain the philosophy behind the tribe's customs. The song is quiet and reflective. The mystical twins, Coricopat and Tantomile, channel Old Deuteronomy's wisdom into Jemima/Sillabub, who explains the concept in far simpler language, singing "Moonlight, turn your face to the Moonlight". In many productions, the ensemble sings a repeat of Jemima/Sillabub's verse.

The entire ensemble are onstage for this number, including Gus in his old form, ready to be introduced. Even Grizabella is present, though she hides on a ledge, unseen by the other cats.

History
The text that Old Deuteronomy sings is adapted from the T S Eliot poem "The Dry Salvages" from Four Quartets (1943).

Excerpt from "The Dry Salvages":  It seems, as one becomes older, That the past has another pattern, and ceases to be a mere sequence - Or even development: the latter a partial fallacy Encouraged by superficial notions of evolution, Which becomes, in the popular mind, a means of disowning the past. The moments of happiness - not the sense of well-being, Fruition, fulfilment, security or affection, Or even a very good dinner, but the sudden illumination - We had the experience but missed the meaning, And approach to the meaning restores the experience In a different form, beyond any meaning We can assign to happiness. I have said before That the past experience revived in the meaning Is not the experience of one life only But of many generations - not forgetting Something that is probably quite ineffable: The backward look behind the assurance Of recorded history, the backward half-look Over the shoulder, towards the primitive terror.

Jemima/Sillabub meanwhile sings a version of "Memory".

When the original Broadway production premiered in 1982, Jemima/Sillabub's part was sung by Tantomile, though this was reverted by 1983.

Lyrics
 Old Deuteronomy: The moments of happiness ... We had the experience but missed the meaning, And approach to the meaning restores the experience In a different form, beyond any meaning We can assign to happiness ...

The past experience revived in the meaning Is not the experience of one life only But of many generations - not forgetting Something that is probably quite ineffable ...

Jemima/Sillabub: Moonlight, Turn your face to the moonlight Let your memory lead you Open up, enter in If you find there the meaning of what happiness is Then a new life will begin