Memory

Memory is the most popular and well known song from the musical, Cats. It is performed by Grizabella. The lyrics of the song are written by Cats director Trevor Nunn. The song is based on T. S. Eliot's poems "Preludes" and "Rhapsody on a Windy Night".

This song is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous compositions and a runaway hit with a life far beyond the musical. For more details of recordings see Wikipedia. The song is often mistakenly referred to in popular culture as "Memories".

Context
The song "Memory" is first heard in a short version at the end of Act 1. The audience has already been introduced to Grizabella by Bombalurina and Demeter in "Grizabella: The Glamour Cat", and during The Jellicle Ball, Grizabella is seen watching the Cats. After they finish, she approaches and tries to join them, but is rejected by everyone. Once the other Cats leave the stage, Grizabella begins to copy their dance moves, but alone and frail, she cannot capture the magic of the Ball. She is left alone to contemplate her memories of the time when she apart of the Jellicle trible. She sings a single verse of Memory, and reaches out for anyone to touch her. She desperately wants to be accepted. Although Old Deuteronomy has been watching, he is too far away to reach out to her, and she leaves with what little pride she has remaining.

The next iteration of the "Memory" melody is at the beginning of Act 2, after Old Deuteronomy sings "The Moments of Happiness", Jemima/Sillabub sings:

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

As the night is drawing to a close, again Jemima sings:

Daylight, See the dew on a sunflower. And a rose that is fading, Roses wither away. Like the sunflower, I yearn to turn my face to the dawn. I am waiting, For the day.

Finally, Old Deuteronomy comes to choose the cat to be taken to the Heaviside Layer. Suddenly, Grizabella appears on stage once more. This is Grizabella's last chance to be accepted, and although again met with hostility from the tribe, she sings again, the full version of "Memory". Again Jemima sings with her, the first of the Cats to understand her. By the end of the song, everyone understands her plight, and she is finally accepted by everyone, and escorted by Old Deuteronomy "Up, Up to the Heaviside Layer".

Development
"Memory" was written rather late in the development of the show. It was hearing the melody of the song that persuaded Elaine Paige to accept the role of Grizabella. Initially Tim Rice was brought in to provide the lyrics, but his version was considered too dark, and instead Trevor Nunn wrote lyrics drawing on imagery from T S Eliot's "Rhapsody on a Windy Night".

The version of the lyrics popularised by hundreds of recording artists uses lyrics from both Act 1 Memory and this longer number.

Act 1 Prelude
Midnight

Not a sound from the pavement

has the moon lost her memory

she is smiling alone

in the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet

And the wind begins to moan

Every street lamp seems to beat

A fatalistic warning

Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters

and soon it will be morning

Memory

All alone in the moonlight

I can smile at the old days

I was beautiful then

I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the memory live again

Act 2 Reprise
Grizabella:

Memory Turn your face to the moonlight let your memory lead you open up enter in if you find then the meaning of what happiness is Then a new life will begin

Memory All alone in the moonlight I can smile at the old days I was beautiful then I remember the time I knew what happiness was Let the memory live again

Burnt out ends of smoky days The stale cold smell of morning The streetlamp dies, another night is over Another day is dawning

Daylight I must wait for the sunrise I must think of a new life And I musn't give in When the dawn comes Tonight will be a memory too And a new day will begin

Jemima

Sunlight through the trees in summer Endless masquerading

Both:

"Like a flower as the dawn is breaking"

Grizabella:

"The memory is fading"

Touch me It's so easy to leave me All alone with the memory Of my days in the sun If you touch me You'll understand what happiness is

Look - A new day has begun

Single Version
Midnight

Not a sound from the pavement

has the moon lost her memory

she is smiling alone

in the lamplight the withered leaves collect at my feet

And the wind begins to moan

Memory

All alone in the moonlight

I can smile at the old days

I was beautiful then

I remember the time I knew what happiness was

Let the memory live again

Every street lamp seems to beat

A fatalistic warning

Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters

and soon it will be morning

Daylight

I must wait for the sunrise

I must think of a new life

And I musn't give in

When the dawn comes

Tonight will be a memory too

And a new day will begin

Burnt out ends of smoky days

The stale cold smell of morning

The streetlamp dies, another night is over

Another day is dawning

Touch me

It's so easy to leave me

All alone with the memory

Of my days in the sun

If you touch me

You'll understand what happiness is

Look - A new day has begun

Tim Rice Lyrics
Street lights And the darkness between them Like the good and the bad sides Of a life almost done. Shake the memory All my passions returning to me None forgotten No, not one.

One life Is there only the one life That we lose in the living In an endless decline? No complaining For no one else has seen what I’ve seen One existence Only mine

Don’t look back no don’t look back So hard to heed that warning Such temptation but the past is past And the night makes way for morning

Daylight I won’t care if it finds me With no breath in my body With no beat in my heart For I’m certain That now I know what happiness is Wish I’d known that From the start

Touch me Is there no one to touch me It was easy to love me In my glamorous past As I leave you A shadow of the light I once was May my memory Sleep at last

Video