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".

The 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

In Context
The song "Memory" is first heard 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 sings a single verse of Memory, and reaches out for anyone to touch her. 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 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

Finally, after all the celebrations, Old Deuteronomy comes to choose the cat to be taken to the Heaviside Layer. This is Grizabella's last chance, 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 accepted by everyone, and escorted by Old Deuteronomy "Up, Up to the Heaviside Layer".

Lyrics
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 streetlamp seems to beat

A fatalistic warning,

Someone mutters, and the streetlamp 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