Daylight

This short scene moves the story along as the night is almost over and Old Deuteronomy is about to choose who goes to the Heaviside Layer. It consists of two parts: a reprise of "Memory" ("Daylight") and a spoken verse ("The Jellicle Choice").

Context
After Mistoffelees successfully bring Old Deuteronomy back to the tribe, Jemima (also known as Sillabub), noticing that it is nearly dawn and the night is nearly over, sings a reprise of "Memory".

Munkustrap then explains to the Jellicles that Old Deuteronomy will now make the Jellicle Choice. Before the patriarch can commence, Grizabella interrupts. Old Deuteronomy lets Grizabella speak, which leads into "Memory".

Music
After the jubilation of the preceding "Magical Mister Mistoffelees", the mood quietens as the orchestra begins playing the recurring Jellicle theme, heard here in its two-phrase form and intoned on synthesizer bells (labelled on the score as "Jellicle Bells"). The music transitions to the melody of "Memory" as Jemima/Sillabub sings the first half of the number.

This reprise of "Memory" has a moderately slow tempo ("andante"), and is composed in the key of D major with a chord progression of D-Bm-G-F#m-Em-Bm-A-G/A-D. The first verse is set in the 12/8 time signature, shifting meters to 10/8 at the start of the second verse and then to 6/8 on the singer's last note. Jemima/Sillabub's vocals span from B3 to E5.



The second half of the number is performed by Munkustrap as a hushed spoken verse, accompanied once again by the same two-phrase Jellicle theme that opened the number.

Lyrics
 Jemima/Sillabub: 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.

Munkustrap: Now, Old Deuteronomy, just before dawn, Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife, Announces the cat who can now be reborn And come back to a different Jellicle Life.

International Versions

 * Chinese
 * Czech
 * Dutch
 * French
 * German
 * Hungarian
 * Russian
 * Japanese

Audio

 * "Daylight" and "Memory" from the 1981 London cast recording


 * "Daylight" and "Memory" from the 1983 Broadway cast recording


 * "Daylight" in Dutch from the 2006 Dutch tour cast recording (full song incl. opening Jellicle theme)