Memory Analysis

Even though Cats doesn’t have much of a plot, there are still some incredible songs. Memory is my favorite song from the musical, which is heartbreaking. As a matter of fact, the song reminds me of “I Dreamed a Dream”. If you actually think it about, it does make sense. When I made the connection, I was able to realize Memory was a heartbreaking song- if I never made the connection, Memory would still be just an emotionless song.

[Jemima]

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

[Grizabella]

Memory, 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

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

Burnt out ends of smoky days
The stale, cold smell of morning
The street lamp 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

Sunlight through
The trees in summer
Endless mascarading

[Jemima and Grizabella]

Like a flower
As the dawn is breaking
The memory is fading

[Grizabella]

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

In a way, Grizabella reminds me of Fantine. Think about it- both used to have better lives, but eventually things became tragic for both of them. In Memory, Grizabella thinks of the life she used to have while still reflecting on her current life. Grizabella has, for some reason, became an outcast. As the song says “I knew what happiness was”- so she did have an incredible past life, but now her life became tragic for some reason- reasons we never get to know.