Cats is the Broadway musical that features “Memory,” sung by Grizabella.
Andrew Lloyd Webber composed Cats, with lyrics adapted largely from T. S. Eliot’s poetry collection Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The musical presents a tribe of cats gathering for the annual Jellicle Ball, where one cat is chosen for a new life.
Grizabella is a former glamour cat who has become isolated from the group. “Memory” expresses her recollection of past happiness and her hope for renewal. The song became the production’s signature number and has been recorded by many singers outside the theater.
Cats opened in London in 1981 and on Broadway in 1982. The original Broadway production ran for 7,485 performances before closing in 2000. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1983. “Memory” is sometimes mistaken for a song from Evita because both musicals were written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, but it belongs to Cats.