Garrett has performed across the whole world and has also sung opera and pop classics with Bryan Ferry, The Eurythmics and Mick Hucknall to celebrate the arrival of the new century on Millennium Eve, in the grounds at the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum.
She played the lead role of Hanna Glawari, in the Welsh National Opera's production of The Merry Widow, which toured the United Kingdom in 2005. As of November 2006, Garrett was performing as Mother Abbess for six months, in Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music.
As a recording artist, Garrett has released eleven solo albums. Many of her albums have received gold and silver status. Soprano in Red received the Gramophone Award for "Best-selling Classical Artist of the Year". Garrett was also a featured artist on the platinum selling Perfect Day single released by the BBC in aid of Children in Need.
Garrett is a member of the board of the English National Opera. In 2002, she was awarded the CBE for services to music.
She is also a presenter on the UK commercial radio station "Classic FM".
Cats
Lesley Garrett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a rose that is fading
Roses whither away like the sunflower
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn
I am waiting for the day
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
Has the moon lost her memory?
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 mustn'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 street lamp 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
The song "Memory" by Lesley Garrett from the musical "Cats" is a haunting and melancholic tune that speaks to the theme of nostalgia and longing, as well as the idea of finding acceptance in the present moment. The first stanza of the song is a description of the physical world, with dew on a sunflower, a fading rose, and the yearning to embrace the dawn. The second stanza describes the night time, where the moon seems to have lost its memory and leaves are withering on the ground. The central chorus of the song, "Memory, all alone in the moonlight, I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then," speaks to the universal experience of looking back on past moments with a mixture of joy, nostalgia, and longing. The third stanza describes the experience of waiting for the sunrise and the promise of a new day, while the final stanza speaks to the cyclical nature of life, with each day representing a new beginning.
Line by Line Meaning
Daylight, see the dew on the sunflower
Observing the dew on the sunflower as the day begins
And a rose that is fading
A fading rose solemnly reminds of the fleeting nature of life
Roses whither away like the sunflower
Both the roses and the sunflowers wither away as time passes by
I yearn to turn my face to the dawn
Longing for a new day to begin and all that it could bring
I am waiting for the day
Patiently waiting for the new day to arrive
Midnight, not a sound from the pavement
The stillness of the night is deafening
Has the moon lost her memory?
Questioning whether the moon remembers the past
She is smiling alone in the lamplight
The moon appears to be happy in the light of the lamp
The withered leaves collect at my feet
The leaves have fallen and left a mark on the ground
And the wind begins to moan
The eerie sound of the wind sets a melancholic tone
Memory, all alone in the moonlight
Reliving a memory while being alone in the presence of the moonlight
I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then
Reflecting on a time where beauty was present and finding joy in it
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Nostalgic and reminiscent of a time where true happiness was experienced
Let the memory live again
Reviving the memory and reliving it once more
Every street lamp
Each lamp post along the way
Seems to beat a fatalistic warning
The flickering of light warns of the inevitable end
Someone mutters and the street lamp gutters
A mutter is heard and the light flickers, signifying the end of the night
And soon it will be morning
Anticipating the arrival of morning
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise
Waiting for the sun to rise and the new day to begin
I must think of a new life
Contemplating the prospects of a new life with the dawn
And I mustn't give in when the dawn comes
Must not succumb to temptation to be stagnant when the new day arrives
Tonight will be a memory too
The present moment will soon become a distant memory too
And a new day will begin
Embracing the new beginning with open arms
Burnt out ends of smoky days
Never-ending days that have come to an unsatisfying end
The stale cold smell of morning
Morning appears lackluster and dull
The street lamp dies, another night is over
The streetlamp extinguishes as another night is gone
Another day is dawning
Conveying the arrival of a new day
Touch me, it's so easy to leave me
Finding comfort in human touch while acknowledging the ease of abandonment
All alone with the memory
Reveling in the memory and the solitude it brings
Of my days in the sun if you touch me
Taking a trip down the memory lane and finding the warmth of those sunny days
You'll understand what happiness is
Only if you experience it yourself will you know what true happiness really is
Look
Inviting the listener to pay attention to the world around them
A new day has begun
Celebrating the arrival of a bright and promising new day
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Trevor Nunn, T.S. Eliot, Zdenek Hruby
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mary White
This is brilliant. Not only is Lesley such a great sport, it's made all the funnier by the fact that Lily sings surprisingly well too.
Ann Ingham
Paul's (Lily's) singing is superb. Spot on. Paul's various Cat growls etc are brilliant. Lesley have obvious enjoyment in doing this!
Valerie Breathet
For those of you who are wondering about this songβs history, it dates back nearly two centuries! The great Italian composer, Rossini, is credited with it, but apparently it was compiled by another from an opera composed by Rossini. The title is βDuetto buffo di due gatti.β
Scented-leaf Pelargonium
I remember Hinge & Bracket doing this years ago. Wonderfully funny . ππ€£π€©
Nadia Davies
Hinge and Bracket were wonderful with this song Lily and Lesley great too !
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Gigi Trinidad
π€£ππ€£. I love this song! Part 2 has the βarffβ ballad, didnβt make the cut with the choir, conflicted with the cats π€£. It was beautiful with the choir, it was so funny just the two of you. Great job! ππππ
C Marq
This is seriously funny... and Leslie is a good sport! Never seen them before but a very good suggestion from Youtube
Magda Hearne
Brilliamt...thanks for posting...
I loved it when they did Three Little Maids too π πππ
redhairkid
I remember seeing this when it was first screened and it is still as bloody hilarious!
Kelly Dalstok
I can only think of how much fun the composer mustβve had coming up with this song.
I just looked it up; itβs a compilation of three fragments from different compositions to which someone (presumably English composer Robert Lucas Pearsall) added these lyrics.