Mister Golightly; I don't know but there's just always something about the original. Also Susan Boyle, love her voice. I want to sort of go off key here and say that when the first 'Terminator' movie came out I didn't think the original could be topped 'til 'Terminator' two came out. I had to admit that I was wrong. Lol
I totally agree with you but when a corporation offers a A list celebrity like Celine a role I assume they expect to get a bit of her iconic voice and stage presence
lol NO SHIT, "WTF Celine Dion." That's exactly what I was thinking! And I agree 100% Elaine's performance was perfect, Betty's voice was the best, imo.
Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley were able to portray the sadness of an older stray cat who desires a home [with the other cats] more than others where it sounds like they're just singing a song
Betty Buckley was my first choice Elaine Paige my second. All the rest just seem like their trying to conquer the song(forcing it). Betty and Elaine just make love to the song. It's mesmerizing.
Really...it does come down to Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley. The others all did a fantastic job. Ultimately, the judgment must be restricted to those who performed it in context on stage complete with makeup and full costume. The depth of emotion called for is so important to the performance that the nod must go to the originators from the West End and Broadway, respectively. The two became Grizabella and that, in the final analysis, establishes their legendary place in Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece adapted as it was from TS Eliot's immortal poetry.
I'm actually an old enough fart to have seen Betty perform it live on Broadway in '82. A video(while she kills it) doesn't do it justice. The faces in the audience(mine included) were all "holy shit", especially when she comes out of her crouch, like it's no big deal, and let's it rip.
Apologies to the people singing in regular performing clothes, but my preference automatically goes to anyone singing it with 45 pounds of costume and professional stage makeup.
Betty Buckley is astounding. The pipes and the interpretation. Remarkable. She WAS an old, lonely, abandoned, still dignified but no longer fierce cat. IMO her portrayal is much more powerful than all others. Not really fair to compare to ppl who were just singing the song. She was playing a role.
Which is why she failed. Grizabella isn't dignified. She's a broken, washed-up old cat, desperate to be accepted back into the tribe. Shorn of all hope (she collapsed), she's reduced to pleading with the tribe. It's her last chance, as the sun is rising and the choice is about to be made. Paige and Mamie Parris captured perfectly the desperation; Buckley didn't.
I will always love Elaine Paige's acting for the climax best. But nobody hits "Touch me, it's so easy to leave me!" with effortlessness and power like Betty Buckley.
Betty Buckley is incredible, but my favorite has to be Elaine Page. One of the most important parts of this song is the emotion that goes into it, You could really see that from Elaine.
I can see Betty Buckley they are both good but they are sort of acted different so I assume they have a slight Different interpretation of the song Well I think Elaine sing it as though it was her last chance of redemption before well she’s a old cat. While Betty it seems it’s similar but she acts as though she still has some sophistication or snootiness Im feeling. So I feel one is letting her breaking down completely for thoses around her while other one is keeping it together in some sense. If that makes sense. Idk both good
Elaine also adds a little bit of lift at the beginning of the word Sun before letting the note hold, and no other singer really does this. That little touch adds a small conflicting emotion of hope and nostalgia, and it's that tiny bit of happiness she's desperately clinging to while she's dying. Again, a very tiny vocal choice, but it added dimension, at least for me.
Betty Buckley sends chills up my spine when she belts out “Touch Me” while rising from her crouching position. I’m simply in awe of the power of her voice and how it fills the room unlike anyone else’s. To this day it’s the most breathtaking moment in any musical performance I’ve ever heard.
I was a tourist and country hick from Japan almost 40 years ago. I was lucky to hear her astounding voice. When she hit the note “Touch me”, it stopped my heart. I still remember the experience. I thank Betty Buckley giving me the such a great memory. ❤️
Recently got into this, but it's obvious this song has a context within the play and story of of the character, not on its own. Most others than Elaine Page don't do it justice. It's about the character, not the singer. It's part of a musical, for obvious sakes. There needs to be sadness and weakness and lack of hope and gaining of hope. The whole arch is there. It's not about showing off your singing talents. Stop trying otherwise.
Alicia Westfall agreed. Of all these performances, hers was the only one that evoked the strong emotions I feel when I hear Elaine Paige singing it. She dug deep to get in touch with the rawness of it.
That’s why I love hers so much more than the others, you can feel the distraught in her voice because she not only has to sing it, but she has to portray those emotions.
Both Betty Buckley's voice and interpretation are amazing! In addition, everyone but Betty looks like the Cowardly Lion (from the Wizard of Oz) in costume. Betty's performance captures and encompasses it all...the emotion, the mood, and the unmatched purity of tone of her vocals( without yelling!) are breathtaking.
My own opinion, the most technically perfect performance goes to Betty Buckley, the most emotionally driven performance goes to the grand Lady Elaine Paige.
I concur, but I'd put heather Headley as 3rd for just a truly beautiful performance. I would love to see her perform it in character tho. As much as I like regular concert performances of Memory, I think being sung in the context of the character takes it to another level. Betty sang it with a bitter edge almost which was awesome and Elaine with a layer of grief that was incredibly moving. Adding depth like that just gives it that extra oomph to make it unforgettable.
Betty Buckley was more regal. Elaine Paige was more raw. It is subjective what is better because while being regal can be comfy it can also be less emotional and while raw can be more emotional it can be less comfy.
Semisi Halafihi SHE DID THAT!!! she was the BEST in this video after Elaine they’re both different styles but Heather’s voice is so powerful and her emotion made me wanna look for the video of the full performance.
@@austinghost1458 Elaine sang the song as it was classically composed (like Barbara) and it is great in the filmed production. Betty sang it with her own rthym and it suited her voice an style more. I think comes down to person preference in the end.
@@austinghost1458 I like Elaine version the best. Her vocal is extraordinary and you can feel the emotion of the song from her singing. Betty come very close. I also like Barbara, but she come in third place.
Your comment was insightful and hilarious. The two you mentioned had radically different performances--they were not copying each other--and both were spellbinding. None of the others reached that level of originality, except for Celine Dion, whose performance was memorably wretched.
Randy Wong this is a great description of her voice. I wasn't at her part of the video yet when I saw this comment, but when I got to her rendition it was just a big wow from me
I hope this is helpful Elaine Paige 0:29 Susan Boyle 1:00 Heather headly 1:21 Céline Dion 1:49 Paul Potts 2:17 Pia Douws 2:36 Stephanie J Block 3:04 Ruthie henshall 3:34 Lea salonga 4:01 John Barrowman 4:29 Barbara Streisand 4:59 Chris Coffer 5:17 Maria Deb Sob 5:42 José Carreras 6:08 Kerry Ellis 6:36 Leona Lewis 7:08 Nicole sherzinger 7:40 Betty Buckley 8:13 Mamie Parris 8:46 ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Here is all the timestamps (I might spell some names wrong) Elaine Paige 0:28 Susan Boyle 0:56 Heather Headley 1:19 Céline Dion 1:46 Paul Potts 2:09 Pia Douwes 2:35 Stephanie J. Block 3:01 Ruthie Henshall 3:32 Lea Salonga 3:59 John Barrowman 4:28 Barbra Streisand 4:58 Chris Colten 5:15 Maria Del Sol 5:41 José Gannenas 6:08 Kelly Ellis 6:36 Leona Lewis 7:07 Nicole Schengingen 7:40 Betty Buckley 8:11 Mamie Parris 8:45 Lol this took me 30 minutes to make
She does, I would go so far as to say her rendition is a close second to Elaine Paige, out of the singers here they can perform it well, but not everyone has the same notes desperation , despair, and hope that make this a wonderful song
Wait till you hear Jennifer Hudson's version. She kills it and not in a good way. It's like she's never heard the original rhythm of the song and decided to make her own.
Hers is my favorite of the non-theater performances, tied with Lea Salonga. Having seen the musical many times I kind of feel that someone who is in character as Grizabella gives the delivery a different feel than someone who isn't IMO.
Betty Buckley is the best paws down ! Her performance at the Tony awards was absolutely amazing. The way she belts out while rising from a crouched position is incredible. She owned the stage. As for Celine …she looks demented …a complete mess .
1. Elaine. I cry every time. 2. Betty. She is glamorous, in her voice and eyes. 3. Pia. She is not wearing any costume, but if she was.. it would be amazing. 4. Lea. amazing voice, and you can feel she misses the past. 5. Barbra. I just like the tone of her voice, so buttery.
Betty's placement is perfection. So forward strong in her mixed belt. A master class in technique. But Elaine is so raw and her performance so poignant. It's really hard to choose.
Not in the American theater circle she's not. Boy from oz, wicked, 9 to 5, anything goes, pirate queen, cher show. All broadway and all leads. Plus a tony for the cher show. She is genius
I was super nervous when I went to see Nicole Scherzinger in Cats on the West End, but to this day I have never seen an audience give a standing ovation before the end of the show. Everyone was on their feet at the key change. One of the most incredible theatre experiences I've had.
I saw her the very first preview performance in the Palladium, I knew she’d be good but wow she was incredible! I remember the standing ovation after Memory... her reaction was one I’ll remember for a while
@@Mmmkay10 you're so quick to grab your pitchfork and start a mob, you somehow managed figment a world where Patti Labelle: 1) was in diary of a wimpy kid 2) has ever sung memory 3) has her name spelt "Patty Labelle" there should have been so many clues that perhaps you weren't right but instead you decided nows the time to be a dick to Patti out of nowhere
@@BacadoTheSkoggy WTF!? "Pitchfork", "Mob", "Figment world"!? WTF are you even talking about!? HAHAHAHAHA! Dude, you either must be bored AF, need some attention, or on the spectrum of some sort. Just sit down, take a deep breath and have a cookie. Now just enjoy your day little biscuit:-)
Yes she’s got some serious lung capacity. Not the best rendition but impressive nonetheless. Personally no one came close to the power and subtlety of Elaine Paige’s.. which I deem to be the best and most heartfelt.
Betty Buckley hands down - the only one who embodied the intent of a character on stage and sang with a ferocious steady voice that was pure and unaffected.
@@jasonfarrell00 Its been taken down from RUclips sadly, but i’ve also done some research and strangely found out that Ruthie never played the role of Grizabella before...
Watch Keri René Fuller sing it! They just released a video a few days ago and she's amazing! I hope to see the musical next year when the tour comes to Florida.
Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley are simply unbeatable. And both of their versions are so amazing that I can't pick between them. Heather Headly's powerful voice is the only one that comes close.
Betty Buckley is my favorite, class, emotion and beautiful voice... and María del Sol has the best version in spanish, her performance is so emotional.
The reason why Elaine's rendition of the song stands out for me, is because of how she stretched the note in *"of MY DA-YS in the sun"* She was able to project a nostalgic and melancholic sound, which suits the character of grizabella really well.
Omg I 100% agree with what you say is the reason hers stands out . I never knew this was why for me but after you verbalized it, I realized that this was true for me as well!
Betty Buckley for sure .. I saw her live on stage and I’ll never forget the power of her voice , it seemed effortless and her presence on stage phenomenal.. thanks Betty ❤
Elaine Paige - Gripped me with the truest emotions of the song. You could feel her begging for a single bit of love, acceptance, even just a touch. Always brings me to tears. Betty Buckley - Very very close second to Elaine. Maria Del Sol - Are we not discussing this?! Killed it. I swear I'm seeing someone reliving her glory days while she laments her current loneliness. Heather Headley - Queen
Have to agree 100%. No one lived in the soul of this character/song the way Betty did. The actor's role is to give authentic life to a character and Betty's skill was demonstrated by the fact that she wasn't the only one to be in tears when she would finish this song, night after night.
I think that statement is true for those who learned to love this song through Elaine’s rendition of it, but for those who came after, it’s probably not the case. This happens with many great songs (movies, etc.) through the retelling of them to a new generation by different artists. That’s the depth and beauty of music. It lives on.
I was lucky enough to see Cats on Broadway at the Winter Garden theater in 1998. It was INCREDIBLE! If people don't know, Grizabella (the Memory song cat) was old, weary, beaten down, and so very sad and alone. During the musical, she made several brief appearances (before her final song), and the other "cats" would mock her, hiss, chase her off, throw things at her. They hated her! The line from the song "touch me" is especially poignant when you see that. Hands down, Elaine Paige nailed the REAL Grizabella character.
The touch me line is so deep bcuz the sign of love for cats is by touching. If u notice, everytime grizabella goes on stage, all the older cats stops the youngsters from touching her. When griz finished singing the first memory, she stacks out her hands backwards so the other cats can touch her but they didn’t. After the final memory, she does the same thing and Victoria went to touch her and no one stopped her. It was a sign of acceptance from the jellicles. “If u touch me, you’ll understand what happiness is”. When Victoria touched her, her face was full of joy.
Elaine. Forever & always. She emotes without making the notes change & her articulations & dynamics are perfect. So many on this list sing it as aggressively as they can but this is a lament, it needs care & dynamic vocals not ‘belt because it means I’m talented’. I know this was recorded in the studio but she’s performed it live hundreds of times & each time was magical. Barbra does a great job as well, as always.
I feel like the only ones that really “get” the song are the ones in context of the musical. The ones that just belt it out as part of their show just don’t connect with the depth of the meaning of the song. Elaine Paige nails it.
I really enjoy Heather Headley’s rendition simply because she’s such a skilled vocalist and stretches the notes in such a beautifully agonizing way. Also, HELLO MAMIE PARRIS!! So underrated in this comment section, but I got chills! She has such an insanely controlled and powerful belt but stays sensitive to dynamic shifts; just wonderful musicality.
Idk why you didn't make an index so here's one for yous 0:28 Elaine Paige 0:56 Susan Boyle 1:19 Heather Headley! 1:48 Céline Dion 2:10 Paul Potts 2:35 Pia Douwes 3:03 Stephanie J Block 3:33 Ruthie Henshall 4:00 Lea Salonga! 4:29 John Barrowman 4:58 Barbra Streisand! 5:16 Chris Colfer 5:41 Maria del Sol 6:08 José Carreras 6:36 Kerry Ellis! 7:07 Leona Lewis! 7:40 Nicole Scherzinger 8:11 Betty Buckley 8:45 Mamie Harris
"Parris belts the climactic 16 bars - 'Touch me, it’s so easy to leave me, all alone with the memory of my days in the sun' - without taking a breath. Most singers take three."[
Seriously. Like, everyone talked about Betty Buckley. Beautiful performance? Totally. But the raw emotion? Heck NO. Few have accomplished that. This last woman was among them.
, Imo, she's the only one who did act the part. She gave Grizabellla a sense of restraint and dignity and bittersweetness that the others missed by a mile.
For me Betty Buckley was the best. Her voice sounds like an actual feline singing she has this kinda grace and stable grin to her voice. She looks terrific too
Elaine Paige is the only one who is delivering the sentiment of the lyrics. Look at her sing "leave" and "touch". Everyone else just ran through it or focused on trying to be a powerhouse.
@@conferencecoordinatorach462 Heather has great vocals, no doubt, and this clip didn’t let us see her emotion at the beginning of the song, but during the reprise she came across as if her only goal was to yell as loud as she possibly could into the microphone with no emotion.
Nonsense. I would say that quite a few of these women delivered the sentiment of the lyrics. Most were not yet old enough to know about past days in the sun, however. As far as makeup goes, the original was a misfire making the glorious Ms. Paige look clownish. By Broadway, they had got a better look down for the great Ms. Buckley. Just think of what the divine Ms. Streisand could have done on stage instead of in a mere recording booth making an exquisite record...
I like Heather’s version a lot. She really conveys the power that Grizabella has left in her, and belts those notes out. All of these performances are amazing though 😁
Heather’s is one where I know I’d immediately start crying not because I was sad but because of the sheer power coming from her voice. It’s like being in a room with bagpipes.
I actually gasped aloud when I heard Ruthie Henshall hit that “all ALOOOOONE with the memories”...so powerful and emotive with an edge of vocal rasp...wow.
I thought Heather Headley was the real stand out because of her beautiful controlled Alto presentation. All the rest were so high, it was hard to tell one from another. Even though all the men were outstanding, if you have seen Cats, you will understand why it should be sung by a woman.
Agreed everyone sounded similar. Expect Leona Lewis and Celine dion. They made it their own, which I felt took away from the authenticity of the true emotion. And I felt, most were dragging their vocals to show case their voice.. which took away from the emotions.. I think Elaine, Betty and heather felt the most authentic when singing. But, idk.
She was the the one. It is a song about grieving for the best years that have already past, about loneliness, being forgotten and left by everyone. And what I felt from her message was "If you come anywhere close to me I will destroy you"
@@dmitrizaslavski8480 But that's... that's a problem, isn't it? The song is quite literally Grizabella begging, crying out for anyone to touch her. If you get 'if you come close to me I'll destroy you', that's the exact opposite of what the song is supposed to be since touching her would make her genuinely happy, hence 'you'll understand what happiness is'. And that's why I actually don't agree with this comment chain. Heather sounds way too confident for my taste. Yes, she stands out, but I don't think she stands out in a way that makes sense for Grizabella.
It was powerful but to me it was too powerful and youthful and full of confidence. It's meant to be an older person looking back, and to have some vulnerability and wistfulness
I feel like Elaine Paige was really the only singer who correctly conveyed the pure agony that is meant for the song. This is NOT a HAPPY song. This song is not meant to leave you being like "Wow that singer made some good belts" it should leave you feeling the desperation and raw emotion that comes with being ostracised to the point that no one even wants to be around you. It is not meant for the singer to reach the climax smiling. If the vocalist gets to the climax and smiles through the song they are not taking it seriously. This song is meant to be emotionally charged and heartbreaking. If you don't leave feeling the pure misery that Grizbaella experiences that she expresses in this song, you didn't do it right.
This is a great point actually! Music is very emotional. I've never seen Cats, and I plan on auditioning for a musical with this song. Yes, although I haven't seen the musical, I need to convey the strong emotions within the song, especially in this verse. If I can't, there's no point.
Sorry, but ELAINE PAIGE RUINED THIS SONG FOR EVERY OTHER VOICE IN UNIVERSE. I have watched Cats in several countries and musical shows. Susan Boyle also achieved greatness, but Elaine... oh dear Lord... she was born to sing Memory.
@@denniswarrink4761 In fact, Susan Boyle never sang it on a proper show. But if you pay attention to my comment, I praised Elaine Paige, as the supreme winner. And yeah, my comparison was not fair, because Elaine and Susan are not in the same league. My bad, but I like Susan's voice too.
Elaine Paige is by far my favorite person to sing Memory. The first time I heard her sing I fell in love with her voice and the emotion she put behind it
Okay finally! Had a few issues with the video but here it is. I cut Barbra a bit to avoid copyright. Halloween y'all! xx
Mister Golightly I wouldn’t say hers is the best lol but have you heard Delta Goodrem’s? It’s gorgeous, she did it on tour and I died.
Michaela Wagner just listen to her. She has a lovely voice, I like her heavy tone
Yeah! she's my fave, you should check out 'Not Me, Not I (UK Secret Show)' for some of her best vocals
where is Joanna Ampil????
Mister Golightly; I don't know but there's just always something about the original. Also Susan Boyle, love her voice. I want to sort of go off key here and say that when the first 'Terminator' movie came out I didn't think the original could be topped 'til 'Terminator' two came out. I had to admit that I was wrong. Lol
The difference with Celine is the cat became Celine Dion instead of Celine becoming the cat.
So true
Celine Dion was like 18 and didn’t speak a lick of English when she sang this. I think she sounded great
thats not necessarily a good thing
I totally agree with you but when a corporation offers a A list celebrity like Celine a role I assume they expect to get a bit of her iconic voice and stage presence
Gucci_ nunu she was definitely not an A list celebrity at the time of this performance lmao
Performance - Elaine Paige
Vocals - Betty Buckley
Recording - Nicole Scherzinger
WTF - Celine Dion
ErgThisIsSoStupid accurate
This is exactly my thoughts!!!
lol NO SHIT, "WTF Celine Dion." That's exactly what I was thinking! And I agree 100% Elaine's performance was perfect, Betty's voice was the best, imo.
Switch out vocals for Mamie Parris and you’ve got it head on
Jordan Randell-Tredgett agreed.
Elaine Paige poured her heart and soul into singing this song. Her rendition here will always be my favorite.
jms3spinoon same
She was the first one I ever saw so I think I’m a biased towards that her performance😂
I watched it when I was 8 at my grandmas house on VHS
Same she is amazing gives me goosebumps every time I listen to her
same
Yes its very soulful, but the pronunciation of the words is not my cup of tea in this song.. The "Touch mæ"
Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley were able to portray the sadness of an older stray cat who desires a home [with the other cats] more than others where it sounds like they're just singing a song
Find Mamie Parris. She gets it.
Betty Buckley was my first choice
Elaine Paige my second.
All the rest just seem like their trying to conquer the song(forcing it). Betty and Elaine just make love to the song. It's mesmerizing.
Betty and Elaine slayed
I agree. I would only want to see a live performance with Betty Buckley/Whitney Kershaw, or Elaine Page/w/ Whitney Kershaw.
Really...it does come down to Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley. The others all did a fantastic job. Ultimately, the judgment must be restricted to those who performed it in context on stage complete with makeup and full costume. The depth of emotion called for is so important to the performance that the nod must go to the originators from the West End and Broadway, respectively. The two became Grizabella and that, in the final analysis, establishes their legendary place in Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece adapted as it was from TS Eliot's immortal poetry.
Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley had what it takes.
maybe but Elaine's seemed kinda too feeley (which is different than Soul) at least on the one you see on youtube
I think they were also more appropriate actresses for the character, especially Elaine Paige being a little older is just right for the Character.
They had the clear, strong, deep and mature voices for it. Absolutely Heartbreaking performances
I'm actually an old enough fart to have seen Betty perform it live on Broadway in '82. A video(while she kills it) doesn't do it justice. The faces in the audience(mine included) were all "holy shit", especially when she comes out of her crouch, like it's no big deal, and let's it rip.
Yes- Betty was so effortless!
Lol Celine Dion singing it casually like it’s one of her songs lmao what was that😂
Laura Kheimi she was 18 there hahaah
I thought it was unique tho but too unique
It is definitely wtf but I kind of like it without the context of Cats. Besides, the instrumentals were tweaked to be more poppy.
Laura Kheimi hahaha
Lets just say she did not stick to the Andrew Lloyd Webber sheet music.
Cats has to be one of the weirdest musicals but good lord does it have good music
Hail state
I had to see it at least twice to really appreciate it. So powerful the second time!
I laughed my ass off at Celine’s portrayal. She’s like a yasssified cat 😅
Pathetic performance.
Omg I was shocked at just how bad that really was. It was truly awful
I love three quarters of the stuff Celine does. But every so often her hubris gets the best of her and this is the result.
she was AMAZING what is wrong with you
@@goldfaust8613 Celine dion ??!! Are you f$&ing joking!??😂😂😂
Apologies to the people singing in regular performing clothes, but my preference automatically goes to anyone singing it with 45 pounds of costume and professional stage makeup.
exception only to Lea Salonga, due to the fact that she is Lea Salonga
I found they also seeamed to understand they were singing a sad song
@@charlikurash7995 I thought Lea was playing in Cats aswell
No one can beat Elaine Paige
FACTS
Elaine Paige, unquestionably... The emotion she put into her performance was so real it made your skin crawl.
Celine was a joke...
Jodian Gaming she wasn’t even dressed as grizabella, more like a budget bumbolarina
Yeah, Betty Buckley was really good too
100pc
Elaine Page
Original
Best
Unbeaten
GOAT
*Yo, where's Patty from Diary of a Wimpy Kid?*
😂😂😂
Ikr. Gives me literal CHILLS every time.
Ya
The fact that it just comes out of nowhere makes it for me
*Haha,so funny :>*
Betty Buckley is astounding. The pipes and the interpretation. Remarkable. She WAS an old, lonely, abandoned, still dignified but no longer fierce cat. IMO her portrayal is much more powerful than all others. Not really fair to compare to ppl who were just singing the song. She was playing a role.
She plucked the heartstrings of the audience.
True
I disagree. She was too stylized and there was no heart or soul there.
No competition. No kitch. Very simple and dignified, just her voice to your heart.
Which is why she failed. Grizabella isn't dignified. She's a broken, washed-up old cat, desperate to be accepted back into the tribe. Shorn of all hope (she collapsed), she's reduced to pleading with the tribe. It's her last chance, as the sun is rising and the choice is about to be made. Paige and Mamie Parris captured perfectly the desperation; Buckley didn't.
I will always love Elaine Paige's acting for the climax best. But nobody hits "Touch me, it's so easy to leave me!" with effortlessness and power like Betty Buckley.
I actually don't like her in that one line. I just don't like the tempo she does it at.
Agreed 100 percent! Love Betty Buckley's version.
Facts! Betty hits it effortlessly, annnnd her voice is perfect for a singing cat.. Elaine delivers the emotions.
@@Nakia11798 it's almost robotic!
Definitely agree.
Her power and precision is incredible.
No one gives the chills as much as Elaine in the climax, though.
Heather Headley took my breath away but that doggone Betty Buckley hits that note like it owes her money!!!
^no one can touch Betty
The GOAT!!!
😂😂😂
You're right about Betty Buckley. No one, no one, sang or performed it with the emotion and poignancy she did.
Leona?
Betty Buckley is incredible, but my favorite has to be Elaine Page. One of the most important parts of this song is the emotion that goes into it, You could really see that from Elaine.
I can see Betty Buckley they are both good but they are sort of acted different so I assume they have a slight Different interpretation of the song Well I think Elaine sing it as though it was her last chance of redemption before well she’s a old cat. While Betty it seems it’s similar but she acts as though she still has some sophistication or snootiness Im feeling. So I feel one is letting her breaking down completely for thoses around her while other one is keeping it together in some sense. If that makes sense. Idk both good
Me too
@@jay-no9qq I agree. Betty Buckley still has dignity left in her interpretation.
Also, I can't help think of what my impressions would be if Buckley and Page were presented in more similar audiovisual qualities.
Elaine also adds a little bit of lift at the beginning of the word Sun before letting the note hold, and no other singer really does this. That little touch adds a small conflicting emotion of hope and nostalgia, and it's that tiny bit of happiness she's desperately clinging to while she's dying. Again, a very tiny vocal choice, but it added dimension, at least for me.
Betty Buckley sends chills up my spine when she belts out “Touch Me” while rising from her crouching position. I’m simply in awe of the power of her voice and how it fills the room unlike anyone else’s. To this day it’s the most breathtaking moment in any musical performance I’ve ever heard.
I was a tourist and country hick from Japan almost 40 years ago. I was lucky to hear her astounding voice. When she hit the note “Touch me”, it stopped my heart. I still remember the experience. I thank Betty Buckley giving me the such a great memory. ❤️
So annoyed by how almost everyone treats this song as a mean to show off their vocal power, without putting in emotion and acting
Niko Faershee and they have the nerve to call it phenomenal when it’s lacking of the most important part of the singing this song
A few good exceptions though .. and as my post-grad Twain and Faulkner prof taught us , " sometimes the medium is the message "
Mamie and Elaine... all emotion!
Recently got into this, but it's obvious this song has a context within the play and story of of the character, not on its own. Most others than Elaine Page don't do it justice. It's about the character, not the singer. It's part of a musical, for obvious sakes. There needs to be sadness and weakness and lack of hope and gaining of hope. The whole arch is there. It's not about showing off your singing talents. Stop trying otherwise.
Exactly. A decrepit old feral cat doesn't have a powerful voice. In fact, all female cats sound very soft and tender.
Someone give Stephanie J. Block some credit here. That was just lovely.
Alicia Westfall agreed. Of all these performances, hers was the only one that evoked the strong emotions I feel when I hear Elaine Paige singing it. She dug deep to get in touch with the rawness of it.
No joke!!! Daaamn. She stood out to me for sure.
What about Betty Buckley 8:13?
Powerhouse!
She was in my top 5. I liked the emotion she put in.
Mamie Parris is ridiculously impressive for doing that whole climax in one breath
No joke! I was like damn girl breathe!! Impressive. Definitely one of my favorite.
Mad props to her!
i saw her about a week ago and she was AMAZING
So is Maria del sol
I literally went back and replayed it to make sure I wasn’t missing a breath. How is that humanely possible?
betty buckley - She doesn't scream the emotional lines, she does it softly with feeling.
she's amazing for that
Plus she actually acts as well as she sings. You can feel the cat thinking about her memories!
@@imadickens3337 I agree!! her powerful voice matches with powerful emotional acting, fantastic!!
Elaine Paige, hands down. She not only sang it, she acted it impeccably.
That’s why I love hers so much more than the others, you can feel the distraught in her voice because she not only has to sing it, but she has to portray those emotions.
k pax you are spot on. She’s not called “The First Lady of musical theatre” for nothing
k pax yeah, there’s so much pain in her voice. She’s the real grizabellallallallall
grizabella*. Sorry my phone keyboard acted up
The way she stood back up!! *crying emotionally
heather headleys was just absolutely gorgeous. it was so clear and crisp.
Actually my vote goes to Patty from The Diary Of A Wimpy Kid
Kai Dawkins YES
Wut
That’s where I originally knew this song from 😂
As it should
YES
Betty Buckley for sure....the raw power of her voice is just amazing!
Both Betty Buckley's voice and interpretation are amazing! In addition, everyone but Betty looks like the Cowardly Lion (from the Wizard of Oz) in costume. Betty's performance captures and encompasses it all...the emotion, the mood, and the unmatched purity of tone of her vocals( without yelling!) are breathtaking.
My own opinion, the most technically perfect performance goes to Betty Buckley, the most emotionally driven performance goes to the grand Lady Elaine Paige.
Exactly. 👏
I concur, but I'd put heather Headley as 3rd for just a truly beautiful performance. I would love to see her perform it in character tho. As much as I like regular concert performances of Memory, I think being sung in the context of the character takes it to another level. Betty sang it with a bitter edge almost which was awesome and Elaine with a layer of grief that was incredibly moving. Adding depth like that just gives it that extra oomph to make it unforgettable.
100%
Betty Buckley was more regal. Elaine Paige was more raw. It is subjective what is better because while being regal can be comfy it can also be less emotional and while raw can be more emotional it can be less comfy.
I wasn't very fond of Betty's vowels but other than that her technique was good. I agree it's pretty hard to top Elaine.
Why is no one talking about Mamie Parris doing the whole climax in one breath?
That’s incredible breath support.
It's superhuman.
Bobsponge her lungs said “ight ima head out”
She's by far the best one!
Holy crap
So everybody just gonna overlook Heather Headley like she didn’t just kill that song?
THANK YOU???? I was like is everyone in these comments just going to overlook her performance because that gave me chills.
Semisi Halafihi SHE DID THAT!!! she was the BEST in this video after Elaine they’re both different styles but Heather’s voice is so powerful and her emotion made me wanna look for the video of the full performance.
Semisi Halafihi she was the best.
I agree... she definitely killed it.... and buried it...
Thank you!!!!! I love her so much!!!!! She’s the reason why Aida is my favorite musical
Betty Buckleys voice control is astounding. Pure and unforced notes with such clean diction makes her performance gorgeous.
I feel like Elaine and Betty are smoking a cigar laughing at this thread lol
Who do you think is better between Betty and Elaine ?
@@austinghost1458 Elaine sang the song as it was classically composed (like Barbara) and it is great in the filmed production. Betty sang it with her own rthym and it suited her voice an style more. I think comes down to person preference in the end.
Broadway actors and actresses don't smoke, thats like a heart surgeon playing five finger filet with a sledgehammer
@@austinghost1458 I like Elaine version the best. Her vocal is extraordinary and you can feel the emotion of the song from her singing. Betty come very close. I also like Barbara, but she come in third place.
Your comment was insightful and hilarious. The two you mentioned had radically different performances--they were not copying each other--and both were spellbinding.
None of the others reached that level of originality, except for Celine Dion, whose performance was memorably wretched.
With all due respect to the others, Betty Buckley has a depth to her tone that can shatter a planet. Her performance is simply stunning.
Whats the time stamp? I cant seem to find her.
@@issabellamerie7139 8:12
Randy Wong this is a great description of her voice. I wasn't at her part of the video yet when I saw this comment, but when I got to her rendition it was just a big wow from me
Agreed
Agreed!!
I hope this is helpful
Elaine Paige 0:29
Susan Boyle 1:00
Heather headly 1:21
Céline Dion 1:49
Paul Potts 2:17
Pia Douws 2:36
Stephanie J Block 3:04
Ruthie henshall 3:34
Lea salonga 4:01
John Barrowman 4:29
Barbara Streisand 4:59
Chris Coffer 5:17
Maria Deb Sob 5:42
José Carreras 6:08
Kerry Ellis 6:36
Leona Lewis 7:08
Nicole sherzinger 7:40
Betty Buckley 8:13
Mamie Parris 8:46
♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
It is! Thanks
wow thanks
Tildy_Bea X FINALLY THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IVE SEEN ON ONE OF THESE VIDOES THANK U SO MUCH
Tildy_Bea X
Many thanks.for your kindness
I love Barbara singing the most.
有り難うございますバーバラが一番お気に入りなので
繰り返し聴いています。
*5:42 María del Sol
Betty was totally in the box. Incredible vibrato, vowel shape, and distinct timbre. A clear and powerful winner. Wow!
Okay but what is Celine Dion doing-
that genuinely made me uncomfortable
Angelica! That audio didn’t help either
Yes
gosh me too
She’s trying to seduce you with her depression
@@rachelfourie9083 WTF DANG IT BTCH YOU GOT ME THERE! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAA LOL 😂🤣
Here is all the timestamps
(I might spell some names wrong)
Elaine Paige 0:28
Susan Boyle 0:56
Heather Headley 1:19
Céline Dion 1:46
Paul Potts 2:09
Pia Douwes 2:35
Stephanie J. Block 3:01
Ruthie Henshall 3:32
Lea Salonga 3:59
John Barrowman 4:28
Barbra Streisand 4:58
Chris Colten 5:15
Maria Del Sol 5:41
José Gannenas 6:08
Kelly Ellis 6:36
Leona Lewis 7:07
Nicole Schengingen 7:40
Betty Buckley 8:11
Mamie Parris 8:45
Lol this took me 30 minutes to make
Bless you
Thank you for making this!!!
It's José Carreras at 6:08, not Gannenas! One of the greatest tenors in the world and one of the Three Tenors along with Pavarotti and Domingo!
Ellen first then Barbara
1. Betty Buckley
2. Elaine Paige
3. Lea Salonga
stephanie j block deserves far more credit than she received. her rendition was phenomenal.
THANK YOU
I AGREE. STEPHANIE IS PHENOMENAL IN THIS ROLE!!!!
She does, I would go so far as to say her rendition is a close second to Elaine Paige, out of the singers here they can perform it well, but not everyone has the same notes desperation , despair, and hope that make this a wonderful song
Betty Buckley literally gives me a chills every time.
God this song never fails to give me chills
Edit: nvm just heard Celine’s performance
dannikancho 💀💀💀 accurate
Never mind 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
dannikancho omg i spit my drink out 😂😂😂😂
Wait till you hear Jennifer Hudson's version. She kills it and not in a good way. It's like she's never heard the original rhythm of the song and decided to make her own.
Christopher McHenry Now I'm tempted to listen to this mess haha
Are you going to skip over heather headly like dang that that girl got some vocals
s u c i p 👏👏👏
Thought Im the only one thou HAHAHA
s u c i p when she sang “of my days in the sun” I was in total shock-
Hers is my favorite of the non-theater performances, tied with Lea Salonga. Having seen the musical many times I kind of feel that someone who is in character as Grizabella gives the delivery a different feel than someone who isn't IMO.
Heather was ammmmazzzing. I love her performance. But Betty slayed this song. Her vocal is insane.
Betty Buckley's effortlessness definitely stands out. Mamie Parris' breath control is OUT OF THIS WORLD.
Betty Buckley is the best paws down ! Her performance at the Tony awards was absolutely amazing. The way she belts out while rising from a crouched position is incredible. She owned the stage. As for Celine …she looks demented …a complete mess .
🤣💯Celine . I'm I awe of how shamelessly she performed that butchered rendition.
Betty Buckley is the most stunning performance. And consistently.
Doesn’t see Patty Farrell from ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ but okay
G S DUDE I WAS JUST GONNA REPLY THIS XDD
Or Miranda Cosgrove in School of Rock smh
G S I WAS THINKING THAT
This is the funniest thing I've seen all day
you’re an OG
1. Elaine. I cry every time.
2. Betty. She is glamorous, in her voice and eyes.
3. Pia. She is not wearing any costume, but if she was.. it would be amazing.
4. Lea. amazing voice, and you can feel she misses the past.
5. Barbra. I just like the tone of her voice, so buttery.
Mamie should be number 2 lol she's this generation's Elaine
Heather Headley
1. Elaine @0:28
2. Betty @8:12
3. Pia @2:35
4. Lea @4:00
5. Barbara @4:58
Honorable Mentions
Mamie @8:45
Kerry @6:35
@@ania5038 out of this list she was the only other one that seemed to understand the role, at least to me
@@narmale Yes and she looks the part since she's not super young but not super old either.
Well it wasn’t Celine Dion I can tell you that.
Laurynn Kraemer 💀 Yeah
Ouch😂
This comment made me do the ugliest laugh😭😭💀💀
Laurynn Kraemer that was a train wreck.
I thought it sounded more like Bonnie Tyler.
Betty's placement is perfection. So forward strong in her mixed belt. A master class in technique. But Elaine is so raw and her performance so poignant. It's really hard to choose.
Stephanie J Block is severely underrated omfggg
Thiisss
You are right
Seriously, her voice is fantastic in this song and I think she really delivered that desperation
Yes
Not in the American theater circle she's not. Boy from oz, wicked, 9 to 5, anything goes, pirate queen, cher show. All broadway and all leads. Plus a tony for the cher show. She is genius
I was super nervous when I went to see Nicole Scherzinger in Cats on the West End, but to this day I have never seen an audience give a standing ovation before the end of the show. Everyone was on their feet at the key change. One of the most incredible theatre experiences I've had.
I saw her, too. I was flawed... she was incredible.
Nicole was the only one that gave me chills.
People forget she can actually sing.
I saw her the very first preview performance in the Palladium, I knew she’d be good but wow she was incredible! I remember the standing ovation after Memory... her reaction was one I’ll remember for a while
@@xlesadx omg what was her reaction? Do u have a video
how dare you not include the Diary of A Wimpy kid iconic scene where Patty belts her heart out. She deserves RESPECT 😤
Edit : HOLY SHIT 1.2K LIKES??
Patty LaBelle is NOT a singer - she is a SCREAMER!!
LMAOOOO I’m talking about the Fictional Character Patty Farrell in Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. NOT Patty LaBelle
@@chloelorraine7312 HAHAHAHA! Oh shit...sorry! Optical illusion - I could've sworn I read Patty LaBelle! LOL:-P
@@Mmmkay10 you're so quick to grab your pitchfork and start a mob, you somehow managed figment a world where Patti Labelle:
1) was in diary of a wimpy kid
2) has ever sung memory
3) has her name spelt "Patty Labelle"
there should have been so many clues that perhaps you weren't right but instead you decided nows the time to be a dick to Patti out of nowhere
@@BacadoTheSkoggy WTF!? "Pitchfork", "Mob", "Figment world"!? WTF are you even talking about!? HAHAHAHAHA! Dude, you either must be bored AF, need some attention, or on the spectrum of some sort. Just sit down, take a deep breath and have a cookie. Now just enjoy your day little biscuit:-)
Betty Buckley performs it so naturally! Beautiful!
Is no one gonna talk about how beautiful Lea Salonga’s version was?
Madeline H. yeah, that one was really good
James Cunico is she really?? i thought she did pretty well
James Cunico i’d say she was missing the “i’m begging you please accept me back in the tribe” effect, but she sang it well
y e s
Oh yeah that one was just gorgeous.
Mamie deserves major props for singing “Touch me...” all the way through “...days in the sun” in ONE BREATH
Jarrett Self breath support for DAYS 👏🏻
In my opinion, Mamie's performance was just awful.
Jarrett Self Ik I was like “Jesus she isn’t breathing!” I felt myself running out of air watching it
Yes she’s got some serious lung capacity. Not the best rendition but impressive nonetheless. Personally no one came close to the power and subtlety of Elaine Paige’s.. which I deem to be the best and most heartfelt.
And then there is Betty who knows how to breathe and results are truly showing, I mean look at her technique
Me: oh cool, Celine Dion has a version
3 seconds later
Also me: but why
Check out Jennifer Hudson's rendition. She is in a world of her own.
She sang it when she was young, hẻ technique was not good at that time.
@@nhatdo8773 no, she sang it recently on the show "The Voice ". Her rendition is brilliant
@@dafinamosley912 iam talking about CelineDion version dahling
Celine has a good voice but didn't do this song well. She was too young to be singing about her days in the sun when they hadn't even happened yet!
Betty Buckley hands down - the only one who embodied the intent of a character on stage and sang with a ferocious steady voice that was pure and unaffected.
3:40 i think about the growl on “alone” that ruthie sang almost every second of the day
Good point. Should be expected from Ruthie.
THANK YOU!! it’s so good
Yes omg she actually sounded like a cat why aren’t people talking about this
I cant find her version anywhere and it is absolutely killing me every damn day lol
@@jasonfarrell00 Its been taken down from RUclips sadly, but i’ve also done some research and strangely found out that Ruthie never played the role of Grizabella before...
There’s no contest to Elaine
You can feel her heart in every performance she does of this, so much raw emotion. Nobody else does it like her.
Joseph Joestar Indeed.
Wdym!!! Celine was by far the best!! ( jk jk, I agree with you, and Celine sucked)
Watch Keri René Fuller sing it! They just released a video a few days ago and she's amazing! I hope to see the musical next year when the tour comes to Florida.
Shir-Sure I’ve been obsessed with her rendition since it came out. She absolutely kills this song.
Elaine Paige and Betty Buckley are simply unbeatable.
And both of their versions are so amazing that I can't pick between them.
Heather Headly's powerful voice is the only one that comes close.
Betty Buckley is my favorite, class, emotion and beautiful voice... and María del Sol has the best version in spanish, her performance is so emotional.
The reason why Elaine's rendition of the song stands out for me, is because of how she stretched the note in
*"of MY DA-YS in the sun"*
She was able to project a nostalgic and melancholic sound, which suits the character of grizabella really well.
Heather Headley
Omg I 100% agree with what you say is the reason hers stands out . I never knew this was why for me but after you verbalized it, I realized that this was true for me as well!
So Kerry Ellis.
The reason Elaine's stands out is because she gave the best portrayal of the character. Hands down.
Its make it sound a like real cat is wailing the song, it’s perfect
Betty Buckley's preformance is technically stunning. The ease with which she just sits on top of those notes. Absolutely incredible.
yes, technically. but zero emotions.
@@arenasification I strongly disagree. Imho, she gave Grizabella a dignity that the others didn't.
Betty Buckley for pure power, but Elaine Paige's face when she sings this always broke my heart.
Betty Buckley for sure .. I saw her live on stage and I’ll never forget the power of her voice , it seemed effortless and her presence on stage phenomenal.. thanks Betty ❤
Betty Buckley. Glass cannon for a voice. 8:12
I was lucky enough to see her as well! What a thrill!
Elaine Paige - Gripped me with the truest emotions of the song. You could feel her begging for a single bit of love, acceptance, even just a touch. Always brings me to tears.
Betty Buckley - Very very close second to Elaine.
Maria Del Sol - Are we not discussing this?! Killed it. I swear I'm seeing someone reliving her glory days while she laments her current loneliness.
Heather Headley - Queen
Fucking PERIOD!
Thank you for recognizing María del Sol, a great interpretation and proudly Mexican voice. ♥ ️
Mamie Paris did it in ONE BREATH
Yeah, I was getting a bit concerned that she wasn't breathing! lol
A 20 second phrasing of belts? I'm so shook.
Damn she nailed it. She had it in the bag. Really capturing the sadness and despair
i was getting short of breath just watching her
5:41 María del Sol también y matiza un poco mejor.
Can I just say that Nicole’s is painfully under appreciated, she poured so much emotion into the way she sang
Amazing.
Agreed.
i saw cats when she was performing!! she was so good i still remember being speechless
Her voice simply blows me away.
YESS!!!
Betty Buckley was the only one that didn’t force the song but allowed it’s natural tones to create its harmony. Brava Betty !
Have to agree 100%. No one lived in the soul of this character/song the way Betty did. The actor's role is to give authentic life to a character and Betty's skill was demonstrated by the fact that she wasn't the only one to be in tears when she would finish this song, night after night.
She was sharp on highest notes. It was jarring
Agree, Buckley was the best.
How did Elaine force it lol. Also Elaine can act.
As she said, "All of the Buckleys had great pipes." It flowed so effortlessly from her lips. Paige was great but Buckley was definitive.
Elaine Page owns this song forever, period.
Betty Buckley
Jimson Almario leave the chat as Elaine is the supreme of the song
Nah Betty ATE THIS
I think that statement is true for those who learned to love this song through Elaine’s rendition of it, but for those who came after, it’s probably not the case.
This happens with many great songs (movies, etc.) through the retelling of them to a new generation by different artists. That’s the depth and beauty of music. It lives on.
100%
Elaine Paige - it’s not even close... she’s on another level- if she doesn’t grab your heart there’s not one there
Yeah, not only did she sing, she sang from the heart and she ACTED!! On a different level in my opinion.
Agree 100%
Elaine's singing was perfect for the style she chose to convey, but too passive and gentle for the emotion of the moment
. Betty FTW.
Agree 100%. No one even close to her.
There's Elaine and Betty and then everyone else. The only 2 Grizabella's.
I was lucky enough to see Cats on Broadway at the Winter Garden theater in 1998. It was INCREDIBLE! If people don't know, Grizabella (the Memory song cat) was old, weary, beaten down, and so very sad and alone. During the musical, she made several brief appearances (before her final song), and the other "cats" would mock her, hiss, chase her off, throw things at her. They hated her! The line from the song "touch me" is especially poignant when you see that. Hands down, Elaine Paige nailed the REAL Grizabella character.
The touch me line is so deep bcuz the sign of love for cats is by touching. If u notice, everytime grizabella goes on stage, all the older cats stops the youngsters from touching her. When griz finished singing the first memory, she stacks out her hands backwards so the other cats can touch her but they didn’t. After the final memory, she does the same thing and Victoria went to touch her and no one stopped her. It was a sign of acceptance from the jellicles. “If u touch me, you’ll understand what happiness is”. When Victoria touched her, her face was full of joy.
8:12 you can literally hear Betty’s voice ringing and resonating throughout the theatre in this clip
Elaine. Forever & always. She emotes without making the notes change & her articulations & dynamics are perfect. So many on this list sing it as aggressively as they can but this is a lament, it needs care & dynamic vocals not ‘belt because it means I’m talented’. I know this was recorded in the studio but she’s performed it live hundreds of times & each time was magical. Barbra does a great job as well, as always.
Elaine is fantastic,but Betty is out of this universe...
Perfect take.
100% this
I was impressed by Heather Headley (had never heard of her before today). But 1st place goes to Betty Buckley.
likewise...
CastleMr40 I agree! Her power is impressive!
My thoughts exactly.
I was so emotinal I started tearing up.
I think first place goes to Elaine, honestly.
I feel like the only ones that really “get” the song are the ones in context of the musical. The ones that just belt it out as part of their show just don’t connect with the depth of the meaning of the song. Elaine Paige nails it.
Cal Olson that’s exactly what I feel too 💙
Heather headley needs more appreciation her performance was phenomenal
true.
Her "Easy as Life" destroys me though.
I'm not really familiar with her, but on THIS performance, I hated how she ended each word with an unnecessary "ah."
umm, no it wasn't
IMO she did better in the Lion King, her version of Shadowland is amazing.
Yo, why is no one talking about Stephanie J. Block?? Her emotion was striking
Erin Jones YES
She was my favorite
Her costume frightened me.
@@karant1378 I agree why do they feel the need to change grisaballas costumes for each person who plays her I love the original it suits the carcator
Wendy Arnold every theater has their own costume department, it’s not like all the productions share a wardrobe
Elaine Paige is hands down the best. She just poured heart out. Not to mention she was the first one to sing it in Cats.
I really enjoy Heather Headley’s rendition simply because she’s such a skilled vocalist and stretches the notes in such a beautifully agonizing way. Also, HELLO MAMIE PARRIS!! So underrated in this comment section, but I got chills! She has such an insanely controlled and powerful belt but stays sensitive to dynamic shifts; just wonderful musicality.
1- Elaine Paige
2- Betty Buckley
3- Stephanie J Block
Honourable Mention- Barbra Streisand
I simply must agree
I don’t remember Stephanie’s clip, but I agree with the other three, except I put Betty at number one. 😊
Lea Solange deserves an honourable mention too!
Yeah I agree that Stephanie KILLED IT MAN!! 😍😍
elysepatrice 3:00 is Stephanie’s and she kills it 😍
Elaine Paige, Betty Buckley, Barbra Streisand, Lea Salonga were excellent.
My thoughts, too...in reverse order.
Dude, Mamie Parris killed it and nobody is talking about her
Idk why you didn't make an index so here's one for yous
0:28 Elaine Paige
0:56 Susan Boyle
1:19 Heather Headley!
1:48 Céline Dion
2:10 Paul Potts
2:35 Pia Douwes
3:03 Stephanie J Block
3:33 Ruthie Henshall
4:00 Lea Salonga!
4:29 John Barrowman
4:58 Barbra Streisand!
5:16 Chris Colfer
5:41 Maria del Sol
6:08 José Carreras
6:36 Kerry Ellis!
7:07 Leona Lewis!
7:40 Nicole Scherzinger
8:11 Betty Buckley
8:45 Mamie Harris
found da real MVP
Ok, now i know not only Celine Dion and Barbara Strisand... Thanks.
Susan was way too fast
Are the exclamation points before certain names supposed to indicate your favourites?
@@TamannaDas ye
I only know Betty Buckley from Carrie, so this absolutely blew my mind 🤯 Absolutely astounding voice! And makes it look so effortless.
The last singer did the whole climax in one breathe and KILLED it.
Omg I didn’t notice that.😂 as a singer I can feel my lungs gasping for air
Mamie is incredible
Also Maria del Sol 😉 05:41
"Parris belts the climactic 16 bars - 'Touch me, it’s so easy to leave me, all alone with the memory of my days in the sun' - without taking a breath. Most singers take three."[
Seriously. Like, everyone talked about Betty Buckley. Beautiful performance? Totally. But the raw emotion? Heck NO. Few have accomplished that. This last woman was among them.
Betty Buckley belts out those notes so effortlessly, it seems. I think that is amazing. ,
However it is just belting I see little to no acting.
, Imo, she's the only one who did act the part. She gave Grizabellla a sense of restraint and dignity and bittersweetness that the others missed by a mile.
@@junelee181 I actually saw her in it - what can one tell from a 15 second clip?
For me Betty Buckley was the best. Her voice sounds like an actual feline singing she has this kinda grace and stable grin to her voice. She looks terrific too
Yup, her feline vibe is the strongest.
The way Betty Buckley hits Touch Me is so mind boggling the way she starts on top of the note. But Nicole Szersinger was a huge surprise....
Elaine Paige is the only one who is delivering the sentiment of the lyrics. Look at her sing "leave" and "touch". Everyone else just ran through it or focused on trying to be a powerhouse.
Stephanie Block I think did a great job also.
@ugly dog I would also believe Lea Saglona (4:00) had the better emotion. In fact, she look like she was gonna cry
Heather Headley
@@conferencecoordinatorach462 Heather has great vocals, no doubt, and this clip didn’t let us see her emotion at the beginning of the song, but during the reprise she came across as if her only goal was to yell as loud as she possibly could into the microphone with no emotion.
Nonsense. I would say that quite a few of these women delivered the sentiment of the lyrics. Most were not yet old enough to know about past days in the sun, however. As far as makeup goes, the original was a misfire making the glorious Ms. Paige look clownish. By Broadway, they had got a better look down for the great Ms. Buckley. Just think of what the divine Ms. Streisand could have done on stage instead of in a mere recording booth making an exquisite record...
I like Heather’s version a lot. She really conveys the power that Grizabella has left in her, and belts those notes out. All of these performances are amazing though 😁
Exactly👍
Heather is so unusual with how she sings but the emotion is so palpable.
She looks here like Little Richard
Heather’s is one where I know I’d immediately start crying not because I was sad but because of the sheer power coming from her voice. It’s like being in a room with bagpipes.
I actually gasped aloud when I heard Ruthie Henshall hit that “all ALOOOOONE with the memories”...so powerful and emotive with an edge of vocal rasp...wow.
It gave me chills!
Betty Buckley’s voice has the most unique timbre to it. And her movements really captured the character perfectly.
For me Betty Buckley’s vocals with Elaine Paige’s emotion is the perfect combo 🤯
I thought Heather Headley was the real stand out because of her beautiful controlled Alto presentation. All the rest were so high, it was hard to tell one from another. Even though all the men were outstanding, if you have seen Cats, you will understand why it should be sung by a woman.
This!! ❤️❤️❤️ On all fronts. Totally agree.
Agreed everyone sounded similar. Expect Leona Lewis and Celine dion. They made it their own, which I felt took away from the authenticity of the true emotion. And I felt, most were dragging their vocals to show case their voice.. which took away from the emotions.. I think Elaine, Betty and heather felt the most authentic when singing. But, idk.
She was the the one. It is a song about grieving for the best years that have already past, about loneliness, being forgotten and left by everyone. And what I felt from her message was "If you come anywhere close to me I will destroy you"
@@dmitrizaslavski8480 But that's... that's a problem, isn't it? The song is quite literally Grizabella begging, crying out for anyone to touch her. If you get 'if you come close to me I'll destroy you', that's the exact opposite of what the song is supposed to be since touching her would make her genuinely happy, hence 'you'll understand what happiness is'.
And that's why I actually don't agree with this comment chain. Heather sounds way too confident for my taste. Yes, she stands out, but I don't think she stands out in a way that makes sense for Grizabella.
It was powerful but to me it was too powerful and youthful and full of confidence. It's meant to be an older person looking back, and to have some vulnerability and wistfulness
I'm sorry but Celine's made me deeply uncomfortable
The hell? She didn't sexualize it at all. All she did was made it a pop vocal. And a brilliant pop vocal.
Bronwyn and Calyope same
Yep.
Me too. Yikes! Lol
Crying lol!!!
it's like Callas for opera singers - there's just a ping and individual sound that can't be rivaled.....and here - that's Betty Buckley!
came here after seeing jennifer hudson singing this in the trailer
Malik Lewinsky dude same
still recovering?????
Same here
Ngl it sounded like she was screaming and shrieking the song not really singing
Jennifer Hudson freaking BUTCHERED this song! I had to come here to recover my ears and regain some sanity.
I feel like Elaine Paige was really the only singer who correctly conveyed the pure agony that is meant for the song. This is NOT a HAPPY song. This song is not meant to leave you being like "Wow that singer made some good belts" it should leave you feeling the desperation and raw emotion that comes with being ostracised to the point that no one even wants to be around you. It is not meant for the singer to reach the climax smiling. If the vocalist gets to the climax and smiles through the song they are not taking it seriously. This song is meant to be emotionally charged and heartbreaking. If you don't leave feeling the pure misery that Grizbaella experiences that she expresses in this song, you didn't do it right.
Heather Headley
Exactly! I think Maria del Sol did a good job with that, too.
This is a great point actually! Music is very emotional. I've never seen Cats, and I plan on auditioning for a musical with this song. Yes, although I haven't seen the musical, I need to convey the strong emotions within the song, especially in this verse. If I can't, there's no point.
Precisely
this. exactly why i felt elaine's was on another level.
Elaine
Betty
Ruthie Henshall
Honorable Mention: Lea Solanga because that woman cam sing the phone book
Betty Buckley is just stunning... Wish I was there
I saw her and Elaine Page (different cities)
Sorry, but ELAINE PAIGE RUINED THIS SONG FOR EVERY OTHER VOICE IN UNIVERSE. I have watched Cats in several countries and musical shows. Susan Boyle also achieved greatness, but Elaine... oh dear Lord... she was born to sing Memory.
Susan Boyle?
I think out of all these recordings Susan Boyle is by far the worst, together with Celine
@@denniswarrink4761 In fact, Susan Boyle never sang it on a proper show. But if you pay attention to my comment, I praised Elaine Paige, as the supreme winner. And yeah, my comparison was not fair, because Elaine and Susan are not in the same league. My bad, but I like Susan's voice too.
@@denniswarrink4761 Yeah shes singing it way too fast. Sounds like shes got a gun to her head and was told to sing.
Elaine Paige i feel like she is suffering and about to cry which sells the song for what it is in the show.
Susan Boyle? It’s like comparing Barbara Streisand with Britney Spears .
Elaine Paige is by far my favorite person to sing Memory. The first time I heard her sing I fell in love with her voice and the emotion she put behind it
That tells me that you have never heard Betty Buckley. pitty...
Imagine if all of the female vocals where combined to form a harmony of this climax, I NEED IT!!
Celine might be left out, for some reasons
Foxy Avocado how do you plan on creating a harmony when their all singing the melody?
gee, I wonder why she'd be left out
Saw Cats on broadway and Betty Buckley was the best. Every time I hear Memories I remember my babies who passed and I cry.😢