Its like shes not even trying, it just comes naturally to her... She was born to play and sing in that play and her version/performance is my personal favourite!
You can hear them applauding from 4:53 onwards, in the little spaces between her singing. Her voice is so strong that she's basically drowning out the entire audience.
Due to rehearsal the cast on stage knew what was coming. I would love to see the audience reaction when she stood from crouched position and for 20 seconds proceeded to blow them away with her unrivaled vocal force. I can listen to her sing this song on a continuous loop and never tire of it!!
I did. A school trip, including after matinee tour of the stage/backstage. Then, later, on tkts line with friends, they hadn't seen it. I had to agree to seeing Cats a second time. I said ok. But, not because of the show. CATS SUCKED. But, because of Betty Buckley. I saw CATS a second time ONLY because of Betty Buckley and those chills.
How can anybody say she has no emotion in this? This is the only performance of this song that’s not cringe and overly acted. She conveys the bittersweet vibe of the song perfectly. It’s a sad song but it’s not supposed to sound devastating either.
@@MrWhiskeycricketi’ve seen a lot of people say that she doesn’t have any emotion in this performance especially compared to Elaine… everyone has their own opinions i guess, but Betty’s performance is the only one that gets me teary eyed.
@@omeometeotl Everyone besides Paige is trying to emulate the drama and phrasing of Betty Buckley - it's like everyone who does Hallelujah is trying to do Jeff Buckley, not Leonard Cohen. Betty is the standard bearer. Most versions they're just being overwrought and trying to impress - but Betty actually is present and letting the music move through her.
That's because Trevor Nunn directed her to play it like she was absolutely suicidal, to be emotionally under the top instead of over the top, which worked spectacularly. And no one has bothered to do that since except a very, very few people (Laurie Beechman, Nicole Scherzinger, Maria del Sol are good examples--and Beechman was literally praying because of her tumor journey.)@@MrWhiskeycricket
When she took her breath, turned and then went down to the ground on all fours knowing that in about 45 seconds she had to stand back up and "belt"= She made the entire theater vibrate-really....MAGIC
In those very rare cases where PERFECTION is attained in any human endeavor, it is revelatory. transcendent, and reminds everyone that humans can always do better. Buckley owns this song, for now and forever.
Her voice is like no other in musical theatre. The argument will continue as to who was the better: Betty Buckley or Elaine Paige. But it's like comparing apples & oranges. Both are brilliant, and both are so different.
I feel like both are really suited to Grizabella in a way that no actress since has been. The closest I can think of is Maimie Parris from the Broadway revival, but she's quite different in her own way (and still wonderful).
@@amiefortman7220 I think Mamie Parris is best for modern Grizabella (the redesign of Grizabella introduced in the London Palladium production). She is just plain awesome and she belts "Touch me-days in the sun" in one breath as you might have heard.
Amazing! Love when Betty turns to the audience on "of my days in the sun" and the look of dignity and defiance in her face. Beautiful! My favourite rendition by far.
Betty, it's amazing to say "Cats" was my very 1st Broadway show and seeing you in it was the most fantastic memory I will hold near & dear to my heart. I can't believe it's been 40 years since the show began in London and I'm extremely honored to say you were my first live Broadway star! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this blessed memory!
This performance is from the 1983 Tony Awards. These two songs are not contiguous in the musical play as they were here. For the Tony's they combined the opening number with the "11 O'clock" number, aka the second act show stopper. I watched this live in '83 and it just doesn't age. Just beautiful and captures the atmosphere of the show so well. Betty Lynn, as always, just amazing in vocals and acting. That shudder just sends chills through my spine.
It’s perfect that the very words sung by the exquisite Ms. Buckley are “Touch me”. I cannot think of any notes, sung by any artist, at any time, that have touched me more. I did not see the play, but I do remember Ms. Buckley’s graceful performance on the Tonight Show and how stunned I was and brought to tears by the power, depth and beauty of this celebrated voice. Really, words fail to describe how I felt. Every once in a while I revisit the Tony Awards performance and luxuriate in this, most pleasurable, moment. Thank you.
It doesn't matter how many times I watch this, as I watched it live on the awards show that night as a teenager, when Buckley stands up and belts out the last verse of "Memory"..my breath catches and I don't breathe again until she is finished with the song. Just amazing!
even though i am new to what cats is, i saw countless adverts for the musical as a kid. i had no idea what an amazing production it is. that said, after seeing this performance betty buckley has now achieved national treasure status with me. the power she lets loose in this recording almost defies human capability. simply incredible.
i am curious, who is singing this with you? although her pitch is not perfect at the start it would be nice to know who she is and where her career went.
I only knew Betty from Eight is enough, had no idea of the powerful voice she possesses. Once i found this clip, of course i googled her to see everything she has been in since.
I have a running list of around 25 perfect vocal performances since 1950, and this has consistently been on the list. Absolutely astounding performance. When I was a drama major during undergrad she came and talked to our class in 2007... She said she was nearly fired from this role. When threatened with losing the role, she told the directors that it was "under construction," and made some major adjustments. I'm sure they're glad now they didn't axe her.
As an acting student in a 2 year school ( mid 80s ), despite my supposed talent, I was told to Ace my last 2-3 months of year 1 or not return for year 2. Nobody was to be told in person or in front of any other student if they would be invited to return. As I finished my final moment of several Final exams/performances, that acting teacher lept to his feet, crying that I was getting my 2nd Year. I had spent those last 2-3 months expecting to be told I'm through, but refusing to go down without a fight. And that too included rehearsing with at least one other student. I too made adjustments to satisfy my acting teacher, who was worried I knew too much already, and was set in my ways ( I'd had professional training since I was in the 5th grade - this acting school years were my 21st-23rd years. ). It was a trip. A Triumph! I'm sure Betty rightly feels similarly in this instance in CATS.
And that major adjustment was when she had the revelation to play it as if she were a very dignified, very disconnected from reality homeless woman. There’s a video interview somewhere where she describes this. And that decision of hers, combined with Trevor Nunn’s direction to play the role as if she were suicidal, created this iconic performance .
I want to go back to the 1980’s and see the original cast because the choreography in this musical was the best!!! Betty Buckley is and words can’t describe her performance in this musical and song. She was the mother on Eight is Enough after the original person who played the mother died in real life. The father on the show remarried and BB played the second wife on the show.
Miss Buckley - I’ve told you this many times before, but no matter where I’m at or what I’m feeling- all I need is to hear that glorious voice and I’m suddenly uplifted! God Bless You!
Just fantastic !!! this performance and this touch me, this scream that comes from deep within her, I like the way Betty walk in the beginning, the look, her hands acting like a cat. Too bad we do not have other videos from 1983 broadway. I see the video again and again and the emotion and goose bumps are alwayd there in me. Thanks a lot for that. What an extraordinary job to be able to bring emotions to million people.
Probably 30 years ago a friend gave me a cassette tape copy of a live concert album of Betty Buckley. Originally I had no idea who she was other than the woman who played the mother on "Eight Is Enough" who I learned was famous for singing "Memory." What a revelation! It is a wonderful, lovely and moving concert. She has such a tremendous voice. I bought the CD once it became available, and it has become one of my most cherished albums.
The reason why I have always preferred Betty's interpretation is because she had a regalness and inner strength to her presence and voice. As if she were saying touch me and I will show you the way, show you how it used to be, show you how I used to be. As if she is trying to help them realize something. Not so much a hysterical cry for help as everyone else plays it. When she says "look" you can see her see the past and how much she enjoyed it. The way she won't look the audience or other characters in the eyes, but looks away or down as if she is afraid of their response. It's all so well thought out and executed so perfectly. Plus her TOUCH ME is the single best moment in musical history! I would have loved to see her do this live back then.
That little shudder at 4:08 gets me every time. ... and then there's the vocals, which render me speechless. Jason Becker Joseph Grasso ***** Enjoy, my friends.
I listen every day to the new vocalists who are amped up with auto tune. To my ear, it's just noise. Then I come back to this video and see and listen to something that is real and spectacular.
That echo coming out of "touch me" was not from an effect given to the mic, the theater literally projected that echo considering how powerful it was, the sound bounced back
No. It was a reverb effect. This was standard practice for the entire original run of Cats on Broadway. Near the end of the run, the speakers were so damaged by it that when the actresses would hit the climax of the song, you would sometimes hear the speakers coughing. And they applied the same effect to the Tony performance.
This is Excellent Betty Buckley and also Elaine Paige Each put everything they have in an outstanding performance. When rating them one against the other one would have great difficulty as Both have very beautiful voices . It is just a pleasure to listen to each of these outstanding Ladies sing such beautiful song along with an outstanding performance . Thank you to both of you amazing Ladies .
I don't think this is a voice vs voice argument. The way Betty portrayed the character is outstandingly better than any other. It's uplifting, instead of longing and sad.
Yes, it's very uplifting and not sad... but that isn't really in keeping with Andrew Lloyd Webber's vision. You're talking about a cat who literally can't feel happiness anymore; she can only "remember" that she was once happy (A "Memory" of happiness). It's a tragic existence, and so she wants to die and be reborn into a life where she can feel happiness again. It's sad. Truly heartbreaking. A real tragedy. But we Americans, of course, don't like tragedies, so in the American production, in true American style, we do what we always do with Euro tragedies, we change it to be happy. Betty played the role as "uplifting" and "defiant" and "hopeful" etc, the exact opposite of how Webber had Paige play the role in London 1981. But even in the American version, Griz still goes off to die, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Oh well, that's why Lloyd Webber made 1998 Cats in true British form; to be the definitive version of Cats for time immemorial.
@@QarthCEO That said, it is Betty, not Elaine, who sings all the tribute concerts for Webber. I think it's pretty clear that he prefers her rendition of all the people who've sung it well
Coming back to this I feel one of the things that really helped Buckley and Paige was the costuming; modern Grisabella's tend too look like a hot mess, while both Elaine and Betty looked disheveled and worn down. It's a minor detail but it really helps sell the idea.
Bunch of cats bragging about how jellicoe they are. Meanwhile my dog says, "Hold my bone," and takes off after a deer. Nevertheless, Betty Buckley is exceptional.
I feel absolutely terrible for whoever has to sang Memory in the upcoming Cats movie. They will always be compared to Betty Buckley and still will not win the battle of the bars. Betty wins hands down no matter what....JS.
@@davemaster1106 nope not so lucky for us. In the movie trailer Hudson sounds really really bad trying to perform this song. She is definitely no Elaine Paige or Betty Buckley. I don't even think I can go see the movie for fear of ruining one of my favorite musicals.
Does "jellicle" mean "gay"? 😐 lol. Sorry...lol. Still, I love the "memories" song. Truly amazing....and she belts better than anyone ...its touching. Betty Buckly...everyone wanted to be her when i was in high school...i wanted to be in Phantom...of course...
the clarinet or whatever the hell thay accompany instrument was could not even match Grizzabella's phrasing, god she was in her own rubato, too idiosyncratic😂
I don't understand. Why does it skip straight from the opening song to memory? Memory is supposed to be 2nd to the last song in the performance. Not knocking Betty Buckly, but I wasn't able to get emotionally into this one specifically for the fact that I was just confused as to why the entire middle of the show was skipped.
