THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

699-Barbra Streisand-Memory.

1982-Number 34 single.

Best Bit-At 2.54.The saddest part of life is when the person that gave you the best memory, becomes a memory.

‘Memory’ was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, who was born on March 22nd, 1948, in Kensington, London. England, with lyrics by Sir Trevor Nunn, who was born on January 14th, 1940, in Ipswich, Suffolk, England.

‘Memory’ was written for the 1981 musical ‘Cats,’ which is based on the 1939 poetry collection ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats,’ by the poet T.S.Eliot (1888-1965.) Nunn’s lyrics were adapted from Eliot’s poem ‘Rhapsody on a Windy Night,.’ while Andrew Lloyd Webber had originally composed the music for a proposed ‘Giacomo Puccini project that never came to fruition. Although the tune was intentionally written in the style of Puccini, Lloyd Webber was worried the he had subconsciously copied Puccini’s work. He asked his father William Lloyd Webber (1914-1982) an expert on Puccini, for his opinion on whether it sounded like one of the composers works, according to Lloyd Webber, his father responded,’It sounds like a million dollars.

‘Elaine Paige who originated the role of ‘Grizabella’ in the West End production of Cats, released the highest charting version of the song in the UK, peaking at Number 6 in 1981. In America, on the Billboard chart, the most successful recording is by Barry Manilow, whose version reached Number 39 in 1983.

Barbra Streisand (see also best songs 145) recorded ‘Memory,’ backed with ‘Evergreen,’ which was released as a double ‘A’ sided single.to promote her 1981, mainly compilation Album ‘Memories,’ which was produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

‘Midnight, not a sound from the pavement, has the moon lost her memory, she is smiling alone. In the lamplight, the withered leaves collect at my feet, and the wind begins to moan.’