Adderley is remembered for his 1966 single "Mercy Mercy Mercy", a crossover hit on the pop charts, and for his work with trumpeter Miles Davis, including on the epochal album Kind of Blue (1959). He was the brother of jazz cornetist Nat Adderley, a longtime member of his band.
The name 'Canonball' is supposed to have originated from his being nicknamed 'cannibal' in his youth, on account of his prodigious eating
Early life and career
Originally from Tampa, Florida, Adderley moved to New York in the mid-1950s. His nickname derived originally from "cannibal", a title imposed on him by high school colleagues as a tribute to his voracious appetite.
His educational career was long established prior to teaching applied instrumental music classes at Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cannonball moved to Tallahassee, Florida when his parents obtained teaching positions at Florida A&M University. Both Cannonball and brother Nat played with Ray Charles when Charles lived in Tallahassee during the early 1940s. Cannonball was a local legend in Florida until he moved to New York City in 1955, where he lived in Corona, Queens.
It was in New York during this time that Adderley's prolific career began. Adderley visited the Cafe Bohemia, where Oscar Pettiford's group was playing that night. Adderley had brought his saxophone into the club with him, primarily because he feared that it would be stolen, and he was asked to sit in as the saxophone player was late. That performance established his reputation.
Prior to joining Miles Davis' band, Adderley formed his own group with his brother Nat after signing onto the Savoy jazz label in 1957. He was noticed by Miles Davis, and it was because of his blues-rooted alto saxophone that Davis asked him to play with his group.
Adderley joined the Miles Davis Sextet in October 1957, three months prior to John Coltrane's return to the group. Adderley played on the seminal Davis records Milestones and Kind of Blue. This period also overlapped with pianist Bill Evans' time with the sextet, an association that led to recording Portrait of Cannonball and Know What I Mean?.
His interest as an educator carried over to his recordings. In 1961, Cannonball narrated The Child's Introduction to Jazz, released on Riverside Records.
Band leader
The Cannonball Adderley Quintet featured Cannonball on alto sax and his brother Nat Adderley on cornet. Cannonball's first quintet was not very successful; however, after leaving Davis' group, he formed another, again with his brother, which enjoyed more success.
Later life
By the end of the 1960s, Adderley's playing began to reflect the influence of the electric jazz, avant-garde, and Davis' experiments on the album Bitches Brew. On his albums from this period, such as Accent on Africa (1968) and The Price You Got to Pay to Be Free (1970), he began doubling on soprano saxophone, showing the influence of Coltrane and Wayne Shorter. In that same year, his quintet appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival in California, and a brief scene of that performance was featured in the 1971 psychological thriller Play Misty for Me, starring Clint Eastwood. In 1975 he also appeared (in an acting role alongside Jose Feliciano and David Carradine) in the episode "Battle Hymn" in the third season of the TV series Kung Fu.
Joe Zawinul's composition "Cannon Ball" (recorded on Weather Report's album Black Market) is a tribute to his former leader. Pepper Adams and George Mraz dedicated the composition "Julian" on the 1975 Pepper Adams album (also called "Julian") days after Cannonball's death.
Songs made famous by Adderley and his bands include "This Here" (written by Bobby Timmons), "The Jive Samba", "Work Song" (written by Nat Adderley), "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (written by Joe Zawinul) and "Walk Tall" (written by Zawinul, Marrow and Rein). A cover version of Pops Staples' "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)?" also entered the charts.
Adderley was initiated as an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity (Gamma Theta chapter, University of North Texas, '60, & Xi Omega chapter, Frostburg State University, '70) and Alpha Phi Alpha (Beta Nu chapter, Florida A&M University).
Adderley died of a stroke in 1975. He was buried in the Southside Cemetery, Tallahassee, Florida. Later that year he was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.
A Foggy Day
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
The lyrics to "A Foggy Day in London Town" by Cannonball Adderley illustrate the feeling of being alone and lost in a new place. The singer describes being a stranger in the city, feeling self-pity and despair because they do not know anyone. The outlook for their day is described as being "decidedly blue", meaning that it seems like it will be a bad day. However, as the singer walks through the foggy streets alone, they find that it turns out to be the luckiest day they've known.
The irony of the title and chorus, "A Foggy Day", and the singer's luck is evident in the lyrics. The foggy day in London town had the singer feeling low and down, and even the British Museum had lost its charm. However, the age of miracles hadn't passed and suddenly the singer saw someone there and the sun was shining everywhere. This person that the singer saw was likely someone they knew from before or a new acquaintance, either way, they made the singer's day so much better.
Line by Line Meaning
I was a stranger in the city
I felt out of place and disconnected from the environment.
Out of town were the people I knew
I was far away from my loved ones and support system.
I had that feeling of self-pity
I was overcome with a sense of personal despair and hopelessness.
What to do, what to do, what to do
I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of how to move forward.
The outlook was decidedly blue
My prospects for finding happiness or positivity seemed dim.
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
I took a solitary journey through my environment, despite my inner turmoil.
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
Unexpectedly, the events of the day would turn out to have life-changing consequences.
A foggy day, in London town
I was physically present in London on a day when the weather was misty and unclear.
Had me low, had me down
The dreary circumstances were having a negative impact on my emotional state.
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
I was highly concerned and worried about the day ahead.
British Museum, had lost its charm
Even a famous and highly-regarded cultural institution had ceased to impress or interest me in my current mood.
How long I wondered,
I was questioning just how much longer I could handle the difficult emotional state I was in.
Could this thing last
I was unsure if my low mood would continue indefinitely.
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
Despite my doubt, I remained open to the possibility of the unexpected transforming my situation.
For suddenly, I saw you there
A chance encounter with someone significant changed my perspective and lifted my spirits.
And through foggy London town,
Despite the gloomy conditions, I now saw my surroundings in a more positive light.
The sun was shining everywhere
I felt as though the world had become a brighter and more welcoming place since my chance meeting.
Everywhere
The feeling of positivity was pervasive and all-encompassing.
Everywhere
The sense of brightness and hope seemed universal and ever-present.
Everywhere
The moment was one of transformative joy and renewal.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind