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.
Cynthia's In Love
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
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Why do the neighbors chatter all day, behind their doors?
I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue.
Here is the gist, a practical list of "donts" for you.
Don't throw bouquets at me
Don't please my folks too much
Don't laugh at my jokes too much
Don't sigh and gaze at me
Your sighs are so like mine
Your eyes mustn't glow like mine
People will say we're in love!
Don't start collecting things
Give me my rose and my glove.
Sweetheart they're suspecting things
People will say we're in love.
Don't praise my charm too much
Don't look so vain with me
Don't stand in the rain with me
People will say we're in love!
Don't take my arm too much
Don't keep your hand in mine
Your hand feels so grand in mine
People will say we're in love!
Don't dance all night with me
Till the stars fade from above.
They'll see it's alright with me
People will say we're in love.
In "Cynthia's In Love," Cannonball Adderley sings about the challenges of public perception when it comes to romantic relationships. He asks why people invent stories and rumors about him and a woman named Cynthia. The neighbors gossip about them behind closed doors, and he suggests that there is a way to prove it all untrue. He then provides a set of practical rules for Cynthia to follow to avoid giving the appearance that they are in love.
The "dont's" that he suggests include not throwing bouquets at him, not pleasing his folks too much, not laughing too much at his jokes, not sighing or gazing at him, not starting to collect things, not praising his charm too much, not standing in the rain with him, not dancing all night with him, and not taking his arm or holding his hand too much. These strict guidelines are designed to prevent people from assuming that they are in a romantic relationship.
Throughout the song, Adderley conveys a sense of frustration, as if he's tired of people assuming things about him and his relationships. He seems to be telling Cynthia that they should ignore the rumors and focus on the genuine connection between them, rather than worrying about appearances.
Line by Line Meaning
Why do they think up stories that link my name with yours?
Why do people gossip and spread rumors about us being in love?
Why do the neighbors chatter all day, behind their doors?
Why are our neighbors so interested in our relationship that they talk about it all day?
I know a way to prove what they say is quite untrue.
I have a plan to show everyone that these rumors are false.
Here is the gist, a practical list of "donts" for you.
Here are some tips to follow if we want to avoid raising suspicion about our supposed relationship.
Don't throw bouquets at me
Don't give me too much attention or flattery.
Don't please my folks too much
Don't try too hard to impress my family.
Don't laugh at my jokes too much
Don't act like you're enamored with me and my sense of humor.
People will say we're in love!
If we do these things, people will assume that we are romantically involved.
Don't sigh and gaze at me
Don't give me longing looks and romantic sighs.
Your sighs are so like mine
Your reactions to me are so similar to my own reactions.
Your eyes mustn't glow like mine
Don't let your eyes show too much emotion or affection.
Don't start collecting things
Don't begin to act possessive of me or try to gather mementos of our supposed relationship.
Give me my rose and my glove.
Let's keep things simple and not try to make a big deal out of our interactions.
Sweetheart they're suspecting things
People are starting to suspect that we have feelings for each other.
People will say we're in love.
Again, if we behave in certain ways, people will assume that we are in a romantic relationship.
Don't praise my charm too much
Don't flatter me too much or make me feel too special.
Don't look so vain with me
Don't act like you're starstruck or infatuated with me.
Don't stand in the rain with me
Avoid situations that could be seen as romantic or intimate, like standing in the rain together.
Don't take my arm too much
Avoid physical contact that could be interpreted as a couple-like gesture.
Don't keep your hand in mine
Again, let's avoid acting like a couple and holding hands.
Your hand feels so grand in mine
While it may feel good to hold hands, we need to resist the temptation.
Don't dance all night with me
Don't act like we're a couple and dance the night away together.
Till the stars fade from above.
Until it's time to go home, when the night is over.
They'll see it's alright with me
I don't mind dancing with you, but we need to be careful not to act like a couple.
People will say we're in love.
If we aren't careful, our actions could give people the impression that we are in love.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Oscar Hammerstein Ii, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind