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.
Just Squeeze Me
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Want you to know it really is pleasin'
Want you to know I ain't for no teasin'
Treat me sweet and gentle when you say goodnight
Just squeeze me but please don't tease me
I get sentimental when you hold me tight
Just squeeze me but please don't tease me
Singing the blues away each day
Counting the rights and waiting for you
I'm in the mood to let you know
I never knew I loved you so
Please say you love me too
When I get this feelin' I'm in ecstasy
So squeeze me but please don't tease me
Treat me sweet and gentle when you say goodnight
Just squeeze me but please don't tease me
I get sentimental when you hold me tight
Just squeeze me but please don't tease me
Missing you since you went away
Singing the blues away each day
Counting the rights and waiting for you
I'm in the mood to let you know
I never knew I loved you so
Please say you love me too
When I get this feelin' I'm in ecstasy
So squeeze me but please don't tease me
"Just Squeeze Me" is a romantic and sensual song about a man's desire for his lover's affection. The lyrics express his yearning for physical intimacy and emotional connection. The repetition of the phrase "Just squeeze me but please don't tease me" highlights the man's need for reciprocation and trust between partners.
The opening lines of the song, "Want you to know I go for your squeezin' / Want you to know it really is pleasin' / Want you to know I ain't for no teasin'" establish the theme of the song. The man wants his lover to know that he enjoys physical affection and that he is serious about their relationship.
The second half of the song is a plea for the lover to return and express her love. "Missing you since you went away / Singing the blues away each day / Counting the rights and waiting for you" reveal the pain of separation and the hope that the lover will come back. The final lines "When I get this feeling I'm in ecstasy / So squeeze me but please don't tease me" express the joy and fulfillment that comes from a loving embrace.
Line by Line Meaning
Want you to know I go for your squeezin'
I want you to know that I really enjoy it when you hold me in a tight embrace.
Want you to know it really is pleasin'
I want you to know that it brings me great pleasure when you hold me close to you.
Want you to know I ain't for no teasin'
I want you to know that I am not interested in any playful teasing, I only desire your genuine affection.
Treat me sweet and gentle when you say goodnight
Please be kind and tender to me when you bid me goodnight.
Just squeeze me but please don't tease me
I want you to embrace me tightly, but please don't playfully mislead me.
I get sentimental when you hold me tight
When you embrace me firmly, it stirs up deep emotions within me.
Missing you since you went away
I have been longing for you intensely ever since you left.
Singing the blues away each day
I try to relieve my sadness by singing, but nothing can replace your presence in my life.
Counting the rights and waiting for you
I am making sure to remember all the good times we shared while eagerly anticipating your return.
I'm in the mood to let you know
Right now, I am feeling particularly inclined to express my feelings to you.
I never knew I loved you so
I didn't realize how deeply I cared for you until now.
Please say you love me too
I hope that you reciprocate the love that I have for you.
When I get this feelin' I'm in ecstasy
Whenever I feel this way, I am overcome with intense joy and happiness.
So squeeze me but please don't tease me
I am asking you to hold me tight, but not to play games with my emotions.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Duke Ellington
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind