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.
Street Of Dreams
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
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Come on and trade in your old dreams for new
Your new dreams for old
I know where they're bought
I know where they're sold
Midnight, you've got to get there at midnight
And you'll be met there by others like you
Brothers as blue
Love laughs at a king
Kings don't mean a thing
On the street of dreams
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
On the street of dreams
Gold, sliver and gold
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
Poor, no one is poor
Long as love is sure
On the street of dreams
Midnight, look at the steeple, it's midnight
Unhappy people, it's ringing with joy
It's ringing with cheer
'Cause yesterday's gone
Tomorrow is near
Midnight, the heart is lighter at midnight
Things will be brighter the moment you find
More of your kind
Smiling on the street of dreams
Love laughs at a king
Kings don't mean a thing
On the street of dreams
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
On the street of dreams
Gold, sliver and gold
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
Poor, no one is poor
Long as love is sure
On the street of dreams
The lyrics of Street of Dreams by Cannonball Adderley talks about a place where people can go to trade in their old dreams for new ones. It is a place of hope and happiness, where people can find others like them who are also in search of better dreams. The song portrays a sense of community and brotherhood among the people who visit the street of dreams. The lyrics suggest that love laughs at a king and that kings do not mean anything on the street of dreams. It is a place where dreams can be broken and yet be made anew.
The lyrics also present a contrast between the present and the future. The song suggests that yesterday is gone, and tomorrow is near. At midnight, when people visit the street of dreams, they can find hope, and things can become brighter with the arrival of a new day. The song also highlights that on the street of dreams, no one is poor as long as love is certain. The lyrics suggest that there is a sense of abundance and prosperity that comes with love.
Line by Line Meaning
Midnight, you heavy laden, it's midnight
It's midnight and you feel weighed down by your old dreams.
Come on and trade in your old dreams for new
Let go of your old dreams and embrace new ones instead.
Your new dreams for old
Don't be afraid to exchange your new dreams for old ones when necessary.
I know where they're bought
I know where you can find new dreams.
I know where they're sold
I know where you can sell your old dreams.
Midnight, you've got to get there at midnight
You have to arrive at the place where dreams are traded in at midnight.
And you'll be met there by others like you
You'll find others who are also looking to trade in their dreams.
Brothers as blue
These others are feeling as sad and weighed down as you are.
Smiling on the street of dreams
Despite their sadness, everyone is happy on the street of dreams.
Love laughs at a king
Love is more powerful than even a king's status.
Kings don't mean a thing
No social status can stand up to the power of love on the street of dreams.
Dreams broken in two can be made like new
Even broken dreams can be repaired and made new again on the street of dreams.
Gold, sliver and gold
All things, from material possessions to emotional fulfillment, can be found on the street of dreams.
All you can hold is in the moonbeams
The possibilities of what you can achieve on the street of dreams are endless.
Poor, no one is poor
No one is deficient when there is love on the street of dreams.
Long as love is sure
As long as love is present, everything else will fall into place on the street of dreams.
Midnight, look at the steeple, it's midnight
It's midnight and time to look towards hope and a better future.
Unhappy people, it's ringing with joy
Even those who are unhappy will find joy on the street of dreams.
It's ringing with cheer
The atmosphere on the street of dreams is one of happiness and hope.
'Cause yesterday's gone
The past is over and the future holds new possibilities.
Tomorrow is near
The promise of a better tomorrow is right around the corner.
Midnight, the heart is lighter at midnight
Your heart will feel lighter and more hopeful at midnight, when you're surrounded by others who believe in the power of dreams.
Things will be brighter the moment you find
You'll see the light at the end of the tunnel as soon as you find your way to the street of dreams.
More of your kind
You'll find more people like yourself on the street of dreams, making the journey to a better life together.
Smiling on the street of dreams
Everyone on the street of dreams will be smiling, feeling hopeful about the future and the possibilities it holds.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Sam Lewis, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind