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.
What's New?
Cannonball Adderley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How is the world treating you?
You haven't changed a bit
Lovely as ever, I must admit
What's new?
How did that romance come through?
We haven't met since then
What's new?
Probably I'm boring you
But seeing you is grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand
I understand. Adieu!
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed, I still love you so
Gee, but it's nice to see you again
What's new?
Probably I'm boring you
But seeing you is so grand
And you were sweet to offer your hand
I understand. Adieu!
Pardon my asking what's new
Of course you couldn't know
I haven't changed, I still love you so
In Cannonball Adderley's "What's New?" the singer is having a conversation with a former lover they haven't seen in a while. The singer is clearly still in love with the person, as they find them "lovely as ever," but the relationship has fizzled out and they're catching up as old friends. The song is filled with small talk, asking about the other person's current life and telling them about their own, but the underlying affection between the two is palpable.
The repeated question of "What's new?" is used as a flimsy excuse to keep the conversation going, as the singer admits that they're probably boring the other person with their small talk. The repeated acknowledgement of their unchanged feelings towards the former lover comes across as both sweet and sad, as they understand that they can't rekindle what they once had. The final line, "I still love you so," is delivered with a melancholic sincerity, acknowledging the raw emotions that are still present despite the time and distance that have passed.
Line by Line Meaning
What's new?
What's been happening in your life since we last met?
How is the world treating you?
How have you been doing? Have things been going well for you?
You haven't changed a bit
You still look and sound just as wonderful as you did before.
Lovely as ever, I must admit
You are just as beautiful and charming as ever, and I find myself admiring you once again.
How did that romance come through?
What happened with that romantic relationship you were involved in the last time we spoke?
We haven't met since then
It's been a while since we last saw each other and caught up.
Gee, but it's nice to see you again
I am genuinely happy to see you again after so long.
Probably I'm boring you
I'm sorry if I'm not being stimulating enough in conversation.
But seeing you is grand
Despite the potential for boredom, just being in your company is wonderful.
And you were sweet to offer your hand
Thank you for being kind and friendly towards me.
I understand. Adieu!
I acknowledge that it's time for me to go. Goodbye!
Pardon my asking what's new
Sorry if it seems like I'm trying to pry into your life too much.
Of course you couldn't know
It's not your fault that you don't know what's been happening in my life.
I haven't changed, I still love you so
Despite the passage of time and distance between us, my feelings for you remain unchanged.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHNNY BURKE, BOB HAGGART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind