Cannonball (The Breeders song)

"Cannonball" is a song by the Breeders from their 1993 album Last Splash. It was released as a single on August 9, 1993, on 4AD/Elektra Records, reaching No. 44 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and No. 40 in the UK Singles Chart. It was released in France in November 1993, where it remained charted for 30 weeks, peaking at No. 8.

"Cannonball"
Single by the Breeders
from the album Last Splash
B-side
  • "Cro-Aloha"
  • "Lord of the Thighs"
  • "900"
ReleasedAugust 9, 1993
Format12", CD maxi
Genre
Length3:36
Label4AD/Elektra
Songwriter(s)Kim Deal
Producer(s)
  • Kim Deal
  • Mark Freegard
The Breeders singles chronology
"Cannonball"
(1993)		 "Divine Hammer"
(1993)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
Music video
"Cannonball" on YouTube

Recording

The rhythm of the introduction is constructed from metallic clicking on a snare rim and cymbal stand, which is tapped out by drummer Jim McPherson.[1]

Composition

"Cannonball" is an alternative rock,[2] pop rock,[3] indie pop[1] and grunge[1] song that lasts for a duration of three minute and thirty-six seconds,[4] featuring a balance of quirky pop hooks and surging power which support playful, goofball lyrics.[1] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by EMI Music Publishing, the song is written in the time signature of common time, with a moderately fast rock tempo of 112 beats per minute.[5] "Cannonball" is composed in the key of E-flat major (E♭), while Kim Deal's vocal range spans from a low of E♭3 to a high of B♭4.[5] The song has a basic sequence that alternates between the chords of B♭5 and E♭5 during the introduction and verses and follows B♭5–E♭5–A♭5 at the chorus as its chord progression.[5]

The song's opens with an unusual, attention-grabbing introduction. It begins with the distorted voice of singer-songwriter Kim Deal testing a microphone by intoning "Check, check, one, two" against hissing feedback and over similar distorted vocal harmonizing. The track's drum rhythm and trademark bubbling bass line signal the start of the song. A slithering guitar lick skips the above its rhythm section before being overtaken by the high, squealing feedback of crunching guitar. It is nearly a full minute into the song before the introduction of its vocal melody, with Deal slyly cooing humorous lyrics. The band pulls to a brief halt for Deal to proclaim the parent album's title: "I'm the last splash."[1]

During the verses, Kim Deal recites repetitive lines with a seductive shyness.[1] The song intensifes at the jubilant chorus, which is signaled by pelting snare rolls. They unleash layers of guitar distortion alongside Deal's distorted, transmitted vocals shouting: "Hey now, hey now/I want you Koo Koo, Cannonball."[1] Its musical arrangement features stuttering, start-and-stop transitions before evening out into an infectious, melodic hook layered with sweet vocal harmonies, with Deal and the band repeating the line: "In the shade/In the shade."[1] "Cannonball" employs a false ending, pausing for a whole measure and then crashing into its chorus and shifting in another full verse and chorus before coming to an abrupt halt.[1]

Reception

As the lead single from their sophomore album, "Cannonball" went on to become the Breeders' biggest commercial success. The song was ranked as song of the year by both English music weekly magazines Melody Maker and NME and helped propel the album as well as the release of their follow-up single "Divine Hammer" to Platinum status.[1]

AllMusic's Tom Maginnis complimented the single, writing, "the song conveys an effusive energy, balancing quirky hooks with a gushing power, supporting playful, goofball lyrics that perfectly deliver the song's sense of unhinged, freewheeling fun."[1]

NME,[6] Melody Maker[7] and The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop annual year-end critics' poll all named "Cannonball" their best single of 1993. In May 2007, NME magazine placed "Cannonball" at number 22 in its list of the 50 Greatest Indie Anthems Ever. It ranked No. 83 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s". In September 2010, Pitchfork Media included the song at number 22 on their Top 200 Tracks of the 90s.[8]

Music video

The music video for "Cannonball" was directed by Kim Gordon and Spike Jonze.[9] It features the band in a garage, and the Deal sisters in what seems to be a dressing room trashed with clothes, sitting in a chair together. There are also shots of a cannonball rolling down suburban streets, as well as a shot of Kim Deal singing underwater.

Usage in media

"Cannonball" was featured in a preview for South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut, the film Moonlight and Valentino, the start of A Walk to Remember as well as in the heist scene of Sugar & Spice. It was the original televised score to a skit on MTV's sketch comedy show The State, but due to music licensing issues had to be re-recorded with a sound-alike song for the DVD. The song was also featured in the third season in episode 3 in Misfits and in the season six finale of True Blood. The band Phish covered the song during their May 7th, 1994 concert in Dallas, Texas, which was later released commercially as Live Phish Volume 18. In 2000, Nissan used the song in a commercial for the Sentra.[10]

Track listings

CD single
  1. "Cannonball" – 3:33
  2. "Cro-Aloha" – 2:15

CD and 12" maxi
  1. "Cannonball" – 3:33
  2. "Cro-Aloha" – 2:15
  3. "Lord of the Thighs" (Steven Tyler) – 3:58
  4. "900" (Wiggs) – 4:27

Cassette
  1. "Cannonball" – 3:33
  2. "Lord of the Thighs" – 3:58
  3. "Cro-Aloha" – 2:15

"Cro-Aloha" is a demo version of "No Aloha" from Last Splash.

Personnel
  • Guitars and lead vocals: Kelley Deal and Kim Deal
  • Bass and vocals: Josephine Wiggs
  • Drums: Jim MacPherson
  • Artwork by Paul McMenamin
  • Design by Vaughan Oliver
  • Photography by Jason Love
  • Recorded at Coast Recorders, San Francisco; Cro-Magnon, Dayton; Refhaze, Dayton

Certifications and sales
Country Certification Date Sales certified Physical sales
France[11] Silver December 21, 1994 125,000 210,000[12]

Charts

References
  1. Maginnis, Tom. "The Breeders Cannonball – Song Review by Tom Maginnis". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
  2. Yglesias, Matthew (May 21, 2007). "The Ultimate Nineties Alt-Rock Playlist". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  3. Sutton, Terri (September 1993). "Platter du Jour". Spin. SPIN Media LLC. p. 115. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
  4. Deal, Kim. "The Breeders "Cannonball" Guitar Tab in E Major - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. EMI Music Publishing.
  5. Deal, Kim. "The Breeders "Cannonball" Sheet Music in Eb Major - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. EMI Music Publishing.
  6. "NME End Of Year Lists 1993". Rocklist.net. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  7. "Rocklist.net...Melody Maker End of year Lists - The '90s ..." www.rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  8. "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 50-21 - Page 3". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  9. "The Breeders - Cannonball". Mvdbase.com. Retrieved May 24, 2019.
  10. Connell, John; Gibson, Chris (2003-09-02). Sound Tracks: Popular Music Identity and Place. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-134-69912-4.
  11. French certifications Disqueenfrance.com Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved April 12, 2009)
  12. French certifications See: "Les Ventes" => "Toutes les certifications depuis 1973" => "BREEDERS" "Infodisc.fr". Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2009.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  14. "Cannonball", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 13, 2009)
  15. "Official Charts > Breeders". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
  16. Billboard allmusic.com (Retrieved April 13, 2009)
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