Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1971


(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball

Buy (Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball now from Amazon

First, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.

Wikipedia article




"'(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball'" is a song written by Van Morrison that was first released on his 1971 album 'Tupelo Honey'. It was also released as the third single from the album but did not chart.

Lyrics and music



The lyrics of "(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" propose taking advantage of nature to solve one's problems. An example is the opening verse "Well you know sometimes it gets so hard/And everything don't seem to rhyme/I take a walk out in my backyard and go/Do do loo do do, do do loo, do do." The lyrics show country music influences with references to love, weather and being outdoors. In reviewing 'Tupelo Honey', 'Rolling Stone Magazine' critic Jon Landau suggested that "(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" "transmutes the expression of generalized need for excitement and fulfillment on [the previous song and hit single] "Wild, Wild Night" into an expression of desire for a single person."

The music is lively with a triple metre time signature. The feel of the music shows jazz and R&B influences. 'Los Angeles Times' critic Robert Hilburn suggested that it as an "uptempo spirit." Producer Ted Templeman felt that Ronnie Montrose's electric guitar playing was particularly effective on this song, stating that his "infectious strummimg and catchy fills made 'Cannonball' worthy of release as a single." Templeman also praised the 2-note hook Montrose played after the "Do do loo do do, do do loo, do do" line that ends most of the verses. Templeman felt that "it was a simple lick that any guitarist could have played but the way he played was special. It brightened the tune right up and gave it this pop sheen." Morrison played acoustic guitar on the song. Copley News Service critic Judy Hugg praised "Boots" Houston's flute playing on the song.

Recording



"(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" was recorded at Wally Heider Studios in San Francisco, California, during the first set of recording sessions for 'Tupelo Honey'.

Reception



'Billboard' chose "(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" as a recommended pop single when the single was released. Nonetheless, "(Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball" failed to make the 'Billboard' Hot 100, topping out on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart at #119.

'Windsor Star' critic John Laycock praised the "cheerful banality" of the song. 'The Dispatch' critic Dink Lorance described it as a "bouncy little number with nice guitar and vocal." Patrick Humphries praised the song's "verve and panache." Music journalist Erik Hage described the song a "focused medicine-show Americana."

References



Category:Van Morrison songs

Category:Songs written by Van Morrison

Category:1971 songs

Category:1972 singles

Category:Warner Records singles

Category:Song recordings produced by Ted Templeman

Category:Song recordings produced by Van Morrison

Buy (Straight to Your Heart) Like a Cannonball now from Amazon

<-- Return to songs from 1971



This work is released under CC-BY-SA. Some or all of this content attributed to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1082906156.