SOS (ABBA song)

Infobox Single
Name = SOS


Artist = ABBA
from Album = ABBA
Released = June, 1975 (Sweden)
September 8, 1975 (US)
September 20, 1975 (UK)
Format = 7" Single
Genre = Pop/Europop
Length = 3:23
Producer = Polar (Sweden)
Epic (UK)
Atlantic (US)
Writer = Björn Ulvaeus,
Benny Andersson,
Stig Anderson
Producer = Björn Ulvaeus,
Benny Andersson
Director = Lasse Hallström
Certification = N/A
Chart position = * #1 (AUS)
* #6 (UK)
* #15 (USA)
Last single = "I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do"
(1975)
This single = "SOS"
(1975)
Next single = "Bang-A-Boomerang"
(1975)
Misc =Infobox Single
Name = S.O.S.


Artist = Agnetha Fältskog
from Album = Elva kvinnor i ett hus
Released = November 1975
Format = 7" single
Recorded = 1975
Genre = Europop, Pop
Length = 3:35
Label = CBS Cupol
Writer =
Producer = Andersson, Ulvaeus, Fältskog
[ Certification = ]
Last single = "Dom har glömt"
(1975)
This single = "S.O.S.
(1975)
Next single = "Never Again"
(1982)"SOS", first called "Turn Me On", was the third single from Swedish pop group ABBA's self-titled 1975 album, their third for Polar Music, and their second for Epic and Atlantic. It was released with "Man in the Middle" as the B-side. Agnetha Fältskog recorded the song in Swedish on her 1975 solo album "Elva kvinnor i ett hus".

History

"SOS" was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. The title itself was coined by Stig, though the lyrics he provided were re-written by Ulvaeus. "SOS" was among the first three songs recorded for the group's upcoming 1975 album, "ABBA".

Despite the song's catchiness, it was passed over as the lead single from the album; the track "So Long" was chosen instead. "So Long" was chosen primarily because it had the same uptempo beat as their 1974 hit single, "Waterloo."

The descending chords and ominous synthesizer melody line of the introduction set the tone for Fältskog’s vocals, sounding almost as if she were breaking down in tears.

Reception

"SOS" was ABBA's UK comeback single, reaching No.6, and also became the group's second U.S. Top 20 hit. It topped the charts in New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, South Africa, Belgium and West Germany, and reached the Top Five in Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), Switzerland and Ireland.

"SOS" has a number of musical fans: John Lennon and Pete Townshend had both declared that it was one of their favourite pop songs.

Chart positions

Agnetha Fältskog's version

Agnetha Fältskog's version was the second single from her fifth Swedish solo-album "Elva kvinnor i ett hus" (Eleven Women In One House). It was the only song from this album not to have been composed by Fältskog herself.

Despite the fact that Fältskog never promoted the single in Sweden, it peaked at #4 on the singles chart on January 1, 1976 during a 20-week chart run, and it also became Fältskog's third #1 on radio chart Svensktoppen, entering the chart on November 22 1975 and spending a total of eleven weeks on the listing.

The B-side of the single, "Visa I Åttonde Månaden" (Song In The Eighth Month) was a song written from a very personal perspective, as it was composed during Fältskog's pregnancy with daughter Linda Ulvaeus in 1973.

Other cover versions

* Released in the early 1980s, the "Stars on 45 Medley 2" started off with a bunch of 60's songs then ended the last third with several ABBA tracks. This section of the medley kicked off with "SOS", followed by "Money Money Money"/"Knowing Me, Knowing You"/"Fernando"/"The Winner Takes It All"/"Super Trouper".
* In 1988, Kees Zaaijer released a fully synthesized version of "SOS", which he recorded using the up-and-coming Commodore 64 synth.
* The song was covered in the 1990s by Los Angeles indie band Celebrity Skin for their album "Melting Pot".
* The 1992 compilation "ABBA: The Tribute" contained a cover by Swedish band Stonecake.
* Dance covers of the song have been recorded by Abbacadabra (through Almighty Records), German Eurodance group E-Rotic on their album "Thank You For The Music", The Element on the "Lay All Your Love On ABBA" compilation, Angeleyes on their album "ABBAdance", Euphorica on their 2003 album "ABBA Dance", Les Blue Belles, Kyria, and DJ Ensamble on the album "Trancing Queen".
* An electronica version by Radha Kali is included on the compilation "The Electronic Tribute To ABBA".
* Swedish musician Nils Landgren covered the song on his 2004 album "Funky ABBA".
* Finnish rock group The Rasmus recorded a cover of the song.
* On the German "ABBA Mania" compilation, the song was covered by Swiss actress/model/singer Michelle Hunziker.
* British singer Hazell Dean recorded a dance-oriented version on her own ABBA tribute album.
* On "ABBAlicious", a compilation performed by American drag queens, the song is covered by Joie Starr.
* American singer/songwriter Pamela McNeill covers it on her album "Tribute To ABBA", which was produced by her husband Dugan McNeill.
* Swedish studio musicians The Black Sweden included a version of the song on their ABBA tribute album "Gold". This version includes a riff from the Kiss song "God of Thunder".
* Alternative U.K. band Th' Faith Healers recorded a cover of the song.
* An acoustic version of the song was recorded by American rock band Tonic.
* The tribute album "ABBAMetal" (also released as "A Tribute to ABBA") included a heavy metal version by German band Paradox.
* Canadian rock band Harem Scarem recorded a cover of the song.
* Indie artists Brad Sucks & The Hip Cola recorded an acoustic version that was available for download on the Internet.
* In 1989, Canadian pop band Men Without Hats covered the song for their album, "The Adventures of Women & Men Without Hate in the 21st Century".
* In 1992, the song was covered on Erasure's "Abba-esque" EP.
* The song was also covered in 1992 by Norwegian rock band Israelvis on their "We Only Live Twice" EP.
* In 1995, Peter Cetera released a cover version of the song as a duet with singer Ronna Reeves on his album "One Clear Voice". The song was also included on the 1999 compilation "ABBA: A Tribute - The 25th Anniversary Celebration". Cetera's love of ABBA is not only evident in his covering of "SOS," but in his producing of Agnetha Faltskog's 1987 solo album "I Stand Alone", which included a duet with her on the track "I Wasn't the One (Who Said Goodbye)".
* The 1995 New Zealand compilation "Abbasalutely" includes a cover by the Able Tasmans.
* In 1998, alternative band The Fire Apes covered the song for their album "A Perfect Day For Bananafish".
* In 1999, the Swedish pop group A*Teens did a cover of "SOS" for their debut album, "The ABBA Generation".
* In 2000, the ska band Mad Caddies covered "SOS" on their "The Holiday Has Been Cancelled" EP.
* In 2000, a heavy metal cover of the song was included by At Vance as a bonus track on the Taiwanese edition of their album "Heart Of Steel".
* In 2001, two dance covers of the song by Donna Burke were included on the Japanese import "ABBA Ibiza Caliente Mix" compilation.
* In 2001, Dutch tongue-in-cheek cover band Masters of Spam covered the song on their album "You've Got Spam".
* The Countdown Singers covered the song on their critically-panned 2002 album "Disco Nights".
* Serbian punk rock band KBO! recorded a version on their 2001 cover album "(Ne) Menjajte Stanicu" ((Do Not) Change The Station)
* In 2002, the Meat Purveyors covered the song on their album, "All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail".
* In 2004, the song was covered by TV actress Tricia Penrose on the British "ABBAMania 2" album.
* In 2005, the song was covered by American indie band Dodd Ferrelle & The Tinfoil Stars for their album "The Murder Of Love".
* In 2007, the song was covered by Dutch rock singer/musician Robby Valentine on his album "Falling Down In Misanthropolis".
* In 2008, the song was covered in a jazz/lounge music style by American group BNB on their album "Bossa Mia: Songs of ABBA".
* Tribute band Gabba (band) recorded a cover of the song, in the style of The Ramones.
* Indie American band Masonic included a cover of the song for their album "Without Warning".
* The song is performed in the "Mamma Mia!" musical. In the context of the musical, the song is sung by Sam and Donna when they are expressing desire for each other, unbeknowst to each other. In the 2008 "Mamma Mia!" film adaptation, the song is performed by Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan.

Live performances, appearances in other media, etc.

*Punk rock band The Sex Pistols used the riff of "SOS" as the introduction to their track "Pretty Vacant". The chorus of "Pretty Vacant" was also inspired by "SOS".

*In 1989, Austrian group Edelweiss used the melody behind "SOS" as part of their biggest-selling single "Bring Me Edelweiss".

*In 2000, "SOS" was the main theme song in Lukas Moodysson's film "Tillsammans".

*In 2001, ABBA's original version of "SOS" was used as the theme song of the Japanese TV drama "Strawberry on the Shortcake". The song was re-released as a single, some twenty-five years after its original release, followed by a soundtrack album. Both the single and the album were successful on the Japanese charts, and the former became that year's best-selling single by an international music act in Japan, selling some 130,000 copies. [ [http://www2.wbs.ne.jp/~ms-db/oricon/japan%20no1%20single%2068-.htm | List of the best-selling international singles on the Japanese Oricon Year-End Charts (1968-2006)] ] The following year "SOS" won a gold prize at the 17th Japan Gold Disc Awards in honor of its renewed commercial success. [ [http://www.riaj.or.jp/e/data/gdisc/2002.html | RIAJ 17th Annual Gold Disc Awards] ] .

*In 2005, The Conway Sisters sang the song on series 2 of The X Factor.

* In 2007, John Frusciante sung the song six times during a solo portion of Red Hot Chili Peppers concerts on the Stadium Arcadium tour.

*Is frequently used as bumper music for the radio program Coast to Coast AM.

References