SOS (ABBA song)

June 1975

SOS is a song by Swedish pop group ABBA. The song has a playing time of three minutes and 21 seconds. The solos are sung by Agnetha Fältskog, the chorus also Anni-Frid Lyngstad is involved. The music is original by Stig Anderson, Benny Andersson, lyrics and title, but the text of Björn Ulvaeus has been revised, as he had when Anderson better English skills. With four million copies in Europe alone, SOS is one of the most successful singles of the group.

The emergence

The recordings for SOS were one of the first on the album ABBA and took place on 22 August 1974. The working title was initially turn me on. The synth and guitar tracks have been added in a revision, as Andersson and Ulvaeus had worked a night shift. The song was recorded by Agnetha Fältskog also in Swedish for her solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus.

Although the song in the opinion of the group already in the completion had hit potential, he was disengaged until June 1975 as third single from the album ABBA.

The B-side man in the middle has been replaced in some countries by I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, Bang -a- Boomerang or Mamma Mia.

Success and significance

SOS was 18 months after ABBA's success Waterloo 's first single, which was able to place in the British top ten again. So the band was released from their " Grand Prix curse", as it was previously stamped in the UK as a one- hit wonder.

In the U.S., the single reached the Top 15 in Australia, SOS was by I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, the second number -one hit in a row. In Mexico, the single was leading the charts, as well as in South Africa. In other European countries such as Belgium, Italy and Ireland, the single was in the Top 5