| The S.O.S. Band | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Santa Monica |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Genres | Disco Contemporary R&B Boogie Urban |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Labels | Tabu Records |
| Members | |
| Mary Davis Abdul Ra'oof Jason Bryant |
|
| Past members | |
| Billy Ellis James Earl Jones III Willie "Sonny" Killebrew John Simpson Bruno Speight Chandra Currelley |
|
| Notable instruments | |
| Roland TR-808 | |
The SOS Band is an American musical ensemble, founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977. Originally known as Santa Monica, the 'SOS' initialism in the band's name stands for Sounds of Success.
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The band, fronted by Mary Davis, was initially famous for the hit "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" in 1980. In 1983, they joined forces with then new production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who went on to craft a string of R&B hits for the group, including "Just Be Good to Me," "Tell Me If You Still Care," "Borrowed Love," "No One's Gonna Love You," "Just the Way You Like It," and "The Finest".
The Jam-Lewis-produced SOS Band hits are notable for popularizing the use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine (and its distinctive cowbell sound) in popular music. The group continues to tour and perform to this day.
The song "Just Be Good to Me" was covered by Beats International (aka Norman Cook or Fatboy Slim); the resultant song made its way to UK number one single as "Dub Be Good to Me." The song was reworked with the bass line of The Clash's "Guns of Brixton." It was also covered by Shayne Ward on his album, Breathless. Also, the song "Tell Me If You Still Care" was covered in 1995 by fellow Atlanta native Monica on her debut album Miss Thang and sampled by Janet Jackson in her hit "Call On Me. The Bingoboys performed a cover of "Borrowed Love" as the follow-up single to their 1991 dance hit "How to Dance."
Lead vocalist Mary Davis left the group in 1987 to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by Chandra Currelley beginning with the band's 1989 Diamonds in the Raw album. More recently, Currelley has been active as an actress and vocalist in Tyler Perry plays and films. When Davis’s solo career was not as successful as she hoped, she eventually reunited with the band in 1994.
All albums and singles listed below were issued on Tabu Records.
| Year | Album | Chart positions[1][2] | U.S. certifications[3] |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK[4] | |||
| 1980 | S.O.S. | 12 | 2 | — | Gold |
| 1981 | Too | 117 | 30 | — | — |
| 1982 | III | 172 | 27 | — | — |
| 1983 | On the Rise | 47 | 7 | — | Gold |
| 1984 | Just the Way You Like It | 60 | 6 | 29 | — |
| 1986 | Sands of Time | 44 | 4 | 15 | Gold |
| 1989 | Diamonds in the Raw | 194 | 43 | — | — |
| 1991 | One of Many Nights | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | |||||
| Year | Album | Chart positions[1][2] | U.S. certifications |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
UK | |||
| 1987 | 1980-1987: The Hit Mixes | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | The Best of the S.O.S. Band | 185 | 27 | — | — |
| 2004 | Greatest Hits | — | 62 | — | — |
| 2011 | Icon | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not certified | |||||
| Year | Single | Chart positions[2][5] | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B |
US Dance |
UK[4] | |||
| 1980 | "Take Your Time (Do It Right) (Part 1)" | 3 | 1 | 1 | 51 | S.O.S. |
| "S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)" | — | 20 | 54 | — | ||
| 1981 | "What's Wrong with Our Love Affair?" | — | 87 | — | — | |
| "Do It Now (Part 1)" | — | 15 | — | — | Too | |
| "You" | — | 64 | — | — | ||
| 1982 | "High Hopes" | — | 25 | 49 | — | III |
| 1983 | "Have It My Way" | — | 57 | — | — | |
| "Groovin' (That's What We're Doin')" | — | — | 47 | 72 | ||
| "Just Be Good to Me" | 55 | 2 | 3 | 13 | On the Rise | |
| "Tell Me If You Still Care" | 65 | 5 | — | 81 | ||
| 1984 | "For Your Love" | — | 34 | 26 | — | |
| "Just the Way You Like It" | 64 | 6 | 26 | 32 | Just the Way You Like It | |
| "No One's Gonna Love You" | 102 | 15 | — | — | ||
| 1985 | "Weekend Girl" | — | 40 | — | 51 | |
| 1986 | "The Finest" | 44 | 2 | 8 | 17 | Sands of Time |
| "Borrowed Love" | — | 14 | 26 | 50 | ||
| "Even When You Sleep" | — | 34 | — | — | ||
| 1987 | "No Lies" | — | 43 | 2 | 64 | |
| 1989 | "I'm Still Missing Your Love" | — | 7 | — | — | Diamonds in the Raw |
| 1990 | "Secret Wish" | — | 38 | — | — | |
| 1991 | "Sometimes I Wonder" | — | 12 | — | — | One of Many Nights |
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart | ||||||
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