The SOS Band
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| The S.O.S. Band | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Santa Monica |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Genre(s) | R&B, disco |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Label(s) | Tabu Records |
| Members | |
| Mary Davis Abdul Ra'oof Jason Bryant |
|
| Former members | |
| Billy Ellis James Earl Jones III Willie "Sonny" Killebrew John Simpson Bruno Speight Chandra Currelley |
|
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| 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.
Contents |
[edit] History
The band, fronted by Mary Davis (for Broadway Star Mary Bond Davis, see Hairspray, the musical), 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 remixed 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 of its 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 a successful as hoped, she reunited with the band in 1994.
[edit] Discography
All of the albums and singles listed below were issued on Tabu Records.
[edit] Studio Albums
- 1980: S.O.S. (US #12, R&B #2)
- 1981: Too (US #117, R&B #30)
- 1982: III (US #172, R&B #27)
- 1983: On The Rise (US #47, R&B #7)
- 1984: Just the Way You Like It (US #60, R&B #6)
- 1986: Sands of Time (US #44, R&B #4)
- 1989: Diamonds In The Raw (US #194, R&B #43)
- 1991: One of Many Nights
[edit] Compilation Albums
- 1987: 1980-1987: The Hit Mixes
- 1995: The Best Of The S.O.S. Band (US #185, R&B #27)
- 2004: Greatest Hits (R&B #62)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | UK [1] |
U.S. | U.S. R&B |
Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" | 51 | 3 | 1 | S.O.S. |
| 1980 | "S.O.S.(Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)" | - | - | 20 | S.O.S. |
| 1980 | "What's Wrong With Our Love Affair?" | - | - | 87 | S.O.S. |
| 1981 | "Do It Now" | - | - | 15 | Too |
| 1981 | "You" | - | - | 64 | Too |
| 1982 | "High Hopes" | - | - | 25 | S.O.S. Band III |
| 1983 | "Have It Your Way" | - | - | 49 | S.O.S. Band III |
| 1983 | "Groovin' (That's What We're Doin')" | 72 | - | 47 | S.O.S. Band III |
| 1983 | "Just Be Good to Me" | 13 | 55 | 2 | On The Rise |
| 1983 | "Tell Me If You Still Care" | - | 65 | 5 | On The Rise |
| 1984 | "For Your Love" | - | - | 34 | On The Rise |
| 1984 | "Just The Way You Like It" | 32 | 64 | 6 | Just the Way You Like It |
| 1984 | "No One's Gonna Love You" | - | - | 15 | Just the Way You Like It |
| 1985 | "Weekend Girl" | 51 | - | 40 | Just the Way You Like It |
| 1986 | "Borrowed Love" | 50 | - | 14 | Sands of Time |
| 1986 | "Even When You Sleep" | - | - | 34 | Sands of Time |
| 1986 | "The Finest" (with Alexander O'Neal) | 17 | 44 | 2 | Sands of Time |
| 1987 | "No Lies" | 64 | - | 43 | Sands of Time |
| 1989 | "I'm Still Missing Your Love" | - | - | 7 | Diamonds in the Raw |
| 1989 | "Sands of Time" | - | - | - | Sands of Time |
| 1990 | "Secret Wish" | - | - | 38 | Diamonds in the Raw |
| 1991 | "Sometimes I Wonder" | - | - | 12 | One of Many Nights |
[edit] References
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 478. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
[edit] See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
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