the S.O.S. Band
{{Short description|American R&B and electro-funk group}}
{{Lead too short|date=March 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = The S.O.S. Band
| background = group_or_band
| image = The SOS Band.jpg
| caption = The SOS Band, 1991. L–R: Bruno Speight, Jason Bryant, Chandra Currelley and Abdul Ra-oof.
| alias = Santa Monica
| origin = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| genre = {{Flatlist|
}}
| years_active = 1977–present
| label = Tabu
| associated_acts = Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
Alexander O'Neal
Cherrelle
Kurupt
| website =
| current_members = Mary Davis
Abdul Ra'oof
| past_members = Jason Bryant
Billy Ellis
James Earl Jones III
Willie "Sonny" Killebrew
John Simpson
Bruno Speight
Chandra Currelley
}}
The S.O.S. Band (sometimes written as S.O.S. Band; abbreviation for Sounds of Success) is an American R&B and electro-funk group who gained fame in the 1980s. They are best known for the songs "Take Your Time (Do It Right)", "Just Be Good to Me", and "The Finest".
History
The Atlanta, Georgia, band was started in 1977, when keyboardist / vocalist Jason Bryant, saxophonists Billy Ellis and Willie "Sonny" Killebrew, guitarist Bruno Speight, bassist John Alexander Simpson, drummer James Earl Jones III, and lead vocalist Mary Davis formed a group called Sounds of Santa Monica that played at Atlanta nightclub the Regal Room.{{cite book|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=Virgin Books|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=1051}}{{cite news|url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/the-timing-has-always-been-right-for-mary-davis-and-the-sos-band-7286782|title=The Timing Has Always Been Right for Mary Davis and the S.O.S. Band|author=C. Horn, Mark|date=April 9, 2015|newspaper=Phoenix New Times}}
Their manager (Bunnie Jackson-Ransom) sent a demo to Clarence Avant, head of Tabu Records. After signing the band to Tabu, Avant suggested that the band work with songwriter/producer Sigidi Abdullah. Abdullah was curious as to why an Atlanta-based band named itself Santa Monica. Keyboardist Jason Bryant replied that the band had an enjoyable concert in Santa Monica, California. Abdullah then came up with a new band name, The S.O.S. Band, with S.O.S. standing for "Sounds of Success".
Abdullah produced and co-wrote "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" – which went platinum – with Harold Clayton, the song parking at number one R&B for five weeks and peaking at number three pop on Billboard's charts in spring 1980. Their eponymous debut album, S.O.S., went gold, selling over 800,000 copies and holding the number two R&B spot for three weeks. While the band was on its world tour, trumpeter/vocalist/percussionist Abdul Ra'oof joined them. Their second album, Too, went to number 30 R&B in the summer of 1981.
On the band's third album, III, they worked with producer Leon Sylvers III and writers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Their breaking single, "High Hopes", hit number 25 R&B in the fall of 1982 while the album went to number 27 R&B in late 1982.{{cite web|last1=Hogan|first1=Ed|title=Biography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-sos-band-mn0000495366/biography|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=12 November 2020}}
Jam and Lewis took over the production duties on their fourth album, On the Rise, scoring with the number two hit "Just Be Good to Me" (A song that would later be featured as the theme to Richard Pryor's stand-up film, "Here and Now", and again in Grand Theft Auto IV's in-game radio, The Vibe 98.8) and the number five ballad "Tell Me If You Still Care".{{cite web|title=The S.O.S. Band Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography|url=https://www.musicvf.com/The+S.O.S.+Band.art|website=Music VF|access-date=12 November 2020}} On the Rise became their second gold album, hitting number seven R&B in the summer of 1983.
The formula continued to work: Just the Way You Like It (including the number six R&B single "Just the Way You Like It") went to number six R&B in the fall of 1984 and Sands of Time (including the number two R&B hit "The Finest") went gold and hit number four R&B in the spring of 1986. Many of these releases, as well as the sound of early releases, helped to popularize the now-classic sound of the TR-808 Roland drum machine.
In late 1986, vocalist Mary Davis left the S.O.S. Band to pursue a solo career. In 1987, the band contributed a song called "It's Time to Move" to the Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol soundtrack. The band released their seventh album in 1989. For Diamonds in the Raw the lead vocalists were Chandra Currelley and Fredi Grace, and three producers were used (Curtis Williams, Eban Kelly & Jimi Randolph, Jason Bryant, and Sigidi). Saxophonist Billy Ellis, also one of the founder members, died during the recording of Diamonds in the Raw. The album reached number 43 on the R&B chart.
One of Many Nights, with lead vocalist Chandra Currelley and produced by Curtis Williams, followed in 1991. It failed to chart. Davis subsequently rejoined the band, performing on tours.
In 2021 Mary Davis took a leave of absence from the group after suffering a stroke.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.soultracks.com/story-sos-band-update-mary-davis|title=The SOS Band leader updates fans on the group and singer Mary Davis|magazine=SoulTracks|date=January 4, 2022|first=Chris|last=Rizik}} However, she has since returned to perform on select dates.[https://www.facebook.com/reel/1359976864595542 The Real SOS Band - Reel (16 September 2023) @Facebook.com] Retrieved 7 October 2023. In October 2021, she joined original members of the group, along with more recent members, for a performance at a Birthday celebration for original drummer James Earl Jones III.[https://www.facebook.com/therealsosband/posts/10159392291907492/?paipv=0&eav=Afbwc9aK5ptJLMroSUTFEH4tA6psri1FNscydJdx1JUK4uvnGR0Lx2ym3d14xSEBhkE&_rdr The Real SOS Band - Post (20 October 2021) @Facebook.com] Retrieved 7 October 2023.
Discography
All albums and singles listed below were issued on Tabu Records.
=Studio albums=
=Compilation albums=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| US ! width="35"| US ! width="35"| NLD |
| rowspan="1"| 1986
| align="left"| The 12" Tape (Five 12" Mixes On One Cassette) | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1987
| align="left"| 1980–1987: The Hit Mixes | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1989
| align="left"| In One Go | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 1990
| align="left"| The Very Best Of (1980–1990: A Decade of Dance Hits) | — | — | 26 |
| rowspan="1"| 1995
| align="left"| The Best of the S.O.S. Band | 185 | 27 | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2004
| align="left"| Greatest Hits | — | 62 | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2011
| align="left"| Icon | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2013
| align="left"| Very Best Of | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2014
| align="left"| The Tabu Anthology | — | — | — |
| rowspan="1"| 2015
| align="left"| Greatest | — | — | — |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title ! colspan="10"| Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2"| Certifications ! rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="35"| US ! width="35"| US ! width="35"| US ! width="35"| AUS ! width="35"| CAN ! width="35"| GER ! width="35"| IRE ! width="35"| NLD ! width="35"| NZ ! width="35"| UK |
| rowspan="2"|1980
| align="left"| "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" | 3 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 27 | 40 | — | 26 | 3 | 51 | align=left| | align=left rowspan="3"| S.O.S. |
| align="left"| "S.O.S. (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)"
| — | 20 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="3"|1981
| align="left"| "What's Wrong with Our Love Affair?" | — | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Do It Now"
| — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="2"| Too |
| align="left"| "You"
| — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="1"|1982
| align="left"| "High Hopes" | — | 25 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="3"| III |
| rowspan="4"|1983
| align="left"| "Have It Your Way" | — | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Groovin' (That's What We're Doin')"
| — | — | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72 | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Just Be Good to Me"
| 55 | 2 | 3 | 17 | — | — | 21 | 22 | 10 | 13 | align=left| | align=left rowspan="3"| On the Rise |
| align="left"| "Tell Me If You Still Care"
| 65 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | — | 81 | align=left| |
| rowspan="3"|1984
| align="left"| "For Your Love" | — | 34 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Just the Way You Like It"
| 64 | 6 | 26 | — | — | 34 | — | 42 | 50 | 32 | align=left| | align=left rowspan="4"| Just the Way You Like It |
| align="left"| "No One's Gonna Love You"
| 102 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="2"|1985
| align="left"| "Weekend Girl" | — | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Break Up"
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="4"|1986
| align="left"| "The Finest" | 44 | 2 | 8 | — | — | 26 | 28 | 34 | 13 | 17 | align=left| | align=left rowspan="4"| Sands of Time |
| align="left"| "Borrowed Love"
| — | 14 | 26 | — | — | 37 | — | 22 | — | 50 | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Even When You Sleep"
| — | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| align="left"| "No Lies"
| — | 43 | 2 | 83 | — | — | — | — | — | 64 | align=left| |
| rowspan="1"|1988
| align="left"| "The Official Bootleg Mega-Mix" | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="1" {{N/A}} |
| rowspan="1"|1989
| align="left"| "I'm Still Missing Your Love" | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="3"| Diamonds in the Raw |
| rowspan="2"|1990
| align="left"| "Secret Wish" | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| align="left"| "Do You Love Me?"
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="2"|1991
| align="left"| "Sometimes I Wonder" | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="2"| One of Many Nights |
| align="left"| "Broken Promises"
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| |
| rowspan="1"| 2017
| align="left"| "Just Get Ready" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | align=left| | align=left rowspan="1" {{N/A}} |
| colspan="15" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p121296}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4o8LhysL2Y S.O.S. Band performing "Take Your Time (Do It Right)"'] on Soul Train in 1980.
{{The S.O.S. Band}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sos Band, The}}
Category:African-American musical groups
Category:American boogie musicians
Category:American dance music groups
Category:American disco groups
Category:American funk musical groups
Category:American soul musical groups
Category:Musical groups established in 1977
Category:Musical groups from Atlanta