ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Nothing Else Can Save Me: Britain Answers ABBA’s Post-Eurovision SOS

The track is celebrated as the only hit in which both the group and song names are palindromes.

Published on

ABBA 'SOS' artwork - Courtesy: UMG
ABBA 'SOS' artwork - Courtesy: UMG

The sensational Eurovision Song Contest win by ABBA in 1974 with “Waterloo” was no guarantee of immediate and lasting worldwide success. For the next year or more, Australia and New Zealand were the most receptive foreign territories for the Swedish quartet, with some further singles success in Scandinavia. Then came the single that changed their worldwide fortunes for good. In September 1975, Britain answered ABBA’s “SOS.”

ABBA - SOS (Official Music Video)

Click to load video

The track, which made the US chart on September 6, is celebrated as the only hit in which both the group and song names are palindromes. But it’s not always remembered that the song was also released, in Swedish, by the group’s Agnetha Fältskog. With music by ABBA’s Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and lyrics by band manager Stig Anderson, it was included on her solo album Elva Kvinnor I Eet Hus (Eleven Women In One House). That LP was released just after the ABBA version had become a hit, in late 1975.

With hindsight, and in the context of the group’s incredible success in the years that followed, ABBA’s “SOS” sounds irresistible, yet it was not an automatic hit. It entered the UK bestsellers on that September day at a tentative No.47 in a 50-position survey. But a week later, it made the Top 40 for the first time at No.31, and found its momentum.

Buy or stream the best of ABBA.

“SOS” rose again to No.16, then looked as if it might stop at No.13 before rising again into the Top 10, at No.7 and finally, for two weeks, its No.6 peak. It shared the higher chart ground with British hitmakers such as David Essex, David Bowie and Smokie and American artists ranging from the Drifters to Art Garfunkel, who topped the list with his remake of “I Only Have Eyes For You.” No fewer than 17 more UK Top 10 hits for ABBA would follow.

Buy or stream “SOS” on the ABBA album.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. sebastian

    September 20, 2015 at 4:58 pm

    i want this disk

  2. George Lungu

    July 31, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    Great song. one of my favourite.

  3. debashyam talukdar

    September 21, 2016 at 8:33 am

    Great song.

  4. Tyia

    September 6, 2017 at 8:33 pm

    One of their best songs was no 1 in many countries in 1975 including Australia German where it spent 7 wks at no 1.

    • Victoria Rowbotham

      September 20, 2018 at 4:32 pm

      Got this in car

  5. Eduardo Oscar

    September 7, 2020 at 11:40 am

    S.O.S.
    Una maravilla de ABBA, con una extraordinaria simbiosis en los dramáticos solos de Benny al piano y Agnetha en la voz líder, y luego un estribillo a pura potencia de rock y armonías vocales

    La mejor canción de ABBA
    de las que no fueron ni Nro.1 en U.K. ni Top 10 en U.S.A.
    (solo cuatro tienen ese doble privilegio:
    Waterloo
    Dancing Queen
    Take a chance on me
    The winner takes it all)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Billy Idol - Rebel Yell LP
Rebel Yell (40th Expanded Edition) (Marbled Limited Edition) 2LP
ORDER NOW
Def Leppard - Pyromania 2LP
Def Leppard
Pyromania 2LP
ORDER NOW
The Who - Live At Shea Stadium 1982 3LP
The Who
Live At Shea Stadium 1982 3LP
ORDER NOW
Keane - Hopes And Fears 20th Limited Edition 2LP
Keane
Hopes And Fears 20th Limited Edition 2LP
ORDER NOW
Abba - Waterloo 50th Anniversary
Abba - Waterloo 50th Anniversary (Limited Edition 3 x 7" Box Set)
ORDER NOW
Bob Marley - Songs Of Freedom Limited Edition 6LP Box Set
Bob Marley - Songs Of Freedom Limited Edition 6LP Box Set
ORDER NOW
uDiscover Music - Back To Top
uDiscover Music - Back To Top