SOS

“SOS” is the danceable lead single from Rihanna’s A Girl Like Me, and contains more than meets the eye. The song’s narrative is simply about falling deeply in love, but a sample from Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” and multiple references to 80s songs make “SOS” not only catchy but interesting as well. The song became RiRi’s first number one on the Hot 100, rising past the #2 peak of her prior best single, “Pon De Replay.” Ten years after its ascension to #1, Rih had added thirteen number ones, the most recent of which was “Work” featuring Drake.

[Intro] La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, oh (You know, I've never felt like this before) Oh, oh La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, oh (This feeling's like... so real) Oh, oh [Verse 1] I'm obsessive when just one thought of you comes up And I'm aggressive, just one thought ain't close enough You got me stressin', incessantly pressin' the issue 'Cause every moment gone, you know I miss you I'm the question and you're of course the answer Just hold me close boy, 'cause I'm your tiny dancer You make me shaken, I'm never mistaken But I can't control myself, got me callin' out for help [Chorus] S-O-S, please someone help me It's not healthy for me to feel this Y-O-U are makin' this hard I can't take it, see, it don't feel right S-O-S, please someone help me It's not healthy for me to feel this Y-O-U are makin' this hard You got me tossin' and turnin', can't sleep at night [Interlude] This time please, someone come and rescue me 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Love is testin' me, but still, I'm losin' it This time please, someone come and rescue me 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Got the best of me, so now I'm losin' it [Verse 2] Just your presence and I second guess my sanity Yes, it's a lesson, it's unfair, you stole my vanity My tummy's up in knots and when I see you, it gets so hot My common sense is out the door, can't seem to find the lock Take on me (Uh-huh), you know inside you feel it right Take me on, I could just die up in your arms tonight I melt with you, you got me head over heels (Over heels) Boy, you keep me hangin' on, the way you make me feel [Chorus] S-O-S, please someone help me It's not healthy for me to feel this Y-O-U are makin' this hard (Y-O-U are) You got me tossin' and turnin', can't sleep at night [Interlude] This time please, someone come and rescue me 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it ('Cause you on my mind) I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Love is testin' me, but still, I'm losin' it This time please, someone come and rescue me (Someone come and rescue me) 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Got the best of me, so now I'm losin' it [Bridge] Boy, you know you got me feelin' open And boy, your love's enough with words unspoken I said boy, I'm tellin' you, you got me open I don't know what to do, it's true I'm goin' crazy over you, I'm beggin' [Chorus] S-O-S, please someone help me It's not healthy for me to feel this Y-O-U are makin' this hard (Why you makin' this hard for me, baby?) You got me tossing and turning, can't sleep at night This time please, someone come and rescue me (Someone rescue me) 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Love is testin' me, but still, I'm losin' it [Interlude] This time please, someone come and rescue me 'Cause you on my mind, it's got me losin' it (All of the time) I'm lost, you got me lookin' for the rest of me Got the best of me, so now I'm losin' it (Best of me, I'm losin' it ) [Outro] La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, oh Oh, oh La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la, oh Oh, oh