SOS

"SOS" is the Morse code signal for distress, chosen because it is a simple series of three dots ("S") followed by three dashes ("O"), and three more dots that can be repeated over and over until someone hears it. It was used in the days when the telegraph was used for communication, and while those days are long gone, the phrase "SOS" continues to be used as a symbol of distress. In the song, Rihanna sends out an SOS because she's confused over her feelings for a boy.

This song is built on a sample from "Tainted Love," a 1981 hit by Soft Cell that was originally recorded by the soul singer Gloria Jones in 1964. Ed Cobb, who wrote "Tainted Love," made out well when his obscure soul song was covered into two #1 hits, meaning he receives songwriting credit and royalties on all these songs. Soft Cell's version of "Tainted Love" is an electronica classic with intriguing synthesizer elements that get pirated in "S.O.S." Another Rihanna song built on a sample of a cover song is "Shut Up And Drive," which incorporates Orgy's cover of "Blue Monday," originally recorded by New Order.

"SOS" was the first of 14 US #1 hits for Rihanna, counting her appearances as a featured artist. She's from Barbados, with musical influences in dancehall and R&B. She and two of her friends sang as a trio on the island, performing at showcases and talent shows. An American singer/producer named Evan Rogers auditioned the group in 2003 when he was there on vacation with his wife, who is Bajan. He wasn't impressed with the other two girls, but he could tell Rihanna, 15 at the time, had something special. Over the next year, he and his partner Carl Sturken wrote songs for Rihanna and recorded them when she could take trips to America. They put together a demo tape that got the attention of Jay-Z, who had recently been appointed president of Def Jam Records. In 2005, he signed Rihanna and, later that year when she was 17, released her first single, "Pon De Replay," which climbed to #2. That was followed by "If It's Lovin' That You Want," which reached #36. Instead of working more singles from the album, Def Jam had her quickly record another, A Girl Like Me, released in 2006 when she was 18. The first single was "SOS." Def Jam kept Rihanna on a breakneck schedule, furiously recording, touring, and promoting. She was really good at it and seldom complained. Her next album, Good Girl Gone Bad, includes "Umbrella," her biggest hit. She didn't slow down until 2013 when she left Def Jam and set up her own imprint on Jay-Z's label Roc Nation (Jay left Def Jam in 2007). She didn't release her next album, Anti, until 2016, and waited six more years to release any more music. By this time, Rihanna was a billionaire, thanks largely to her beauty line, Fenty.