☝️ Key Points
- The song 'S.O.S.' addresses themes of loss, despair, and isolation in a relationship.
- The repeated line 'S.O.S.' symbolizes a desperate cry for help.
- It is emphasized that only the love of the beloved person can save the singer.
- The song creates a sense of emotional distance, even when the loved one is physically close.
- The lyrics express sadness and helplessness when a loved one is no longer emotionally reachable and the relationship ends.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'S.O.S.' by
ABBA are about the feelings and despair someone goes through when they have lost a loved one. The lines 'Where are those happy days, they seems so hard to find / I tried to reach for you, but you have closed your mind' express the deep sadness and feeling of isolation the singer feels because the loved one has closed off their feelings and mind for the relationship.
The repeated line 'S.O.S.' is an international distress code and symbolizes here the desperate plea for help as the singer cannot go on without the loved one. 'The love you gave me, nothing else can save me' emphasizes the importance of the love the loved one gave and that nothing else can save the singer.
The line 'You seem so far away though you are standing near' describes the feeling of emotional distance even though the loved one may be physically close. It underscores the feeling of alienation in a relationship when the emotional connection is no longer there.
Overall, 'S.O.S.' expresses the deep sadness, despair, and feeling of helplessness someone feels when a loved one is no longer emotionally reachable and the relationship comes to an end.