They emerged in the early 80s with an EP called 'Folk of the 80s', a work released in 1980 that showed the Doroschuk family's interest in the electronic sounds of the progressive rock scene. After picking up some local success, the group erupted onto the international scene a couple of years later with their hit single "The Safety Dance". Parent album 'Rhythm of Youth' did very well, reaching all the way to the #13 slot on the Billboard 200 chart. Touring showed that they had captured their own distinctive audience.
Still, the band faced a tough time living up the expectations put upon them by the success of "The Safety Dance", which had a popular music video and hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their follow-up tune "I Like", similar in synthpop spirit, received far less airplay. Their 1984 album 'Folk of the '80s (Part III)' showed the group in flux, the ever shifting 80s music scene seemingly leaving them behind.
Though saddled with the 'one hit wonder' label, Men Without Hats burst back into American and Canadian popular consciousness with their 1987 release 'Pop Goes The World'. The title track reached the #20 slot on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as #2 on the Canadian Singles Chart, and, showing a return to form, the group also devised a compelling music video that had considerable interest. The songs themselves showed a mix of lyrical bite and meta-commentary on the nature of fame as well as understated, even children's music inspired instrumentation and vocals.
"Pop Goes The World" ended up being also featured in the 1987 comedy film 'Date with an Angel', and it became the fifteenth biggest selling single in South Africa for 1988, showing the international appeal of the band. Ivan and Stefan Doroschuk alongside Lenny Pinkas made-up the group at that point. The touring band incorporated Bruce Murphy on keyboards and guitar, Marika Tjelios on bass, Richard Sampson on drums, and Heidi Garcia on vocals and keyboards.
Their next album, 'The Adventures of Women & Men Without Hate in the 21st Century', was released in 1989. Though getting a bit of interest from having featured a cover of ABBA's song "S.O.S.", the commercial failure of the album showed that their audience had significantly dwindled. The musicians on the album were essentially the touring band from 'Pop Goes the World'.
The band lasted as an electronic group as such into the early 90s, but they decided to drastically change their sound for 1991's 'Sideways'. The aptly-tilted album saw them aping contemporary alternative rock. Alienating many fans, the album didn't even relieve an American release. Soon after this deep career setback, the band officially disbanded.
As time went on, the group's iconic international hits "The Safety Dance" and "Pop Goes The World" continued to receive major airplay, leading some to label the group as a 'two hit wonder'. Ivan Doroschuk and keyboardist Bruce Murphy would record several demos in 1993, for a concept album tentatively titled 'UFO's are Real'. Yet it never was released.
After a few more years, Ivan Doroschuk returned to being a solo artist with the album 'The Spell' in 2000. He decided to perform simply as Ivan. In 2003, Men Without Hats partly reformed, and Ivan self-released the album 'No Hats Beyond This Point'.
On September 24, 2010, Ivan Doroschuk reformed Men Without Hats as a full group, with three hired backup musicians, and his band appeared at the Rifflandia Music Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Performing ten songs from the Men Without Hats back catalog, the Ivan-fronted band (described by the Austin American-Statesman as "simply singer Ivan Doroschuk and some hired guns" and by Stefan as a "tribute band") began the "Dance If You Want Tour 2011" with a well attended and positively received performance at Austin's South by Southwest event in March 2011. At the North by Northeast festival in Toronto on June 18, Ivan announced that Men Without Hats would be releasing a new studio album and that it tentatively would be entitled 'Folk of the 80s: Part IV'.
On June 19, 2011, the group played at the Sound of Music Festival in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Stefan Doroschuk, though rumored to be returning to his brother's group, announced his intention to continue working separately. On March 6, 2012, Ivan Doroschuk's band announced via Facebook that their upcoming album would be called 'Love in the Age of War'.
On 22 April 2012, Men Without Hats released the new single "Head Above Water" from the aformentioned album. Their line-up at that time was Ivan Doroschuk, Lou Dawson, James Love and Rachel Ashmore. 'Love in the Age of War' finally came out on May 22, 2012 in Canada and on June 5, 2012 in the U.S. Their seventh album, it was also the group's first full studio release after a nine-year hiatus.
The band's 2013 tour found them traveling to San Diego, California as well as Mexico City. Going into 2014, the group is still going strong. See: http://safetydance.com/
S.O.S.
Men Without Hats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where are those happy days? They seem so hard to find
I try to reach for you, but you have closed your mind
What ever happened to our love? I wish I understood
It used to feel so nice, it used to be so good
So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me?
S.O.S.
S.O.S.
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, well I try, how can I carry on?
You seem so far away but you are standing nearer
You make me feel alive, but something died I fear
I really tried to make it out, I wish I understood
What happened to our love? It used to be so good
So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me?
S.O.S.
The love you gave me, nothing else can save me
S.O.S.
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?
So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me?
S.O.S.
The love you gave me, nothing else can save me
S.O.S.
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?
The Men Without Hats's song "S.O.S." is a heartfelt plea to the earth (Mother Earth). The lead singer misses the days when love and happiness were more apparent and easier to find. He attempts to reconnect with someone he loves, but they have "closed their mind" and seemingly disappeared. He wants to know what happened to their love and relationship, which used to be so good before.
The verses of the songs reveal heartbreak, a fear of death-like quality and an attempt at reconnecting with the lost-love: the chorus serves as a series of pleas for help. The singer is in a situation where he feels like he cannot survive or function without his loved one since no one else can save him, and he wishes they would hear his cries. The chorus repeats itself, emphasizing the urgency of the singer's plea. The phrase "S.O.S." that repeats throughout the song is a distress signal and an international code used to indicate an emergency.
In summary, "S.O.S." is a song about heartbreak, loss, and yearning for an ex-lover. The singer wants to reconnect with his loved one, but they seem to have disappeared, causing him to feel lost and desperate, desiring their assistance. The Men Without Hats created a captivating melody with lyrics that evoke strong emotions in the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd like to dedicate this song to mother earth
Starting the song with a dedication to Mother Earth.
Where are those happy days? They seem so hard to find
Expressing the difficulty in finding happy days nowadays.
I try to reach for you, but you have closed your mind
Expressing the feeling of being ignored when trying to connect with someone.
What ever happened to our love? I wish I understood
Expressing confusion about how love faded away.
It used to feel so nice, it used to be so good
Remembering the good old days when love felt perfect.
So when you're near me, darling can't you hear me?
S.O.S.
Asking the partner to listen to the plea for help.
The love you gave me, nothing else can save me
S.O.S.
Acknowledging that the only hope and strength is the love from the partner.
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
Feeling the inability to carry on without the partner.
When you're gone, well I try, how can I carry on?
Trying to carry on despite the emotional difficulty after the partner has gone.
You seem so far away but you are standing nearer
Feeling emotionally disconnected despite physical proximity.
You make me feel alive, but something died I fear
Feeling the contrast between the strong feelings of love from the past and the current sense of loss.
I really tried to make it out, I wish I understood
Frustrated by the inability to fix the relationship despite trying.
When you're gone, though I try, how can I carry on?
Repeating the difficulty of moving on without the partner.
When you're gone, how can I even try to go on?
Repeating the sense of helplessness and the inability to move on without the partner.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Stig Erik Leopold Anderson, Benny Goran Bror Andersson, Bjoern K. Ulvaeus
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mark Mower
2020. ANd no one understands, I am about to just give up.
R Scott
I understand !
venuspluto67
Weird that I'm viewing this for the first time on the second anniversary of its uploading to YouTube. I still like the original ABBA version of the song better than this cover.
NEWRADICAL LUNA AGUIRRE
good theme this i like (y)........................really like
Gregson Vaux
I love ABBA, so I don't want to disparage their version, but this one is much better. ABBA was good at fluffy and I like fluffy well enough, but this version strikes me as more heartfelt without being too schmaltzy.
Blender Bach
Both versions are great. The ABBA version feels very laid back and light, while the Men Without Hats version feels very fast and upbeat.
Torrey Long
I love this song. But the version I like the most is from the Mad Caddies. On their "The Holiday Has Been Cancelled" EP.
Jesse C
sergio alcocer - dont write idiotic comments please
stephen bradley
huantley crazy i like
Ravi Benjamin
I love Men without hats...but this blows.