The band, fronted by Mary Davis, was initially famous for the post-disco hit "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" in 1979. In 1982, they joined forces with then-new production team Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who went on to craft a string of R&B hits for the group, including "Just Be Good to Me", "Tell Me If You Still Care", "Borrowed Love", and "The Finest".
The Jam/Lewis produced SOS Band hits are notable for popularizing the use of the Roland TR-808 drum machine (and its distinctive cowbell sound) in popular music. The group continues to tour and perform to this day.
The song "Just Be Good to Me" was remixed by Beats International (Aka Norman Cook or Fatboy Slim) the song made its way to UK number one single as "Dub Be Good To Me". The song was reworked with the bassline to the Clash's "Guns of Brixton".
Sands of Time
S.O.S Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The weeks turn into months
And I'm still alone
Wondering when I'll see you
Still I watch the hourglass
The symbol of our love
When we were so sure
What changed your mind
We are the sands of time
Only sands of time
Don't ever run out on me
Time is loneliness
When you're not around
But I continue
Turnin' the hourglass upside till I see you
And whatever life brings my way
I'm always gonna know one thing
With you I'll always share all my love
Nothing can change it because we're bound by the sands of time
I won't change my mind
(No, I won't)
We are the sands of time
Only sands of time
(Ooh, baby)
Don't ever run out on me
Thought time had run out
I almost hope
(No, don't)
It's hard to keep the faith
Oh, but if you believe
You can make almost anything you ever want come true
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
And I'll wait for you, baby
(You know I want you, baby)
And if we believe, it will only come true
(Mmm, mmm)
I won't change my mind
(It's so lonely when you're not around)
We are the sands of time
(Turn the hourglass upside down)
Only sands of time
(We won't ever, never, never)
Don't ever run out on me
(Hoo, hoo, hoo)
I won't change my mind
(Oh, oh, oh)
We are the sands of time
(Bound by the sand of time)
Only sands of time
(The sands of time)
Don't ever run out on me
Believe we always come together in the sands of time
The lyrics of "Sands of Time" by S.O.S Band describe a relationship that has ended, leaving the singer alone with only memories of their love. The lyrics evoke a sense of timelessness, with the hourglass symbolizing the past and the present, and a warning not to waste the precious time they shared. The desire to see the loved one again, combined with a sense of hope, is a recurring theme throughout the song.
The chorus emphasizes the idea of the sands of time, suggesting that the relationship may have been fleeting or ephemeral, like sand slipping through one's fingers. The singer, however, refuses to let go of the hope that they will reunite and that their love will be everlasting. The song ends with a call to believe in the power of the sands of time to bring them together again.
Overall, "Sands of Time" is a poignant and introspective song about the challenges of love and the importance of cherishing the time we have with those we care about.
Line by Line Meaning
Hours pass
The passing of time is noticeable
The weeks turn into months
Time seems to be moving quickly
And I'm still alone
Despite the passage of time, the singer is still lonely
Wondering when I'll see you
The artist is hopeful for a reunion with their lover
Still I watch the hourglass
A symbol of the passage of time and love lost
The symbol of our love
The hourglass represents the love that was once shared
When we were so sure
There was once certainty in the relationship
Our love would be everlasting
It was believed that the love between the artist and their lover would last forever
What changed your mind
The artist is questioning what happened to cause the end of the relationship
We are the sands of time
The artist and their lover are a part of the passage of time
Only sands of time
They are nothing but a memory in the grand scheme of things
Don't ever run out on me
The artist is pleading for their lover to not abandon them
Time is loneliness
Time apart from their lover is a lonely experience
When you're not around
The singer feels the absence of their lover
But I continue
The singer carries on, despite the pain
Turning the hourglass upside till I see you
The artist is hopeful for a reunion and will continue to wait
And whatever life brings my way
The artist is ready for whatever challenges may come their way
I'm always gonna know one thing
The singer is certain in their love for their partner
With you I'll always share all my love
The singer will always love and share their life with their partner
Nothing can change it because we're bound by the sands of time
Their love is forever a part of the passage of time
I won't change my mind
The artist is committed to their lover and won't give up on them
We are the sands of time
The artist and their lover are a part of the passage of time
Thought time had run out
The singer thought that their time with their lover was over
I almost hope
The artist doesn't want to give up on their love
It's hard to keep the faith
The singer is struggling with their belief in their relationship
Oh, but if you believe
Believing in their love can make anything possible
You can make almost anything you ever want come true
Faith and belief can make dreams come true
And I'll wait for you, baby
The artist is patient and will wait for their lover
And if we believe, it will only come true
Believing in their love will lead to a reunion
We won't ever, never, never
The singer and their lover won't give up on each other
Believe we always come together in the sands of time
Their love will forever be a part of the passage of time
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JAMES HARRIS III, JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, TERRY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@IronMan-tk8uc
I'm 23, but I envy you guys who lived this AMAZING decade that was the 1980s. This song is so dreamy that I could be inside her forever. SOS Band at its best!
@brent1969able
Hey Michael, i'm 47 and took every minute of this decade of great music for granted! I remember when this music was played on heavy rotation on the radio. I wish i would have truly appreciated the music back then but thank our lucky stars for youtube! Keep Jammin.
@IronMan-tk8uc
Brent Williams I imagine. Everything in life is like this. Only when you lose something, that you realize how important it was. 1980s music is a blessing to generations to come and you participated.
@evansdct
Right, I'm 27, I used to be like, damn, when I found out about SOS Band. Hit after hit. #Jammin'
@anthonymoore6492
I was 16 and in high school. Even with hip hop and house killing R&B was so on point that it dominated the charts. I rocked these jams with my girl. It was an amazing time. If you haven't listened to Loose Ends you need to in a hurry. Try Zagora first.
@egojames007
It was really as beautiful as it seems. The songs really made us love each other, we really believed in the songs, the groups.
@TrentonWilliams416
I get so emotional when I hear this song. As a matter of fact all of their songs. As a kid growing up in the late 70’s, this song takes me back to those times when we use to get up on Saturday mornings and cleaning up the house and my moms would have SOS BAND blasting in the background!! 😭😭😭😭😭
@fratello42
same here brother, my mom blasted the SOS on Saturdays on the 90s. lol
@djcreola7265
Sex it out to the sands of time
@djcreola7265
Jizz to sands of time