The S.O.S. Band, Take Your Time (Do It Right) | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the second edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we highlight “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” performed by The S.O.S. Band.

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the second edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2024), we dive into “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” the one-hit wonder by The S.O.S. Band.

“Oo-ooh, baby / Let’s do it / Take your time / Let’s do it.” The S.O.S. Band struck gold with “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”. Better yet, the R&B group earned a platinum single thanks to “Take Your Time.”  This song served as the lead single and fifth track from their debut album, S.O.S. released in 1980. It marked the sole top 40 hit by the R&B collective. While The S.O.S. Band had other songs dent the pop charts,  “Take Your Time (Do It Right)” was the song to beat, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.  A one-hit wonder? You bet but call this Sigidi and Harold Clayton-penned joint one-hit-wonderful!

There is lots to love about “Take Your Time (Do It Right).” This eight-minute, post-disco, funk cut features an ear-catching sound palette.  The rhythm section (keys, guitar, bass, and drums) and the horns are electrifying.  The lead vocals by Mary Davis are also terrific.  Davis brings us a commanding vocal performance that’s quite expressive.  Besides her fab lead, the background vocals (including Mary) enhance “Take Your Time.” “Lay your heavy load down / So we can stop and kick back,” Davis encourages in the first verse, adding, “It seems we never take the time to do / All the things we want to, yeah.” Ooh-la-la! In the second verse, she adds, “Let’s take some time to be alone / Lock the door, put out the phone, yeah.” Of course, the phone back then was a landline…  The lyrics are fun, particularly the infectious, repetitive chorus:

“Baby, we can do it

Take the time, do it right

We can do it, baby

Do it tonight.”

No extensive analysis is necessary for “Take Your Time (Do It Right)”.  The S.O.S. Band ‘put their foot into’ this one. Timeless, one-hit-wonder or not!

The S.O.S. Band // S.O.S. // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1980

The S.O.S. Band, Take Your Time (Do It Right): 1 Hit WONDERful No. 2 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; UMG Recordings, Inc.; Antoni Shkraba, KoolShooters, Pavel Danilyuk, Photo By: Kaboompics.com, RDNE Stock project from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]