S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family) Explained

S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)
Cover:	Dr. Bombay - S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family).jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Dr. Bombay
Album:	Rice & Curry
B-Side:	S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family) (Instrumental)
Released:	1998
Genre:	Eurodance
Length:	3:29
Label:	WEA
Producer:	Robert Uhlmann Robin Rex
Prev Title:	Calcutta (Taxi Taxi Taxi)
Prev Year:	1998
Next Title:	Rice & Curry
Next Year:	1998

"S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" is a song recorded by Swedish Eurodance artist Dr. Bombay. It was released in 1998 as the second single from his debut album, Rice & Curry (1998). The song was a top 10 hit in Norway and Sweden (number two), while reaching the top 20 in Finland.

Content

The song has a humorous theme and is sung from the perspective of Dr. Bombay, a snake charmer and mystic whose peaceful life in the outskirts of rural Calcutta is interrupted when a vicious tiger begins abducting members of his family.

Track listing and formats

• Swedish CD single^[1]

1. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" – 3:29
2. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" (Instrumental) – 3:25

• European CD maxi-single^[2]

1. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" (Original Version) – 3:27
2. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" (Extended Ravi-Dance Version) – 4:43
3. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" (Instrumental - Be Your Own Dr. Version) – 3:27
4. "S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family)" (S.O.S. Shaky Snake's Meditation) – 2:51

Music video

An accompanying music video for the song was produced in 1998. The video opens with an introduction to Dr. Bombay's family and their peaceful life in the outskirts of Calcutta, followed by a montage of each family member running in terror from the performer dressed as the tiger. The rest of the video follows Dr. Bombay pursuing the tiger through the jungle while armed with a slingshot. He's seen swinging on vines, running in place in front of a green screen and unwittingly shooting hikers and travellers as he desperately searches for the tiger. The video ends with the eventual defeat of the tiger and the rescuing of the family.

Other media

A cover version of the song was included in the rhythm game, Samba de Amigo Ver. 2000, as well as the game's soundtrack release.

The pilot episode of the Japanese anime Popee the Performer, entitled "Popee the Clown", uses this song as background music.

"S.O.S" was licensed for inclusion in the music game Beatmania IIDX 2nd Style.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998–1999)!scope="col"

Peak position
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[3]	62
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[4]	15

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)!scope="col"

Position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[5]	12

Notes and References

1. S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family) . . 1998 . Swedish CD single liner notes . . 3984-24928-9.
2. S.O.S. (The Tiger Took My Family) . . 1998 . European CD maxi-single liner notes . . 3984-24929-2.
3. 19 December 1998 . Eurochart Hot 100 Singles . live . PDF . . 15 . 51 . 18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230406195133/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-12-19.pdf . 6 April 2023 . 1 May 2023 . World Radio History.
4. Web site: Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 . Pennanen . Timo . 2021 . . 67 . Finnish . PDF . 1 May 2023 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230425130105/https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf . 25 April 2023.
5. Web site: Årslista Singlar – År 1998 . . Swedish . 1 May 2023 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160111214045/http://www.hitlistan.se/netdata/ghl002.mbr/lista?liid=43&dfom=19980001 . 11 January 2016.