Blondie outdid many of their musical peers with an impressive total of four No. 1 singles in their career. And each one of them displayed a different side of the band’s artistic personality.
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In 1980, the band proved they could do reggae. “The Tide Is High”, first single from Blondie’s Autoamerican album, soared to the top of the US charts. But many listeners had no idea that the song was actually a cover.
Turning the “Tide”
The story of “The Tide Is High” begins with The Paragons. They were a vocal group from Jamaica who focused on ska and rocksteady, two styles of music that would soon morph into reggae. They recorded the first version of “The Tide Is High” back in 1967.
John Holt, one of the three members of The Paragons, wrote the song. At the time they recorded it, the group consisted of Holt, Leroy Stamp, and Howard Barrett. Their version of “The Tide Is High” was included on a collection of the group’s early recordings known as On The Beach.
Many years later, Chris Stein of Blondie was looking for material when he heard “The Tide Is High” on a compilation he picked up in England. Stein later explained that he immediately understood the potential of the song. He was absolutely certain that a solid cover version by Blondie would turn into a hit. As it turned out, his record company wasn’t so sure.
“High” Expectations
Blondie was looking to change things up a bit when they made Autoamerican, and not just in terms of musical styles. They made the decision to record the album on the West Coast. On top of the reggae take they did on “The Tide Is High”, the band also famously dipped their toes in the hip-hop pool, with Debbie Harry doing a rap on “Rapture”.
When the band recorded “The Tide Is High”, they included a prominent horn section. Since they were out in LA, they sourced a few of the players from Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show band. Harry gave the song a sultry lead vocal that played perfectly off the swaying rhythms.
When Blondie turned Autoamerican into their record company, they received an indifferent reaction to the bold album. But they were quickly vindicated. “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture”, the two biggest stylistic swings on the album, each went to the No. 1 spot on the pop charts. Chris Stein’s prediction was dead-on.
Behind the Lyrics of “The Tide Is High”
Lyrically, “The Tide Is High” is a study in persistence. The narrator insists that she’ll end up with her man, regardless of whatever setbacks she might endure. That includes the obstacles laid in her path by natural phenomena. “The tide is high, but I’m holdin’ on,” Harry dreamily sings. “I’m gonna be your number one.”
Others might wilt, but not her. “I’m not the kinda girl who gives up just like that,” she insists. Even as other women enter the picture, she remains steadfast. “But I’ll wait my dear till it’s my turn,” she promises.
As it turned out, the shelf life for the song was quite lengthy. In 2002, a British girl group named Atomic Kitten released their own version that went to No. 1 in the UK. Twice a chart-topper after being rescued from obscurity, “The Tide Is High” proved to be every bit as resilient as the narrator of its lyrics.
Photo by Richard Creamer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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