The Tide Is High

"The Tide Is High"
Single by the Paragons
from the album On the Beach
A-side"Only a Smile"
Released1967
GenreRocksteady[1]
Length2:43
LabelTreasure Isle
Songwriter(s)John Holt
Alternative cover

"The Tide Is High" is a 1967 rocksteady song written by John Holt, originally produced by Duke Reid and performed by the Jamaican group the Paragons, with Holt as lead singer. The song gained international attention in 1980, when a cover version by the American band Blondie became a US and UK number one hit.[2] The song topped the UK Singles Chart again in 2002 with a version by the British girl group Atomic Kitten, while Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall had a minor hit with his interpretation in 2008.

  1. ^ Chang, Kevin O'Brien; Chen, Wayne (1998). Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican Music. Temple University Press. p. 41. ISBN 1-56639-629-8.
  2. ^ Jones, Peter (22 November 1980). "'Tide' In Again". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 47. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510.