Single:
The Tide is High entered the Australian singles chart* on 24 November 1980 and peaked at #4. The song was #23 on the Top 100 of 1980.
Album:
The song is on Autoamerican which entered the Australian albums chart* on 8 December 1980 and peaked at #8.
Songwriter:
John Holt
Producer:
Mike Chapman
Record label of Australian release:
Chrysalis
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Longer album version:
BONUS SONG BELOW – original version by The Paragons
Songfacts:
Lead singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein wrote most of Blondie’s songs, but not this one. The Tide Is High is a cover of a song originally recorded in 1967 by Jamaican vocal group The Paragons. It was written by John Holt, who sang tenor in the group.
Harry and Stein heard the song on a compilation tape they picked up in London; they thought it was too good not to record.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/blondie/the-tide-is-high
Lyrics:
The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no
Click for full lyrics
Find more songs to enjoy: Bang a Gong song finder
BONUS SONG
Original version of The Tide is High, released in 1967 by The Paragons, a ska and rocksteady vocal group from Kingston, Jamaica:
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