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"The Tide Is High" is a 1967 song written by John Holt and performed by The Paragons with John Holt as lead singer. Although originally released as an A side in Jamaica on the Treasure Isle label it was relegated to the B-side of the "Only a Smile" single for UK release a few months later.
The song features the violin of "White Rum" Raymond and was popular in Jamaica and became popular amongst West Indians and skinheads in the UK when a DJ version by U-Roy was released in 1971. This song went mainly unnoticed in the rest of the world until it was rediscovered in 1980 and 2002.
[edit] Tracklists
- The Paragons single
- "Only a Smile"
- "The Tide Is High" — 2:53
- Blondie single
- "The Tide Is High" (7" Edit) — 3:54
- "Suzie & Jeffrey" — 4:09
- Atomic Kitten CD single
- "The Tide Is High (Get the Feeling)" (Radio Mix) — 3:28
- "The Tide Is High (Get the Feeling)" (Groove Brothers 12inch Remix) — 5:27
- "The Tide Is High (Get the Feeling)" (Lasgo Remix) — 5:40
[edit] Cover versions
[edit] Blondie
"The Tide Is High" was covered by US New Wave band Blondie in 1980, in a reggae/ska style. It was released as a single, and appeared as the fourth track on the band's fifth album, Autoamerican. The arrangement was beefed up with a horn section and strings. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and was popular outside the USA, reaching number one on the UK singles chart, number four in Australia, and number 15 in the former West Germany. It was the last UK number one single for the band until "Maria" in 1999. The B-side of "The Tide is High" was "Suzie and Jeffrey", which appeared as a bonus track on the original 1980 cassette edition of the album Autoamerican (side 1, track 7). It was also included on EMI-Capitol's re-issue of Autoamerican in 2001.
Official remixes of the Blondie version have been issued twice. First by Coldcut in 1988 on the Blondie/Debbie Harry remix compilation Once More into the Bleach and the second time in 1995 by Pete Arden and Vinny Vero on the album Remixed Remade Remodeled - The Remix Project (UK edition: Beautiful - The Remix Album).
In November 1980, the song was played on radio stations across the state of Alabama in anticipation of a football game between University of Alabama, whose nickname is the Crimson Tide, and the University of Notre Dame. Debbie Harry did an interview with a Birmingham radio station and wished the football team good luck in the game. Notre Dame won the game at Birmingham 7-0.
In 1985, parts of this song were taken and used as a sample for Bryan Adams' "Reggae Christmas".
[edit] Billie Piper
In the year 2000, "The Tide Is High" was covered by singer-turned-actress Billie Piper for her second album, Walk of Life. It was due for release after her single "Walk of Life". However, with "Walk of Life" peaking at #25 due to poor promotion, Billie Piper told Innocent Records, her record label, not to bother releasing "The Tide Is High" as a single because she was worn out and didn't want to sing anymore.
[edit] Atomic Kitten
"The Tide Is High" was covered again by Atomic Kitten and again reached number one in the UK in September, 2002. This time, the song was remade with keyboards to make it more pop-oriented. The full song was played during the opening credits of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, and was used for a TV commercial for Japanese beer company, Asahi Breweries.
[edit] Other covers
- In 1995, the song was covered by Sinitta.
- In 1996, the song was covered by Papa Dee.
- In 1996, a Spanish version, La numero uno, was recorded by Nydia Rojas
- In 1997, the song was covered by Angelina.[1]
- In 2001, the song was covered by Seeed.
the song was covered by The Selecter
[edit] Charts
| Country |
Date |
Peak
position |
Certification |
| Blondie cover |
| United States |
January 1981 |
11 |
Gold |
| United Kingdom |
November 1980 |
12 |
Platinum[2] |
| New Zealand |
January 1981 |
12 |
Gold |
| Republic of Ireland[3] |
November 9, 1980 |
2 |
|
| The Netherlands[4] |
November 29, 1980 |
4 |
|
| Austria[5] |
January 15, 1981 |
6 |
|
| Norway[6] |
December 1980 |
7 |
|
| Sweden[7] |
December 26, 1980 |
19 |
|
| Papa Dee cover |
| Finland[8] |
October 1996 |
20 |
|
| Sweden[9] |
August 23, 1996 |
44 |
|
| Atomic Kitten cover |
| United Kingdom |
September 2002 |
1 |
Gold[10] |
| Republic of Ireland[11] |
August 31, 2002 |
1 |
|
| New Zealand[12] |
October 20, 2002 |
1 |
|
| Austria[13] |
October 13, 2002 |
1 |
|
| The Netherlands[14] |
September 2002 |
1 |
|
| Germany[15] |
October 12, 2002 |
1 |
|
| Australia[16] |
October 20, 2002 |
1 |
Platinum[17] |
| Sweden[18] |
November 21, 2002 |
1 |
|
| Belgium[19] |
September 28, 2002 |
1 |
|
| Norway[20] |
October 2002 |
2 |
|
| Denmark[21] |
September 14, 2002 |
2 |
|
| Portugal[22] |
October 30, 2002 |
6 |
|
| France[23] |
March 8, 2003 |
42 |
|
Preceded by
"Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand |
UK Singles Chart number one single
(Blondie version)
November 11, 1980 - November 18, 1980 |
Succeeded by
"Super Trouper" by ABBA |
Preceded by
"(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single
(Blondie version)
January 31, 1981 |
Succeeded by
"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang |
Preceded by
"Shaddap Your Face" by Joe Dolce |
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single
(Blondie version)
February 13, 1981 - February 20, 1981 |
Succeeded by
"Woman" by John Lennon |
Preceded by
"(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon |
ARC Weekly Top 40 number one single
(Blondie version)
January 24, 1981 - January 31, 1981 |
Succeeded by
"Celebration" by Kool & the Gang |
Preceded by
"You're Too Late" by Fantasy |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "Rapture")
(Blondie version)
February 28, 1981 - March 21, 1981 |
Succeeded by
"Breaking and Entering" / "Easy Money" by Dee Dee Sharp-Gamble |
Preceded by
"Like a Prayer" by MadHouse |
Irish Singles Chart number one single
(Atomic Kitten version)
August 31, 2002 - September 21, 2002 |
Succeeded by
"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne |
Preceded by
"Tha Crossroads" by Blazin' Squad |
UK Singles Chart number one single
(Atomic Kitten version)
September 1, 2002 - September 21, 2002 |
Succeeded by
"Just Like a Pill" by Pink |
Preceded by
"Complicated" by Avril Lavigne |
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart number-one single
(Atomic Kitten version)
October 20, 2002 - November 10, 2002 |
Succeeded by
"The Ketchup Song (Asereje)" by Las Ketchup |
[edit] References
- ^ Musicstack.com Angelina page.
- ^ BPI.co.uk Certification "Tide Is High" (Blondie) Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ IrishCharts.ie Irish chart search (Accessed: November 2, 2006)
- ^ Top4000.nl Chart week 49, 1980 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ AustrianCharts.at "Tide Is High" (Blondie) page. Note: This was still a biweekly chart Accessed: October 28, 2006
- ^ NorwegianCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Blondie) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ SwedishCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Blondie) page Accessed: October 28, 2006
- ^ FinnishCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Papa Dee) page. Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ SwedishCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Papa Dee) page. Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ BPI.co.uk Certification "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com Irish charts 31 August 2001 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ Charts.org.nz "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ AustrianCharts.at "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) page. Accessed: October 28, 2006
- ^ Top4000.nl Chart week 38, 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com German charts 12 October 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com Australian chart 20 October 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ Aria.com.au Certifications 2002 Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ SwedishCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com Belgian chart 28 September 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ NorwegianCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com Danish chart 14 September 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ Top40-charts.com Portuguese chart 30 October 2002 Accessed: November 2, 2006
- ^ LesCharts.com "Tide Is High" (Atomic Kitten) page Accessed: October 29, 2006
[edit] External links
.jpg/200px-Blondie_-_The_Tide_Is_High_(UK).jpg)
.jpg/200px-Blondie_-_The_Tide_Is_High_(US).jpg)
