The Tide Is High Direct

: To maintain its Jamaican soul, the band hired three percussionists and added a lush arrangement of horns and strings.

: Their version hit #1 in the US, UK, and Canada, cementing their reputation for successfully blending punk/new wave with world music like reggae, rap, and disco. The 2000s Pop Update: Atomic Kitten The Tide Is High

The song was originally written by and recorded in 1967 by his Jamaican group, The Paragons . Produced by Duke Reid for the Treasure Isle label, it was a standout of the rocksteady era—a precursor to reggae characterized by a slower tempo and soulful vocal harmonies. In this original version, Holt sings from the perspective of a man determined to wait for his turn with a woman, despite the "high tide" of other suitors. The Global Phenomenon: Blondie’s New Wave Spin : To maintain its Jamaican soul, the band

: When Blondie covered it, they simply switched the gender from "I'm not the kind of man" to "I'm not the kind of girl" without losing any of its determined romantic spirit. Produced by Duke Reid for the Treasure Isle

: Debbie Harry and Chris Stein found the song on a reggae compilation tape in London.