{"id":5414,"date":"2026-10-22T11:10:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T11:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/?p=5414"},"modified":"2026-10-22T08:11:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T08:11:32","slug":"who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d was originally recorded by Jamaican vocal group The Paragons in 1967.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not Blondie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And not Atomic Kitten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie made the song a major international hit in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Atomic Kitten introduced it to another generation in 2002.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the composition was written by John Holt, one of Jamaica&#8217;s most important singers and songwriters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original belongs to a style called rocksteady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And it sounds very different from the two later pop versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That makes \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d an excellent example of a song travelling across genres and generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who were The Paragons?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Jamaican vocal group associated with the rocksteady era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The group&#8217;s classic lineup included John Holt, Tyrone Evans and Howard Barrett.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their recordings helped establish the smoother musical style that developed between ska and reggae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rocksteady generally used slower rhythms than earlier ska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also placed greater emphasis on vocal harmony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That made it particularly suitable for romantic songwriting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Paragons became one of the defining groups of the period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their music helped create the foundation for later reggae artists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who wrote \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">John Holt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He was both a member of The Paragons and an accomplished songwriter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Holt developed the composition during the group&#8217;s successful recording period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The song expresses romantic determination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The narrator knows that other people may be interested in the same person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But he refuses to give up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The title becomes a metaphor for difficult circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The tide may be high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The situation may be challenging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the narrator intends to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That simple emotional idea works surprisingly well across different musical arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When was the original released?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1967\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recording was produced by Duke Reid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reid was an important figure in Jamaican music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His Treasure Isle label became closely associated with the development of ska and rocksteady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Paragons recorded \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The arrangement features vocal harmonies and the gentle rhythmic movement associated with rocksteady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also includes an unusual violin part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That gives the recording a distinctive musical personality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is rocksteady?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Jamaican musical style that developed during the mid-1960s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It emerged after ska and before reggae became internationally dominant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rocksteady generally features a slower tempo than ska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bass becomes particularly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The guitar and keyboard often emphasise offbeat rhythms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vocals can be smooth and harmony-driven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The style influenced the development of reggae and helped establish many musicians who later became internationally important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you enjoy the original Paragons recording, exploring rocksteady is a brilliant next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How did Blondie discover the song?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie were already interested in several different musical styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The band emerged from New York&#8217;s punk and new-wave scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But their recordings frequently incorporated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">disco<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">reggae<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">electronic music<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">and pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d provided an opportunity to explore another sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The band recorded their version for Autoamerican, released in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The arrangement retained the song&#8217;s Caribbean influences while surrounding them with a more polished pop production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who sings Blondie&#8217;s version?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Debbie Harry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Her vocal became one of the recording&#8217;s defining features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie&#8217;s interpretation is more relaxed and playful than some of their earlier punk-influenced material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The production combines reggae-inspired rhythm with pop instrumentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That gave the song considerable mainstream appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also demonstrated the band&#8217;s willingness to move between genres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie weren&#8217;t interested in following one narrow musical formula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d became another example of that flexibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Was Blondie&#8217;s version successful?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Extremely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It reached No. 1 in both Britain and America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the UK, the recording topped the chart in November 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was a remarkable result for a song originally recorded in Jamaica more than a decade earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The success helped introduce the composition to audiences unfamiliar with rocksteady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many listeners, Blondie&#8217;s recording became the definitive version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the original Paragons song remained central to the musical history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why did Atomic Kitten cover it?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The British girl group recorded their version for the album Feels So Good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Released in 2002, it was titled \u201cThe Tide Is High (Get the Feeling)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The arrangement moved the composition further towards contemporary pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The production is bright and polished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vocals are layered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A new section was also added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That explains the expanded title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recording became another major British hit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It reached No. 1 in the UK, giving the composition a third major commercial life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does \u201cGet the Feeling\u201d mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It refers to the additional material incorporated into Atomic Kitten&#8217;s interpretation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The group didn&#8217;t simply perform the complete original arrangement unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their version includes a new bridge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The additional section gives the recording a more conventional early-2000s pop structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That is particularly interesting from a songwriting perspective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original composition remains recognisable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But the later performers and producers reshape it for a different audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a good demonstration of how cover versions can develop beyond straightforward imitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is the Atomic Kitten version in a film?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The recording appears in The Lizzie McGuire Movie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That gave the song another connection with early-2000s popular culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For many younger listeners, Atomic Kitten&#8217;s version became familiar through television, radio and film rather than through Blondie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The composition therefore has several different cultural identities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Older listeners may think of Jamaican rocksteady.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others hear Debbie Harry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another generation remembers Atomic Kitten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All three are connected by John Holt&#8217;s songwriting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which version is closest to reggae?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Paragons&#8217; original.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More precisely, it belongs to rocksteady, an important precursor to reggae.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie&#8217;s recording retains strong Caribbean influences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Atomic Kitten&#8217;s interpretation is much more firmly connected with mainstream pop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listening to the three versions consecutively demonstrates the changes clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The melody remains recognisable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rhythm, arrangement and vocal delivery evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That makes it particularly useful for anyone interested in how popular music develops across generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Songs like the original \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Paragons \u2013 Only a Smile<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">John Holt \u2013 Stick by Me<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alton Ellis \u2013 I&#8217;m Still in Love with You<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Techniques \u2013 Queen Majesty<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Melodians \u2013 Rivers of Babylon<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Maytals \u2013 54-46 That&#8217;s My Number<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Desmond Dekker \u2013 Israelites<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These recordings provide an introduction to Jamaican music during the period surrounding the original song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do famous covers often replace the original in people&#8217;s memories?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because popular music is strongly connected with particular generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recording may already be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Then another artist creates a version with a much larger international audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually that version becomes the one people recognise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The original doesn&#8217;t disappear musically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But its public identity can become overshadowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d demonstrates that process unusually clearly because it became a major hit across three different decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who originally sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Paragons in 1967.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">John Holt wrote the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blondie made it a No. 1 hit in 1980.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Atomic Kitten returned it to No. 1 in Britain in 2002.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s an extraordinary journey for one composition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you only know the Blondie or Atomic Kitten recordings, listen to The Paragons next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll discover a completely different musical world behind a very familiar melody.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d was originally recorded by Jamaican vocal group The Paragons in 1967. Not Blondie. And not Atomic Kitten. Blondie made the song a major international hit in 1980. Atomic Kitten introduced it to another generation in 2002. But the composition was written by John Holt, one of Jamaica&#8217;s most important singers and songwriters. The original belongs to a style called rocksteady. And it sounds very different from the two later pop versions. That makes \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d an excellent example of a song travelling across genres and generations. Who were The Paragons? A Jamaican vocal group&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5415,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3316,3318,2148,3317],"coauthors":[2],"class_list":["post-5414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-atomic-kitten","tag-blondie","tag-explained","tag-the-paragons"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d was originally recorded by Jamaican vocal group The Paragons in 1967. Not Blondie. And not Atomic Kitten. Blondie made the song a major international hit in 1980. Atomic Kitten introduced it to another generation in 2002. But the composition was written by John Holt, one of Jamaica&#8217;s most important singers and songwriters. The original belongs to a style called rocksteady. And it sounds very different from the two later pop versions. That makes \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d an excellent example of a song travelling across genres and generations. Who were The Paragons? A Jamaican vocal group...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"RouteNote - Radar\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-22T11:10:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-22T08:11:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Radar Team\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Radar Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/\",\"name\":\"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-22T11:10:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-22T08:11:32+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/84acf3ef696cf23eb58b00a412a88b5d\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/\",\"name\":\"RouteNote - Radar\",\"description\":\"Radar is your home for the latest in artist and music news\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/84acf3ef696cf23eb58b00a412a88b5d\",\"name\":\"Radar Team\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/14878ad60959f746cebf48c876c5110c\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/621725d9fca5b58a6007a04f779a1ebcc709300c88313b81cbffe3b1cc9c5459?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/621725d9fca5b58a6007a04f779a1ebcc709300c88313b81cbffe3b1cc9c5459?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Radar Team\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/author\/rn_adm_rad\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar","og_description":"\u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d was originally recorded by Jamaican vocal group The Paragons in 1967. Not Blondie. And not Atomic Kitten. Blondie made the song a major international hit in 1980. Atomic Kitten introduced it to another generation in 2002. But the composition was written by John Holt, one of Jamaica&#8217;s most important singers and songwriters. The original belongs to a style called rocksteady. And it sounds very different from the two later pop versions. That makes \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d an excellent example of a song travelling across genres and generations. Who were The Paragons? A Jamaican vocal group...","og_url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/","og_site_name":"RouteNote - Radar","article_published_time":"2026-10-22T11:10:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-10-22T08:11:32+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Radar Team","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Radar Team","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/","url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/","name":"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten - RouteNote - Radar","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png","datePublished":"2026-10-22T11:10:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-10-22T08:11:32+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/84acf3ef696cf23eb58b00a412a88b5d"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png","width":1024,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/who-originally-sang-the-tide-is-high-before-blondie-and-atomic-kitten\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Who Originally Sang \u201cThe Tide Is High\u201d? Before Blondie and Atomic Kitten"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#website","url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/","name":"RouteNote - Radar","description":"Radar is your home for the latest in artist and music news","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/84acf3ef696cf23eb58b00a412a88b5d","name":"Radar Team","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/14878ad60959f746cebf48c876c5110c","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/621725d9fca5b58a6007a04f779a1ebcc709300c88313b81cbffe3b1cc9c5459?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/621725d9fca5b58a6007a04f779a1ebcc709300c88313b81cbffe3b1cc9c5459?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Radar Team"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar"],"url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/author\/rn_adm_rad\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/routenote_the_tide_is_high_-profile_y3xfdqy_-v_8.2_0e3f7707-ce49-4c65-a9a5-4be63969a915_1.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5414"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5416,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5414\/revisions\/5416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5415"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5414"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routenote.com\/radar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=5414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}