In 1980, Blondie’s ‘The Tide is High‘ reached #1 on the British, Canadian, New Zealand and American charts, giving the band its third chart-topper in the United States. The reggae treatment was a new sound for Blondie, whose previous hits ‘Call Me’ and ‘Heart of Glass’ were very synth-heavy.

It turns out that stylistic departure was in keeping with the song’s origins. ‘The Tide is High’ was first recorded by a Jamaican ska band called The Paragons, who included the track on their debut album, 1967’s On the Beach.

The trio might not be as sexy as Debbie Harry, but I’m partial to their recording. It features a stellar vocal performance by John Holt (who also wrote the song), and some lovely violin work by “White Rum” Raymond.

British readers might be familiar with another cover of this song, by the girl group Atomic Kitten. Their 2002 rendition was critically trashed but made it to the top of the UK singles chart.

Finally, fans of Better Call Saul will hold a place in their heart for Bob Odenkirk’s ‘The Tide is High’ singalong in the penultimate episode of that great show.