Today's ear X-tacy: Blondie "The Tide Is High"

Louisville Public Media | By John Timmons

Published January 31, 2024 at 6:10 AM EST

Today's ear X-tacy features a classic track or deep-cut from the Alternative era every weekday at 10:10.

This week in 1981, American new wave band Blondie ruled the airwaves when their cover of Jamaican reggae group Paragons’ “The Tide Is High” topped the Billboard Hot 100. Their rendition was the band’s third No.1 in the US and fifth No.1 in the UK. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Autoamerican.

Lead singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein wrote most of Blondie's songs, but when they heard the song on a compilation tape they picked up in London, they thought it was too good not to record.

Music

John Timmons

John is the mid-morning host on WFPK. Email John at jtimmons@lpm.org

See stories by John Timmons

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