👉 This is another track I have to revisit often. While not as well known as the cover by Blondie in 1980 (reaching #1 in both the US and the UK) and a cover by Atomic Kitten (which also went to #1 in the UK), the original The Tide is High by the Paragons is this Friday’s First Groove.
The Paragons were a seminal Ska and Rocksteady vocal group from Jamaica.🌴The song’s composition is usually credited to John Holt, one of the singers, but sometimes also credited to Garth “Tyrone” Evans, another member of the group.
It’s worth noting that John Holt replaced Bob Andy, who went on to write many Jamaican hits and performed with Marcia Griffiths as Bob and Marcia. Bob & Marcia had a hit in the UK with Young Gifted and Black. If Marcia Griffiths’ name sounds familiar to you, it could be because she was later a member of Bob Marley & The Wailers as one of the I Threes, along with Rita Marley and Judy Mowatt.
Produced by Duke Reid, The Tide Is High features an outstanding vocal performance by the Paragons over a beautiful track by Tommy McCook (sax) And The Supersonics Band. They were the house band at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label and studio. Duke Reid’s empire also included his sound system and a retail record store/liquor store(!).
The song, released in 1966, is an excellent example of how Ska was transitioning to Rocksteady. It’s a slower, romantic, rocksteady tempo, but it still has elements of Ska. I think it works perfectly. The pulse emphasizes the offbeats and is more fun for me than the still-excellent Blondie version, which feels a little more straight ahead with its stronger quarter-note pulse on the beat.
It’s a great track, and it’s cool to consider that this song succeeded in three different countries (JA, UK, US) with three different artists decades apart.
Check them all out...But start with the Paragons!
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