The song gained international attention in 1980, when a cover version by the American band Blondie became a US and UK number one hit.

[2] The song topped the UK Singles Chart again in 2002 with a version by the British girl group Atomic Kitten, while Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall had a minor hit with his interpretation in 2008.

"The Tide Is High" was written by John Holt and originally recorded by the Paragons (the rocksteady vocal trio of which he was a member), and accompanied by Tommy McCook and the Supersonic Band.

[3] The song features the violin of "White Rum" Raymond,[4] and was popular in Jamaica as well as in the UK when a deejay version by U-Roy was released in 1971.

"The Tide Is High" was covered by the American new wave band Blondie in 1980, in a reggae style that included horns and strings.

The track also reached number one in Canada and New Zealand, and was a Top 5 hit on many European charts as well as in countries including Australia and South Africa.

The compilation was part of a 2-disc set called Blondie 4(0) Ever, which included their tenth studio album Ghosts of Download, and marked the 40th anniversary of the band's formation.

[citation needed] It was used during the opening credits of The Lizzie McGuire Movie and was also used for a TV commercial featuring Japanese beer company Asahi Breweries.

Atomic Kitten's version of the song proved successful on the charts, selling over 1.5 million copies worldwide.

The music video is Atomic Kitten's most famous due to band member Natasha Hamilton being noticeably pregnant at the time.

Hamilton, Liz McClarnon and Jenny Frost choreographed a simplistic dance that they would also perform during live shows.

"Numba 1 (Tide Is High)" is a 2008 version of the song, performed by Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall (featuring Keri Hilson).