Pioneers of punk and new wave in the ‘70s, Blondie ultimately ended up covering a wide spectrum of musical styles that included disco, early rap, and even reggae – the latter most notably on the effervescent “The Tide is High.”

Believed to be the first ever No. 1 reggae hit in the US when it topped the charts in 1980, the tune was a cover of a rock-steady song originally recorded by Jamaican group The Paragons in 1966, written and sung by John Holt.

Blondie filled out the song with horns and a full orchestra and feminized the lyrics for lead singer Debbie Harry – “I’m not the kind of girl/ who gives up just like that…” – helping set the tone for other reggae-pop bands to come, like No Doubt.

The song also reached No. 1 in the UK and Canada.

British girl group Atomic Kitten had another No. 1 with the song in 2002 and Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishall tried again in 2008 with lesser success.

This video – recorded at a concert in the Netherlands in 1997 – features a tuxedo clad orchestra backing Harry – a far cry from her early new wave days, but a testament to the enduring feel-good nature of the song.

Lyrics

The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no
It’s not the things you do that tease and hurt me bad
But it’s the way you do the things you do to me
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no

The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
Number one
Every girl wants you to be her man
But I’ll wait my dear ’til it’s my turn
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no

The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
Number one, number one
Every girl wants you to be her man
But I’ll wait my dear ’til it’s my turn
I’m not the kind of girl who gives up just like that
Oh, no

The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
Number one, number one
The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one
The tide is high but I’m holding on
I’m gonna be your number one.