The Blondie song that reminds Sean Ono Lennon of his father
In the latter phase of his life, John Lennon withdrew from many contemporary music trends in favour of creating his own personal space in New York City. His musical preferences mostly remained rooted in the past, untouched by evolving trends. However, as once revealed by his son Sean Ono Lennon, there was room for one Blondie song that truly captivated the former Beatle.
Sean was just a child when his father met a tragic end, yet, as any son would, he continues to cherish the memories they forged together. When reminiscing about his father, Sean is drawn in particular to Lennon’s extensive record collection. Speaking in 2006, Sean recounted: “My father had an old Wurlitzer in the game room of our house on Long Island. It was filled with 45s, mostly Elvis and the Everly Brothers.”
He continued: “The one modern song I remember him listening to was ‘The Tide Is High’ by Blondie, which he played constantly. When I hear that song, I see my father, unshaven, his hair pulled back into a ponytail, dancing to and fro in a worn-out pair of denim shorts, with me at his feet, trying my best to coordinate tiny limbs.”
Interestingly, however, Blondie’s rendition of ‘The Tide Is High’ wasn’t originally theirs. The song was first recorded by the Jamaican group The Paragons, led by John Holt, who penned the track. While The Paragons’ version found success as an underground hit in Jamaica and the UK, Blondie’s cover catapulted the song to a broader audience, catching the attention of Lennon.
The encounter between these two luminaries isn’t a unique occurrence, as both often intersected as mutual sources of inspiration. For instance, Chris Stein from Blondie once discussed how The Beatles inadvertently influenced the creation of ‘Heart Of Glass’.
“Even ‘Heart Of Glass’ was a subversive thing for a so-called punk band,” he said, “But, at the same time, our role models were Bowie and The Beatles. You never really knew what to expect from them. The Ramones had their sound and identity and they stuck to it. That’s not what we set out to do. We have a broader musical palette… but the punk attitude prevails!”
In an unearthed postcard sent from Lennon to his former band member Ringo Starr, he also referenced the track, stating that it’s “the type of stuff y’all should do. Great and simple”. More significantly, however, the postcard also showcased Lennon’s fondness for his friend, highlighting his constant concern for Starr’s career after the dissolution of The Beatles. During Lennon’s final TV interview in 1975, he expressed his delight in witnessing the drummer’s success on his own path.
“I’m most happy for Ringo’s success because it always went round that Ringo was dumb, but he ain’t dumb,” Lennon commented. “He just didn’t have that much writing ability, and he wasn’t known for writing his own material.”
He added: “There was a bit of a worry, although he can make movies and he does make movies and he’s good at it, but how was his recording career gonna be? And in general, it’s probably better than mine actually.”
