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TL;DR:

  • John Lennon’s son, Sean Ono Lennon, said the Beatle played Blondie’s “The Tide Is High” a lot.
  • Sean discussed what John looked like at the time.
  • “The Tide Is High” was a massive hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
John Lennon's son, Sean Ono Lennon, wearing a hat
John Lennon’s son, Sean Ono Lennon | Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis / Contributor

John Lennon‘s son, Sean Ono Lennon, said Blondie’s “The Tide Is High” remains him of his father. Subsequently, he explained the image of his father that the song conjures in his mind. Notably, the song became a huge hit in John’s native United Kingdom.

John Lennon wanted Ringo Starr to make a song like Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’

During a 2022 interview with the School of Visual Arts, Chris Stein of Blondie was asked if “The Tide Is High” became one of John’s favorite songs. “Well, Ringo did a book of postcards that he got from the other Beatles, and one of them is from John Lennon saying something like, ‘Ringo, you need to do a song like ‘Heart of Glass.'” 

Stein revealed John was not the only member of the Lennon family who connected with Blondie’s music. “And Sean Lennon has said that ‘The Tide Is High’ is the first song he remembers from his childhood,” he added.

John Lennon’s son discussed what he sees in his mind’s eye when he listens to Blondie’s ‘The Tide Is High’

During a 2006 interview with Rolling Stone, Sean discussed his childhood. “My father had an old Wurlitzer in the game room of our house on Long Island,” he said. “It was filled with 45s, mostly Elvis and the Everly Brothers. 

“The one modern song I remember him listening to was ‘The Tide Is High,’ by Blondie, which he played constantly,” he added. “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.”

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Why John Lennon’s Son Doesn’t Begrudge the Former Beatle for Having an Affair

How ‘The Tide Is High’ performed on the pop charts in the United States and the United Kingdom

“The Tide Is High” was a major hit in the United States. The tune reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week, staying on the chart for a total of 26 weeks. The track appeared on the album Autoamerican. The album reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 34 weeks in total.

According to The Official Charts Company, “The Tide Is High” reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom for two weeks, remaining on the chart for 12 weeks in total. Meanwhile, Autoamerican reached No. 3 in the U.K. and lasted on the chart for a total of 16 weeks.

“The Tide Is High” was a massive hit and it’ll always remind Sean of his dad.

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