The lyric from Lou Bega's 'Mambo No. 5' finishes with the word 'life.' The chorus then names several women, making the sequence one of the song's defining features.
Lou Bega released his version in 1999, but the musical foundation came from Dámaso Pérez Prado's instrumental 'Mambo No. 5,' recorded in 1949. Bega transformed the earlier mambo into a late-1990s pop and dance track while retaining the title and the central melodic idea.
Listeners sometimes assume the song was entirely newly composed in 1999. In fact, it is a highly recognizable reworking of Prado's earlier recording, with new lyrics and a contemporary arrangement. The song became a major international hit, reaching the top of charts in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. Its numbered title refers to Prado's original mambo composition rather than a series of Bega albums.