What Is The Tequila Song?

If you can instantly recognize — and hum along to — the song "Tequila," but you couldn't name the band that recorded it to save your life, you're not alone. The hit was originally recorded in 1958 by Dave Burgess and the Flores Trio (who later all merged together to form the California group The Champs).

It was not exactly intended to be a major success (the song wasn't given much consideration, took three takes, and was initially thought of as B-side filler), but something about the song's infinite catchiness has allowed it to live on in popular consciousness.

The song has sparked multiple covers, and in fact was covered twice by the Ventures.  It's garnered renditions from bands as diverse as The Reverend Horton Heat,  a Japanese punk-thrash band called The Pugs, famed jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, and English ska band Bad Manners.

Additionally, it's appeared in multiple films and TV Shows.

Here's the original song by Dave Burgess and the Flores Trio:

In 1985's Pee-Wee's Big Adventure:

And in Cheech and Chong's Next Movie: