Controversial call behind iconic earworm, 'The Ketchup Song'
- Tomas Kauer - International News Writer and Moderator 
It's never good to generalise, but it seems safe to declare that at some point in 2002, this song wormed its way into your head.
Yes, it's been 24 years since The Ketchup Song came out of nowhere to blitz music charts around the world.
The Spanish-language bop (original name Aserejé) came to us courtesy of Las Ketchup, a band made up of a trio of sisters: Lucía, Lola, and Pilar Muñoz. Later, the fourth sister, Rocío, also joined the group.
Watch the video above.
Chances are you never bothered to look up the words to The Ketchup Song, preferring to sing your own brand of made-up Spanglish, so if you're wondering, the chorus goes like this:
Y aserejé-ja-dejé/ De jebe tu de jebere seibiunouva majavi an de bugui an de güididípi
(Repeat three times... and for the next three days as it inevitably goes around and around in your head.)
As you might have suspected, the chorus is nonsensical and is, in fact, a Spanish reworking (albeit a rather mangled one) of Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.
You know the one: "I said-a hip, hop, the hippie, the hippie to the hip hip hop-a you don't stop the rock..."
The Ketchup Song's catchy flamenco-infused beat and its summery vibe (with matching music video) catapulted it to the number-one position in several countries, including Australia – but, curiously, not the US.
Memorably, there was an accompanying novelty dance – and as we've seen with The Macarena and Gangnam Style, there's nothing the world loves more than a hit song that sparks a dance craze.
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Mercifully for those of us who don't have Britney Spears levels of natural rhythm, the routine was delightfully simple:
1. Wave your hands across one another, alternating top and bottom hands, in front of you
2. Point your thumbs over your shoulders for two beats each
3. Twirl your hands as you raise your arms to your head, where you arrange your hands in front and behind it (as pictured)
4. Hold this formation and waggle your knees
Controversially, one music reviewer dubbed The Ketchup Song "better than The Macarena", which is a huge call – but perhaps accurate.
The Ketchup Song may have catapulted them onto the global music stage, but Las Ketchup (pictured in early 2003) proved a flash in the pan, at least outside of Europe.
The second single from their 2002 album Hijas del Tomate didn't soar to the same heights as the debut, and the band soon took a break from the spotlight.
They returned in 2006 – when sister Rocío officially joined the band – with a second album, Un Blodymary.
Music runs in the Muñoz family; the sisters' father is flamenco musician Juan Manuel Muñoz Expósito.
Also in 2006, the four-piece band represented Spain at Eurovision (pictured).
Sadly, their performance of the title single from their second album failed to lead them to success, with Las Ketchup landing in 21st place.
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In 2016, the band performed during the Swedish pre-selection for Eurovision.
There isn't a lot of information available about what Las Ketchup got up to in the aftermath of The Ketchup Song; in a recent interview with Rolling Stone, the sisters declined to discuss it altogether.
According to the article, Lucía and Pilar became hairdressers, while Lola studied flamenco and plans to write a biography of her father.
In 2003, Las Ketchup admitted in an interview that they'd grown "a little tired" of the song that made them stars.
However, 24 years on from the release of The Ketchup Song, it seems they're now happily riding the nostalgia wave, often sharing throwback posts on their Instagram.
Recent photos, like the one here, suggest they're back to occasionally performing as a trio, rather than a quartet.
Speaking with Rolling Stone, Pilar said she felt the success of The Ketchup Song had "opened doors" in other countries for fellow Spanish musicians.
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