In 1996, the Macarena took over the world.

Los del Río's “Macarena” became the second longest-running number one in Billboard history, sold 14 million copies, and sparked a global dance movement that swept through events like the Olympics and the Democratic National Convention. There are one-hit wonders, and then there’s this.

By the summer of 1996, “Macarena” was everywhere. No matter how hard you tried, it was impossible to avoid. But its rise wasn’t instant, and the middle-aged duo behind its catchy hook weren’t exactly overnight stars either.

The flamenco dancer and the president.

Antonio Romero Monge and Rafael Ruiz Perdigones began their flamenco-pop journey in the Andalusian town of Dos Hermanas while they were still teenage bullfighters. Although they started out as a local act, they gradually gained recognition across Spain, driven by the need to support their families after the deaths of their fathers. Their debut album, Luces de Sevilla, was released in 1967. By the time “Macarena” embarked on its global journey, their discography had already grown into a collection of over ten albums.

The unlikely path to fame began at an exclusive Venezuelan party held at the home of Carlos Andrés Pérez, the former president of the country. There, one half of Los del Río, who were touring South America, was struck by inspiration. Monge was captivated by Caracas flamenco teacher Diana Patricia Cubillán Herrera, who was entertaining the esteemed guests. So inspired, he spontaneously created a melodic tribute in her honor.

“¡Diana, dale a tu cuerpo alegría y cosas buenas!” (roughly translated as “Give your body some joy, Diana”) became the heart of a song that Monge completed in just 30 minutes. The song was later renamed to honor his daughter, Esperanza Macarena—an interesting choice when you hear the themes of the remix—and was first featured on the duo’s 1993 album A mí me gusta.

The Bayside Boys enter the scene.

But “Macarena” traveled far beyond Los del Río’s 30 years of music history—literally. Its irresistible clave rhythms and chantable anthem soon became a favorite on cruise ship dance floors, and eventually found a permanent spot in clubs on dry land. Before long, DJs like Jammin Johnny Caride were overwhelmed with requests to play it whenever they took to the turntables.

Caride, a regular host on Miami’s Power 96 radio station, played a crucial role in the Macarena saga, almost as much as Los Del Río themselves. Recognizing the song's irresistible appeal, he asked his record company partners, Carlos de Yarza and Mike “In the Night” Triay, to create a bilingual version that could be featured on his show.

The Bayside Boys Mix didn’t just add some English lyrics to “Macarena”—it revamped the original song by swapping its lively Latin beats for a smooth dance-pop rhythm (an idea later claimed by the Spanish duo Fangoria in a failed lawsuit). The remix incorporated Alison Moyet’s laugh from Yazoo’s “Situation” and melodies from The Farm’s “Higher and Higher,” while dedicating half its runtime to future Miami Sound Machine singer Carla Vanessa.

Carla Vanessa’s input transformed the track entirely. While Monge had originally written “Macarena” as a lighthearted tribute to a flamenco dance teacher, the Bayside Boys gave the song a much edgier twist. As the TikTok generation recently uncovered, the lyrics tell the story of a young woman who gives her “body some joy” by having a threesome with her army boyfriend’s two best friends while he’s away.

From popes to politicians.

However, at the time, few were focused on the song’s suggestive themes. The Vatican certainly wasn’t—Los del Río were invited to meet both Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa. Instead, attention was on its irresistibly catchy hooks and another essential element of the “Macarena” craze: the viral music video that accompanied it.

One of the ten young women featured in the iconic choreography, Paris-based New Yorker Mia Frye, was responsible for the unforgettable moves. By creating a routine so simple that even a “child with no sense of rhythm” could follow it, she helped make “Macarena” the decade’s most imitable dance, surpassing even Madonna’s Vogue, Alfonso Ribeiro’s The Carlton, and Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Achy Breaky Heart” line dance.

By the time it wrapped up its 14-week run at the top of the US Hot 100 in November 1996—after a lengthy 33-week climb—“Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” had evolved from a fleeting novelty into a massive pop culture phenomenon.

The U.S. women’s gymnastics team, known as the Magnificent Seven, marked their victory at the Atlanta Games with a playful nod to the song’s relatively easy dance moves. Broadway legend Chita Rivera led a massive crowd of 50,000 at Yankee Stadium in the world’s largest Macarena line. It even made its mark at that year’s Democratic National Convention, where Hillary Clinton famously took part in an awkward dance-along, while Al Gore mocked his stiff persona with a completely motionless display.

Macarena 2.0.

Unsurprisingly, “Macarena” became a bit of a double-edged sword for Los del Río. They only returned to the Billboard charts once more, with a festive version that lazily added sleigh bells and a medley of Christmas carols. But the song just wouldn’t fade away. It inspired hit covers from Canadian duo Los del Mar, Dutch hardcore techno artist MC Rage, and country group The GrooveGrass Boyz. It continues to dominate wedding dance floors and nostalgia-heavy “I Love the '90s” specials, and has even found new life as the centerpiece of a viral dance challenge.

Monge and Perdigones aren’t exactly upset about not striking gold a second time. In fact, these lifelong friends have embraced the success of “Macarena,” which continues to bring in an impressive $250,000 in royalties each year.

They’ve kept the song alive by including it on nearly every album they’ve released, performing new renditions with bandleader André Rieu and Cuban reggaeton group Gente de Zona, and even made a cameo in rapper Tyga’s unexpected 2019 remix. In 2021, to mark the 25th anniversary of its chart-topping run, they offered Airbnb guests the opportunity to stay at their Andalusian retreat and take part in a “Macarena” masterclass with the duo.

As the saying goes, it’s better to be a one-hit wonder than to never have a hit at all, a sentiment Monge echoed in a recent interview: “Just as Spain has only won the World Cup once, we have been fortunate to be world champions in music. We are often asked when we’ll write another 'Macarena,' and we say we’ve already done it. Let others have their turn.” It’s a noble thought, though it seems unlikely that any future summer anthem will have the same global impact.