This was written as a Latin soul instrumental by Rodgers Grant and Pat Patrick, and first recorded by Mongo Santamaría for his 1963 album Watermelon Man!
Soon afterwards lyrics were written for it by Jon Hendricks.
It was released in Britain in December 1964 by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and reached No 1 in January 1965. It was released in America a month later with the saxophone break edited out, and got to No 21.