The tune was first released as "Poppy (Amapola)" (Joseph Lacalle) by Orquesta Francesa de A. Moreno aka Spanish Tango Orchestra in 1923. Albert Games added English lyrics in 1937. Albert wrote the lyric for "Hail To The Chief" while composer Joseph Lacalle (Jose Lacalle Garcia) once played woodwinds in the John Philip Sousa Band.

Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra with vocalists Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell introduced "Amapola (Pretty Little Poppy)" (Joseph M. Lacalle - Albert Games) to American audiences. The single topped the Billboard chart for ten weeks.