African Dance Band of the Cold Storage Commission of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) were first to record this tune titled after an illicit alcoholic drink, "Skokiaan" (Musarurwa). It was released in 1947 and actually charted later in the U.S.A.

Tom Glazer (On Top of Spaghetti) wrote the English lyrics and the Canadian group from St. Michael's Choir in Toronto, The Four Lads (Bernie Toorish, Connie Codarini, Jimmy Arnold and Frank Busseri) along with Neil Hefti's Orchestra reached the top ten in August 1954.