His song Mambo No5 was a sensation ­worldwide – yet for Lou Bega there was more than a little bit of sadness in his life as he topped every chart.

The singer today tells how his dad predicted he would finally have a hit with the song namechecking lovers Monica, Rita and Tina.

But sadly it was a ­prophecy from a deathbed.

Lou, 44, explains: “Dad was in ­hospital, weak from cancer, but I took a Discman in to play him a CD of it.

“I felt there was something ­special in that song and hoped it would raise his spirits. I played it on his deathbed and he looked up at me and said, ‘This will open doors.’

Mambo No 5 (A Little Bit of…) – a remake of Pérez Prado’s 1949 instrumental – topped the charts around the world including 20 weeks at No1 in France.

German Lou bagged a Grammy nomination and the song was even used as theme tune to C4’s cricket show.

But two years later it was nearly all over for Lou too.

In 2001 – aged only 25 – he had a heart attack

“It was the wake up call I needed,” he said: “It was exhaustion mixed with flu. I hadn’t cancelled a gig for two years and only spent ten days at home. No one can live like that.”

But he ­survived and still sings his signature tune on TV around the world. He has just released new single, Scatman and Hatman, and a new album.

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