Bob's Mambo chart bid

Bob is an unlikely popstar

By BBC News Online's Emma Saunders

Cover songs may be prevalent in the charts these days but a rehash of a song only two years old should still raise a few disgruntled eyebrows.

Unless, of course, you happen to be a cheeky little DIY man who can fix just about anything.

I am, of course, talking about Children's BBC favourite, Bob the Builder.

The animated Mr Fixit releases his second single, Mambo No 5, on Monday, a remake of the catchy Latino number which made Lou Bega a one-hit wonder in 1999.

Bob's lyrics are an improvement

The song was written in the 1950s by Cuban Prez Prado and has been used as the theme tune for Channel 4's cricket coverage. It also features in a Guinness advert.

So what can Bob the Builder offer to this already familiar tune?

Well, not much really, but as they say, if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

The tune is one that will stick in your memory banks after a single listen, regardless of who sings it.

Little has been changed to the instrumental arrangement although Bob's lyrics are a big improvement on Mr Bega's.

Bob's rundown of daily duties ("A little bit of digging up the roads/A little bit of moving heavy loads") is a little more savoury than Bega's list of conquests ("A little bit of Sandra in the sun/A little bit of Mary all night long").

Neil Morrissey is the voice behind Bob, and sings/talks his way through the song in classic children's TV fashion.

Other new singles out this week include Artful Dodger featuring ex-All Saint Melanie Blatt (her first offering since the band split up), Fatboy Slim and Macy Gray featuring Erykah Badu.

None of these acts are likely to bother Bob though. Last year, he knocked Eminem off the top spot and beat Westlife to become the Christmas number one.

It remains to be seen if he can achieve similar success with his second single but this feelgood, infectious ditty should have you smiling as the silly season draws to a close.

Mambo No 5 is released by BBC Music on 3 September