It represented West Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, held in Jerusalem, and was released as the first single from the group's debut album, Dschinghis Khan.

The song was written by the prolific duo of composer Ralph Siegel and lyricist Bernd Meinunger, and owes a considerable debt to disco music, specifically of the Boney M. tradition.

As the name suggests, it is in praise of the titular Mongol warrior, with verses extolling his military ("and about his enemies he only laughed / because nobody could resist his strength") and sexual ("he fathered seven children in one night") prowess.

Dschinghis Khan performed their song ninth on the night, following Switzerland's "Trödler und Co" by Peter, Sue & Marc and Pfuri, Gorps & Kniri and preceding Israel's "Hallelujah" by Milk and Honey.

[15] Siegel offered Frederik to also cover the song "Hadschi Halef Omar", which he did as "Sheikki Ali Hassan" in a 1980 single.

Frederik's version of the song is also used as ring entry theme by Russian boxer Denis "Tsingis Khan" Shafikov.

The Japanese girl idol group Berryz Kobo also released a cover of the song, albeit with toned-down lyrics, which do not make mention to the more explicit details pertaining to war, rape or the consumption of alcoholic beverages found in the 1979 original.

[19] It was Berryz Kobo's highest selling single until the release of "Motto Zutto Issho ni Itakatta / ROCK Erotic" in 2013.