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"Trojan Horse"
Single by Luv'
from the album With Luv' (some editions)
B-side	"Life Is on My Side"
Released	November 1978
Recorded	1978
Genre	Pop
Length	3:24
Label	Philips/Phonogram Records(Benelux, France, Spain, Scandinavia, UK, Israel, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand) Carrere Records(Germany) Polydor Records(USA) Mercury Records (Canada)
Songwriter(s)	Hans van Hemert and Piet Souer (as Janschen & Janschens)
Producer(s)	Hans van Hemert
Luv' singles chronology
"You're the Greatest Lover" (1978) "Trojan Horse" (1978) "Casanova" (1979)

"Trojan Horse" is the fifth single by the Dutch girl group Luv', released in autumn 1978 by Philips/Phonogram Records. This million-seller appears on some editions of the group's debut album, With Luv' (1978), and was a successful hit record in a large part of continental Europe, Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Argentina and New Zealand. It was a minor hit in Australia and Canada.

The single was remixed in 2006, 2015 and 2022.

Background

This song is the follow-up single to "You're the Greatest Lover" and uses a bagpipe theme. The intro of this track was inspired by the famous "20th-Century Fox Fanfare" by Alfred Newman that accompanies the 20th Century Fox studio logo at the beginning of its productions. Thanks to this hit record, Luv' established itself as one of the most popular Dutch pop acts of the late 1970s.

"Trojan Horse" was included in some editions of the With Luv' album and on CD compilations such as Luv' Gold and 25 Jaar Na Waldolala.

It was used for the soundtrack of the movie Spetters, directed by Paul Verhoeven. In 1979, Luv' played a cameo role in the German movie Cola, Candy, Chocolate in which they performed "Trojan Horse".

Commercial performance

Trojan Horse was a No. 1 hit single in the Netherlands and Flanders (Belgium). It reached the top 5 in Denmark, Austria, Switzerland and Germany, the top 10 in New Zealand and Argentina (where Luv' became a one-hit wonder), the top 20 in Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Finland, the top 50 in France and Australia as well as the top 100 in Canada.

According to a special issue of Billboard magazine about the German recording industry published on December 8, 1979, the single sold 480.000 copies in the Federal Republic of Germany. It also sold 80.000 copies in France, 50.000 copies in Austria (where it turned gold), 100.000 copies in Belgium (gold certification) and 200.000 copies in the Netherlands (platinum certification). In total, more than one million units of the record were sold worldwide.

Track listing and release

Philips/Phonogram licensed the rights for Luv's records to various labels around the world.

7" Vinyl

• a. "Trojan Horse"
• b. "Life Is On My Side"

Cover versions

• The German cover band Super Hit Power performed a version of Trojan Horse in 1978.
• In 1979, the Dutch band, De Bumpers, performed a parody entitled "M'n Doedelzak" (lit. ' my bagpipes').
• In 1979, the Swedish female singer, Siw Inger, sang a German version of the song as "Komm und spiel mit mir" (lit. 'come and play with me'). She also covered it in Swedish as "Superman," with different lyrics from the German cover.
• In 1979, Orchester Tony Anderson from Germany recorded a version of the song.
• Singer Glenys Lynne covered the song into Afrikaans under the name "Tsitsikamawoud" in 1979.
• The German cover band, Orchester Tony Anderson, recorded the track for a compilation album "Super Hits '79".
• Disco Light Orchestra from Germany performed an instrumental version for their LP "Disco Sensation" in 1979.
• The German formation, The Golden Akkordeon Harmonists, covered the song for their album "Schlager Hits Akkordeon" in 1979.
• An East German sister duo, Die Molly Sisters, sang a Schlager version of this composition entitled "Im grünen Wald" (lit. 'in the green forest') in 1979.
• King's Group And Singers from the UK recorded their cover of Trojan Horse in 1979.
• German cover band The Hiltonaires recorded a version of Trojan Horse in 1979.
• Romanian group 5T recorded a cover version entitled "Calul Troian" in 1979.
• The Czech girl group, Bezinky, covered the song (entitled "Trojský Kůň") in their language in 1980.
• Juraj Lehotský from Czechoslovakia covered it in 1981.
• In 2001, Estonian group Trobikond, a singing group composed of DJs from the radio station "Raadio Elmar," covered the song in their language as "Üks päev" (lit. 'one day'). This version has new lyrics entitling how everybody has just one day that's their birthday, and has become a well-known birthday song in Estonia.
• A short-lived German girl group, Luv' Connection, covered the track in 2003.
• Kamelie from the Czech Republic performed the song as "Trojský Kůň," with different lyrics from Bezinky's cover, in the 2000s.
• Jump With Me, a song by the Dutch jumpstyle band, the Sheffield Jumpers, featured a re-sung chorus from "Trojan Horse" and was released in August 2008. This version peaked at #69 on the German Media Control Charts.
• In 2009, the entertainer Marco de Hollander sang the song in Dutch and translated it as "Hij speelde elke avond op zijn doedelzak" (lit. 'he played his bagpipes every night').
• In 2010, the Dutch rock and party band Kiek Now Us rendered it as "Hemel Zonder Bier" (lit. 'heaven without beer') in 2010 and reissued it in 2014.
• In 2011, the German-Bosnian act, Engel & Engel, performed it as "So ist die Liebe, mi Amor".
• In 2018, Gáspár Enikő from Hungary covered Trojan Horse in her native language.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

2006 remix

In 2006, Universal Music put out the Completely In Luv' box set including the remastered version of four studio albums: With Luv' (1978), Lots of Luv' (1979), True Luv' (1979) and Forever Yours (1980) on CD. It featured a 2006 remix of Trojan Horse by J.R Beltman and F.M Endenburg.

In 2012, Cloud 9 Music released the compilation entitled "The Best of LUV" which was only available on digital platforms. It included an Extended Mix of Trojan Horse 2006 that was previously unreleased.

2015 remix

In 2015, Peter Boonstra published the biography The Story Of Luv' (including exclusive pictures of the girl group). DJ/remixer/producer Matt Pop remixed two tracks: "Trojan Horse" and "Life Is On My Side" for the CD compilation included in the book. The Story Of Luv was eventually banned due to copyright issues on some photographs.

2022 remix

"Trojan Horse (Kav Verhouzer Remix)"
Single by Luv' & Kav Verhouzer
Released	11 February 2022
Label	Cloud 9 Music
Luv' & Kav Verhouzer singles chronology
"With Him Tonight" (2019) "Trojan Horse (Kav Verhouzer Remix)" (2022)

On February 11, 2022, Cloud 9 Music released Trojan Horse (Kav Verhouzer Remix) as a digital single. Two days later, this remix entered the Dutch iTunes Top 100 at #10. One week later, it dropped out of this chart.

Track listing

Digital download/streaming

1. "Trojan Horse (Kav Verhouzer Remix)" – 2:27
2. "Trojan Horse (Club Mix by Jaz von D) - 2:50

References

1. "West Germany: The Year In Review" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
2. "TOP 45 Tours – 1979". SNEP. Retrieved 2021-04-11.
3. Release details on Discogs.com Accessed: February 12, 2011
4. List of popular songs played on Dutch radio including "M'n Doeldelzak" by De Bumpers Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine
5. Information about German cover version of "Trojan Horse"
6. Glenys Lynne – Tsitsikamawoud – YouTube
7. Details about Super Hits '79 compilation
8. Disco Sensation/Disco Light Orchestra Accessed: August 30, 2010
9. The Golden Akkordeon Harmonists – Schlager Hits Akkordeon Accessed: August 30, 2010
10. Infos about the single by Die Molly Sisters
11. Czech version of Trojan Horse Accessed: August 30, 2010
12. Luv' Connection official site
13. Website of Marco de Hollander
14. Music video of Engel & Engel Accessed: July 9, 2011
15. "Argentina > Luv'". El Centro Cultural Del Disco. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
16. Gold certifications given by the Austrian recording industry association (IFPI Austria)
17. "BRT Top 30 > Luv'". BRT Top 30. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
18. ^ Gold and platinum certifications given by the Belgian recording industry association (IFPI Belgium)
19. "Ultratop > Luv'". Ultratop. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
20. "Finnish chart > Luv'". Finnish singles chart. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
21. "SNEP chart > Luv'". SNEP. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
22. "Media Control Charts/Musikmarkt > Luv'". Offizielle Charts. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
23. "Reshet Gimel-foreign singles chart > Luv'". Maariv (newspaper). Retrieved 2022-08-14.
24. "Dutch Top 40 > Luv'". Stichting Nederlandse Top 40. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
25. Gold and platinum certifications given by the Dutch recording industry association
26. "Nationale Hitparade > Luv'". Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
27. "Zimbabwe > Luv'". Zimbabwean charts. 2 August 2016. Retrieved 2021-04-10.
28. "Jaaroverzicht 1978" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
29. "Jaaroverzicht 1979" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
30. "Jaaroverzicht 1978" (in Dutch). Top40.nl. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
31. "Jaaroverzicht 1979" (in Dutch). Top40.nl. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
32. "Jaaroverzicht 1978" (in Dutch). Ultratop.nl. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
33. "Jaaroverzicht 1979" (in Dutch). Ultratop.nl. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
34. "Jahrecharts 1978" (in German). Chartsurfer.de. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
35. "Jahrecharts 1979" (in German). Offizielle Charts. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
36. "Jahreshitparade 1978" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
37. "Jahreshitparade 1979" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
38. "BT's Hitliste fra 1979" (in Danish). BT Hitliste. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
39. "END OF YEAR CHARTS 1979". nztop40.co.nz. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
40. "Patty Brard wil boek over Luv' tegenhouden". 20 April 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
41. "Trojan Horse 2022 Kav Verhouzer Remix". 13 February 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
42. "Trojan Horse (Remixes) > Luv'". Apple Music. Retrieved 2022-08-14.

• 1978 singles
• 1978 songs
• Carrere Records singles
• Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
• Mega Top 50 number-one singles
• Luv' songs
• Mercury Records singles
• Number-one singles in Belgium
• Philips Records singles
• Phonogram Records singles
• Polydor Records singles
• Songs written by Hans van Hemert
• Songs written by Piet Souer