Casanova (Luv' song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Casanova

| cover = Casanova cover.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Luv'

| album = Lots Of Luv'

| B-side = D.J

| released = April 1979

| recorded = 1979

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Pop

| length = 3:48

| label = Philips Records/Phonogram Records (Western countries)
Tonpress (Poland)

| writer = Hans van Hemert and Piet Souer (a.k.a. Janschen & Janschens)

| producer = Hans van Hemert

| prev_title = Trojan Horse

| prev_year = 1978

| next_title = Eeny Meeny Miny Moe

| next_year = 1979

}}

"Casanova" is the sixth single by the Dutch girl group Luv', released in the spring of 1979 by Philips Records. This song appears on the formation's second album, Lots Of Luv', and was a Top 10 single in a large part of Continental Europe, maintaining Luv's position as the best Dutch export act of 1979.[http://www.bumacultuur.nl/nl/page/activiteiten/prijzen List of the Conamus Export Prize winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614064159/http://www.bumacultuur.nl/nl/page/activiteiten/prijzen |date=2009-06-14 }}; Conamus (currently: Buma Cultuur) is an organisation which promotes Dutch music artists abroad. Every year, since 1972, this foundation has presented an Export Prize to reward the best selling Export acts from the Netherlands.[http://www.bumaharpengala.nl/archief/details/jaar/1979 List of the winners of Dutch pop music awards presented by Buma Cultuur in 1979]

Background

After the success of the hit singles U.O.Me, You're the Greatest Lover and Trojan Horse as well as the album With Luv' in 1978, Philips/Phonogram Records released in April 1979 the new single, "Casanova", as a foretaste of the Lots Of Luv' LP. Casanova's lyrics deal with an unfaithful man who can't help seducing women. The song's arrangements were inspired by Flamenco, Latin American music and 1970s Europop, making it a smash hit in Benelux, the German-speaking countries and Denmark. A Spanish version was recorded.

Commercial performance

"Casanova" was a Top 5 hit in Austria, Denmark, Switzerland and Flanders (Belgium), a Top 10 single in the Netherlands and Germany as well as a Top 20 song in Spain.

According to a special issue of Billboard magazine about the German recording industry published on December 8, 1979, the single sold 300.000 copies in the Federal Republic of Germany.{{cite web|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/70s/1979/Billboard%201979-12-08.pdf|title=West Germany: The Year In Review|publisher=Billboard Magazine|access-date=2021-04-11}}

Track listing and release

7" Vinyl [http://www.discogs.com/Luv-Casanova-DJ/master/65938 Release details on Discogs.com] Accessed: February 12, 2011

  • a. "Casanova"
  • b. "DJ"

class="wikitable"

! Countries

! Year

! Label

! Catalog

West Europe

| 1978

| Philips/Phonogram Records

| 6012897

Poland

| 1978

| Tonpress

| 772

Japan

| 1978

| Philips/Phonogram Records

| SFL 2426

Cover versions

  • In 1979, the German female singer, Kirstin Lill, recorded a Schlager version in German entitled "Du bist ein Casanova".[http://www.hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Kirstin+Lill&titel=Du+bist+ein+Casanova&cat=s Kirstin Lill on discogs.com] Accessed: October 14, 2010
  • Orchester Kai Werner from Germany covered it in 1979.
  • German singer Max Greger recorded his version of in 1979.
  • Ady Zehnpfennig from Germany rendered it in 1979.
  • French formation Guy Denys His Organ And His Orchestra performed a cover version in 1979.
  • Belgian singer Frank Vlietinck covered the song in 1979.
  • Pop/Disco artist, Mona Carita, sang the track (entitled "Voi Mikä Casanova!") in Finnish[http://www.discogs.com/Mona-Carita-Mona-Carita/release/1382361 Mona Carita 1979 album] Accessed: August 30, 2010 which was included on her 1979 eponymous album.
  • Swiss band Claudius Alzner Und Seine Solisten covered the track for their compilation Cocktail International Vol. 17 in 1980.[http://www.discogs.com/Mona-Carita-Mona-Carita/release/1382361 Claudius Alzner Und Seine Solisten/Cocktail International Vol. 17] Accessed: August 30, 2010
  • In 1980, Michael Schau Und Seine Wersi-Orgel from Germany recorded their version of the track.
  • In 2006, Klaus Beyer recorded a German version of the song.
  • In 2009, Flemish singer, Lindsay, performed the song in Dutch for her album De Mooiste Dag.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121025151652/http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Lindsay+%5BBE%5D&titel=Casanova&cat=s Information about Lindsay's cover of "Casanova" on Flemish Charts Website]

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable"

!Chart (1979)

!Peak
position

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)

|align="center"|2

Belgium/Flanders (BRT Top 30){{cite web|url=http://www.muziekbank.be/top30/70/brt0475.html|title=BRT Top 30 > Luv'|publisher=BRT Top 30|access-date=2021-04-01}}

|align="center"|5

Belgium/Flanders (Ultratop){{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/23e/Luv'-Casanova|title=Ultratop > Luv'|publisher=Ultratop|access-date=2021-04-10}}

|align="center"|4

Denmark (BT Hitlisten)

|align="center"|2

Europarade (currently Eurochart Hot 100 Singles)

|align="center"|2

Germany (Media Control Charts/Musikmarkt){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/titel-details-574|title=Media Control Charts/Musikmarkt > Luv'|publisher=Offizielle Charts|access-date=2021-04-11}}

|align="center"|6

Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/luv/luv-casanova-5135|title=Dutch Top 40 > Luv'|publisher=Stichting Nederlandse Top 40|access-date=2021-04-11}}

|align="center"|6

Netherlands (Nationale Hitparade (currently Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Luv%27&titel=Casanova&cat=s|title=Nationale Hitparade > Luv'|publisher=Dutchcharts.nl|access-date=2021-04-10}}

|align="center"|2

Spain (Los Domingos de ABC - Musica Joven)

|align="center"|18

Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/song/Luv'/Casanova-574|title=Nationale Hitparade > Luv'|publisher=Dutchcharts.nl|access-date=2021-04-11}}

|align="center"|4

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
Chart (1979)

!Position

scope="row"|Netherlands (Nationale Hitparade) 1979{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1979&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzicht 1979|publisher=Dutchcharts.nl|access-date=April 11, 2021|language=nl}}

|16

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1979{{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1979|title=Jaaroverzicht 1979|publisher=Top40.nl|access-date=April 11, 2021|language=nl}}

|55

scope="row"|Belgium/Flanders (Ultratop) 1979{{cite web|url=https://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1979|title=Jaaroverzicht 1979|publisher=Ultratop.nl|access-date=April 9, 2021|language=nl}}

|24

scope="row"|Germany (Media Control Charts/Musikmarkt) 1979{{cite web|url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/musik/single-charts-deutschland/jahrescharts/hits-1979/top-100|title=Jahrecharts Deutschland 1979|publisher=Chartsurfer.de|access-date=April 10, 2021|language=de}}

|46

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 1979{{cite web|url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/musik/single-charts-schweiz/jahrescharts/hits-1979/top-100|title=Jahrescharts Schweiz 1979|publisher=Hitparade.ch|access-date=April 10, 2021|language=de}}

|31

scope="row"|Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 1979{{cite web|url=https://www.chartsurfer.de/musik/single-charts-oesterreich/jahrescharts/hits-1979/top-75|title=Jahrescharts Österreich 1979|publisher=Ö3 Austria Top 40|access-date=April 11, 2021|language=de}}

|36

References