"You're the Greatest Lover" is a single by the Dutch girl group

Luv' Luv' were a Dutch girl group that scored a string of hit records in Continental Europe ( Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Spain, Denmark, Norway and Finland) as well as Israel, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, New Zealand, Cana ...

, released in July 1978 by

Philips Koninklijke Philips N.V. (), simply branded Philips, is a Dutch multinational health technology company that was founded in Eindhoven in 1891. Since 1997, its world headquarters have been situated in Amsterdam, though the Benelux headquarter ...

Phonogram Records Phonogram Incorporated was started in 1970 as a successor to Philips Phonographic Industries, a unit of the Grammophon-Philips Group (GPG), a joint venture of Philips N.V. of the Netherlands and Siemens AG of Germany. It was a holding company f ...

. It appears on the 1978 debut album '' With Luv'''. The song is the group's international breakthrough as it was successful in a large part of

Continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...

, Israel and South Africa. Luv' reached its peak with this million-seller. "You're the Greatest Lover" is often considered the

signature song A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...

of the female pop act. A decade later, Philips' German subsidiary reissued the track as a CD single. In 1993, the

Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 () is a weekly music chart compiled by ''Stichting Nederlandse Top 40''. It started as a radio program titled "Veronica Top 40", on the offshore radio, offshore station Radio Veronica in 1965. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" ...

hit " Megamix '93" was backed with a

Eurodance Eurodance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of Hip-hop, rap, techno and Eurodisco. This genre of music is heavily influenced by the use ...

remix of "The Greatest Lover".

Background

In the spring of 1978, manager Han Meijer filed a lawsuit against

Patty Brard Petula Louise "Patty" Brard (born March 25, 1955) is a Dutch singer, television personality, actress and entrepreneur, most notable for being a former member of the girl group Luv'. For five decades, she has often hit the headlines of the tabloid ...

, José Hoebee and Marga Scheide who were not satisfied by the way he developed their career. Meijer considered the name of the formation as his ownership and took the three singers to court about the use of it. Finally, in early June 1978, the ladies won the legal action and were officially allowed to be named Luv'. Pim ter Linde became their new manager. They were ready to concentrate on their main goal: to have an international career.
After the success of " U.O.Me" in

Benelux The Benelux Union (; ; ; ) or Benelux is a politico-economic union, alliance and formal international intergovernmental cooperation of three neighbouring states in Western Europe: Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The name is a portma ...

, Hans van Hemert and Piet Souer, the group's songwriters, noticed that the light pop/disco and Latin American arrangements were more appropriate than a more serious repertoire (like the trio's first singles). They composed "You're the Greatest Lover", which featured Spanish guitars. It became a big selling record as it entered the charts in a dozen countries. This track was the first of a string of international hit singles. It reached the first position in some countries in Continental Europe. It was entitled "Sing Me, Sing Me a Chanson" to adapt the French market and succeeded in reaching the Top 20 in South Africa. A Spanish version (entitled "Eres Mi Mejor Amante") was recorded, which permitted Luv' to have a hit in Spain. Because Luv' performed "You're the Greatest Lover" on two famous German TV music shows (''

Disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

'' and ''

Musikladen ''Der Musikladen'' () was a West German music television programme that ran from 13 December 1972 to 29 November 1984. The show continued the 1960s ''Beat-Club'' under a new name, and in turn was replaced by ''Extratour''. History Around 90 ep ...

''), the female pop trio became a household group in German-speaking countries. The song, which sold 650.000 units in Germany, was part of the soundtrack of the fifty-fourth episode (entitled "Anschlag auf Bruno") of ''

Derrick A derrick is a lifting device composed at minimum of one guyed mast, as in a gin pole, which may be articulated over a load by adjusting its Guy-wire, guys. Most derricks have at least two components, either a guyed mast or self-supporting tower ...

''. The track was also used over the credits of a 1979 German sex comedy film called ''Sunnyboy und Sugarbaby'', which received significant late-night airplay in the early days of

HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...

under its English-language title, ''

She's 19 and Ready ''She's 19 and Ready'' (also known as ''Sunnyboy und Sugarbaby'') is a 1979 West German sex comedy film. Plot The story centers on a rather uninhibited young woman named Eva (Sabine Wollin) and her two boyfriends - Stefan ( Ekkehardt Belle) an ...

''. The song was also popular behind the

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, especially in

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, Poland and Hungary as it was frequently aired on communist radio stations. However, records distribution was limited in the Eastern Bloc. Sales were hard to evaluate in this part of the world.

Commercial performance

"You're the Greatest Lover" was a #1 hit single in the Netherlands,

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

(Belgium), Germany, and Switzerland. The Spanish version of the song "Tu Eres Mi Mejor Amante" also hit the number-one spot in Spain. The single was also successful in Austria and to a lesser extent in France, Finland, Israel and South Africa. Because of the good performance in the above-mentioned territories, the record reached the 5th position of the Europarade (currently the

European Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...

), which combined the weekly charts of various European countries into a single countdown. According to a special issue of ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' about the German recording industry published on December 8, 1979, the single sold 650.000 copies in the Federal Republic of Germany (where it turned gold). It also sold 80.000 copies in France and 150.000 copies in the Netherlands (platinum certification). More than one million units of the record were sold worldwide.

1989 reissue, appearance on compilations and 1993 remix

In 1989,

was reformed by original member Marga Scheide and two other vocalists to promote new recordings released by Dureco Records. At the same time, Luv's first record company, Philips, decided to repackage the old repertoire of the pop act. That's why a

mini CD single A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the ''CD single'' standard (as defined in the Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (''CD3''); later on the term referred to any single recorded onto a CD of an ...

came out in Germany only, which included three songs from the original group's back catalogue: the 1978 number one hits "You're the Greatest Lover" and "

Trojan Horse In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse () was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer, Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending ...

" as well as the

disco Disco is a music genre, genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the late 1960s from the United States' urban nightclub, nightlife, particularly in African Americans, African-American, Italian-Americans, Italian-American, LGBTQ ...

track "Everybody's Shakin' Hands on Broadway". In 1993, a

dance Dance is an The arts, art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often Symbol, symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

remix was included on the single " Megamix '93". Moreover, due to its popularity, "The Greatest Lover" was part of the track listings of Luv's main compilations (''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

'', '' Luv' Gold'', '' 25 Jaar Na Waldolala'' and '' Completely in Luv''').

You're The Greatest Lover (Ladies on Mars Re-Construction Mix)

Dutch label Hit It! Music released "You're The Greatest Lover (Ladies on Mars Re-Construction Mix)" on January 17, 2025. Created by Argentinian producer Ladies On Mars, the remix was a modern rework of Luv’s classic hit and followed three earlier remixes ( Luv' Medley (Ladies On Mars Re-Touch Remix), Don't Stop Now (Ladies On Mars Remix) and Don't Stop Now (Ladies On Mars Extended Remix) tied to All You Need Is Luv' (Remastered & Expanded Edition). Unlike the original version, the remix did not feature the original master vocals, as the rights to the original recordings belonged to producer Hans van Hemert. Instead, Ladies On Mars used a re-recording of the song made by

s original lineup ( José Hoebee, Marga Scheide, and

), which was first included in the Luv' Medley on the original edition of All You Need Is Luv' in 1994. This version captured the group’s signature harmonies and energy but reflected their matured vocal sound from the 1990s era. An extended remix of the song by Ladies On Mars came out on January 31st, 2025.

Music video

A music video for the remix premiered on

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on 16 January 2025, one day before the single’s release. It featured excerpts from Luv's TV performances of "You're the Greatest Lover" between 1978 and 1993.

Formats and track listings

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

1978 original release: 7-inch vinyl

# "You're the Greatest Lover" – 2:50 # "Everybody's Shaking Hands on Broadway" – 3:27

1989 reissue: mini CD single

# "You're the Greatest Lover" # "Everybody's Shaking Hands on Broadway" # "

Digital download/streaming

# "You're The Greatest Lover (Ladies on Mars Re-Construction Mix)" – 3:04 # "You're The Greatest Lover (Ladies On Mars Extended Re-Construction Mix)" - 5:15

Cover versions

* In 1978, Ulla Norden covered the song in German as "Wir Sind Verrückt (Wir Beide)". * In 1978, the cover band The Hiltonaires recorded "You're the Greatest Lover" on German compilations "Hits For Young People 18" and "Top Disco" * In 1979,

Jonathan King Jonathan King (born Kenneth George King; 6 December 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. He first came to prominence in 1965 when "Everyone's Gone to the Moon", a song that he wrote and sang while still an undergraduate, ...

recorded a cover version of Luv's hit that peaked at #67 on the UK Singles Charts. * Disco Light Orchestra from Germany performed an instrumental version for their LP ''Disco Sensation'' in 1979. * Franz Lambert performed "You're the Greatest Lover" on the German compilation "Pop-Orgel Hitparade 4" in 1979. *

James Last James Last (, ; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015) was a German composer and big band leader of the James Last Orchestra. Initially a jazz bassist, his trademark "happy music" made his numerous albums best-sellers in Germany and ...

orchestra performed an instrumental version on his album ''New Non Stop Dancing 79''. * Teenage singer Eini covered the song (entitled "Vetonaula") in Finnish in 1979. * Finnish cover band Taru recorded the song as "Vetonaula" on the ''Disco City 3'' compilation in 1979. * Finnish cover band Disco Ape recorded a version of "You're the Greatest Lover" in 1979. * Irish pop group Gina, Dale Haze and the Champions had a top 10 hit with this song on the Irish Charts in 1979. * In 1979, German singer Karl Dall sang it as "Hey Hallo, Ich Bin Die Größte Nummer". * In 1980, British group

Brotherhood of Man Brotherhood of Man were a British pop group who achieved success in the 1970s with three number one hits in the UK. They won the 1976 Eurovision Song Contest with " Save Your Kisses for Me". Created in 1969 by songwriter and record producer ...

recorded a version of the song for their '' Good Fortune'' album. * East German sister duet, Die Molly Sisters, sang a German version entitled "He, hallo, du bist ein Mann geworden". * Accordion duo Kirmesmusikanten covered the track for the "28 Super-Sommer-Sonnen-Hits non-stop" compilation released in the Netherlands and Germany in 1985. * In 1994, German female singer Angie van Burg covered it as "Wir Sind Verrückt (Wir Beide)". * The Hallmond All Stars orchestra performed an instrumental version on the compilation ''Night Fever Hammond Hit Parade'' released in the UK in 1996. * In 1999, Kristina Bach sang a Schlager version (entitled "Hey, ich such' hier nicht den größten Lover"). * In 2000, a dance music oriented cover by

Loona Loona (stylized in all caps or as LOOΠΔ; ; , ) is a South Korean girl group created by Blockberry Creative. The group is composed of eleven members: Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul, Vivi, Yeojin, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Choerry, Yves (singer), Yves, Go Won ...

renamed "Latino Lover" was a Top 10 hit single in German speaking countries (#6 and gold single (250 000 units sold) in Germany, #9 in Austria and #6 in Switzerland). * In 2002, Rob Ronalds covered it in Dutch as "Kanjer". His version reached #57 on the Dutch

Single Top 100 The Dutch Single Top 100 or Single Top 100 is a Dutch chart, based on official physical single sales, legal downloads and since July 2013 streaming and composed by Dutch Charts. It is one of the three official charts, the other two being the Du ...

. * German industrial band Massiv in Mensch recorded an electro version in 2004. * In 2004, Dutch girl group recorded a medley entitled "Greatest Lovers" that included "You're the Greatest Lover". * In 2005, the version of "The Greatest Lover" by Flemish dance group Swoop peaked at #25 on the

Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium. Ultratop is a non-profit organization, created in 1995 on the initiative of the Belgian Entertainment Association (BEA), the Belgian member organiz ...

singles charts in Flanders. * In 2008, Renate Fuchs' version in German was entitled "Hey, kumm loss m'r Fastelovend fiere". * In 2016, Dutch act Huub Hangop feat. DJ Maurice sang it as "Ik wil met jou een selfie". * In 2016, German singer Jack Gelee covered it as "Ich will mit Dir ein Selfie". * In 2016, German act Feierwut performed a version entitled "Hey Hallo wir sind heut auf Mallorca". * In 2020, Dutch Drag act RisQGay released a single entitled "The Greatest Latino Lover" (a cover version and mashup of Latino Lover by Loona and You're the Greatest Lover by Luv'). * In 2021, Dutch act Bert & Vief covered it as "De Grootste Liefhebber". * In 2022, Dutch singer Johnny Gold covered it as "Hey Hallo (je bent de grootste lovert)". * In 2022, German DJ Clubstone recorded an EDM version entitled "Greatest Lover".

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 1978 songs 1978 singles 1989 singles Brotherhood of Man songs Luv' songs Jonathan King songs Number-one singles in Belgium Number-one singles in Germany Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Number-one singles in Switzerland Songs written by Hans van Hemert Songs written by Piet Souer Philips Records singles Phonogram Records singles Mercury Records singles Carrere Records singles