Trojan Horse: From Million-Seller to Remix Revival

August 18 marked the release of "Trojan Horse (Matt Pop 2025 Remix)," the sixth single taken from the remix album "Only Luv’ – The Matt Pop Remixes", on digital platforms.

Spotify: http://bit.ly/4lU86Y4

Apple Music: http://bit.ly/4mFjs34

Deezer: http://bit.ly/4lPxDS1

Just three days earlier, on August 15, the official video for the track premiered on YouTube. Conceived by René van Ooijen, the clip features Luv’s vintage TV performances of "Trojan Horse" on various European shows.

On August 11, Peter Boonstra, the driving force behind "Only Luv’," was featured on both L1 TV and L1 Radio, respectively the TV channel and the radio station from L1, the regional public broadcaster serving the Dutch province of Limburg.

Peter Boonstra proudly presenting Only Luv' - The Matt Pop Remixes

Peter appeared on "L1 Nieuws" to discuss the remix project. He implied that there might be a follow-up to Only Luv’, since only 18 tracks had been remixed, but only time would tell.

Peter also joined the radio program "L1 Nieuwsshow" the same day. "I saw the group for the first time on TV when I was eight. There were only two channels in the Netherlands back then. They were everywhere on the small screen. They had their first hit, U.O.Me (Welcome to Waldolala), the theme song from Sjef van Oekel’s show Het is weer zo laat!. But I became a real fan with You’re the Greatest Lover — the music, the dance routines, the group’s charisma," Peter recalled, explaining his lifelong passion for the legendary girl group.

He also revisited the ill-fated release of Luv’s photo book a decade ago, when copyright issues forced him to halt sales. Ironically, that setback proved to be a blessing in disguise. The publication included a greatest-hits CD featuring Luv’s singles and two Matt Pop remixes, which received such positive feedback that it inspired Peter to develop a full-length remix album. Produced with original master tapes from Hans van Hemert’s archives — and with the approval of Marga Scheide and José Hoebee — Only Luv’ was born, with Matt Pop serving as the album’s sole remixer.

When asked about Patty Brard’s absence from the project, Peter was clear: "I didn’t need her agreement as she left the group in 1980 and she was bought out (her shares in the Luv’ limited company were purchased)."

Trojan Horse: a special song in Luv's catalog

Luv' performing "Trojan Horse" on Showbizzquiz, a TV show broadcast on TROS on December 1, 1978

Trojan Horse is Luv’s second million-selling smash following "You're the Greatest Lover", the group's international breakthrough hit in 1978. This pop song has a lasting pop legacy.

After the runaway triumph of Greatest Lover, Luv’ needed a worthy follow-up to prove they weren’t a one-hit wonder. In November 1978, they unveiled Trojan Horse, a cheeky bagpipe-driven pop gem. The gamble worked: the single became Luv's most internationally charted single, reaching the hit parades in sixteen countries and selling over one million copies worldwide. This track, written by Hans van Hemert and Piet Souer as "Janschen & Janschens", was included on some editions of the trio's debut album "With Luv'".

In their home country, the single topped the Dutch charts at #1 and sold 200,000 copies as of May 1979, earning Platinum certification. It also conquered neighboring Belgium, reaching #1 in Flanders with 100,000 copies sold as of 1979 (Gold single). Across Germany, the song sold 480,000 copies as of December 1979, peaking at #3, while Austria saw 50,000 copies sold as of May 1979 (Gold single) and a #2 chart position. Switzerland mirrored this success, reaching #2 with an estimated 60,000 copies sold as of April 1979.

Elsewhere in Europe, "Trojan Horse" charted at #2 in Denmark (6,400 copies as of May 1979) and #16 in Finland (4,000 copies as of May 1979). In Norway, it reached #6 on the monthly Top 10 music chart published by the Halden Arbeiderblad newspaper and remained on this chart for three months. In France, the song sold 85,526 copies as of July 1979 and reached a peak of #22. Beyond Europe, the track found success in Argentina (#9, 50,000 copies as of September 1979), New Zealand (#6, 5,000 copies as of August 1979), South Africa (#17, 8,000 copies as of June 1979), Zimbabwe (#14, 3,500 copies in 1979), Australia (#50, 15,000 copies as of February 1980), and Canada (#95, 2,000 copies as of July 1979).

Far from fading into nostalgia, Trojan Horse has been continuously reinvented through remixes and cover versions. In 2006, Hans van Hemert’s production team issued a dance remix, later included in the Completely In Luv’ box set. In 2015, the above-mentioned Luv' photo book included two Matt Pop remixes — Trojan Horse among them. A decade later, Matt Pop returned for the ambitious Only Luv’ remix album, including Trojan Horse (Matt Pop 2025 Remix). In between, Dutch DJ Kav Verhouzer’s 2022 version briefly broke into the Dutch iTunes Top 10 and eventually racked up over 1 million streams on Spotify, while YesterMix DJs offered their own spin in 2023. These releases demonstrate the song’s enduring ability to attract new generations of producers and fans.

In 2025, Trojan Horse remains more than a million-seller. It is a song that defined an era, bridged continents, and inspired an extraordinary afterlife through remixes and covers. Alongside You’re the Greatest Lover, it stands as proof that Luv’ didn’t just top the charts — they carved out a lasting place in Dutch pop history.

Source: Only Luv', Official Luv', L1, Luvgirlgroup archives...