Eeny Meeny Miny Moe by Luv': 40th anniversary!!!

"Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" (the seventh single by Luv') was released forty years ago, in August 1979. This pop song appears on the formation's second album "Lots Of Luv'" (see article posted on May 16th, 2019). It was the group's last single release by Phonogram/Philips Records before their transfer to CNR/Carrere. Though it was a respectable hit record in Benelux, Germany, Switzerland and Denmark, it didn't achieve the sales of the previous records. 

History
                                                                             

After the success of "Casanova" (see article posted on April 25th, 2019) on the Continental European charts, the trio's label decided to release "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" as a follow-up single. The song's title and chorus lyrics dealt with a famous children's counting rhyme in English speaking countries. Its Bouzouki and Balalejka-theme is highly inspired by Boney M's Rasputin. The track had not the hit potential of the #1 singles "You're the Greatest Lover" and "Trojan Horse". 

Luv' vs. Boney M. - Eeny Meeny Rasputin (Klyk mashup)

Video posted on Casper Janssen's YouTube channel

The release of "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" happened in a special context. The Luv' girls were experiencing trouble with Phonogram. The singers and their producer Hans van Hemert considered indeed that the record company didn't do its best to promote them abroad. Moreover, Holland's sweethearts had to face the competition with two other girl groups in their homeland (Babe and Dolly Dots) which became more and more popular. 

In early July 1979, the Dutch press announced that Van Hemert would leave Phonogram in August and would probably take his Luv' protégées with him. Previously, Luv' and their team (their manager Pim ter Linde as well as their producers and songwriters, Hans van Hemert and Piet Souer) formed a limited company called "InterLUV" to control all the aspects of their career (including the distribution of their records).

Hikrant, April 12th, 1979

Press clippings about Hans van Hemert's break-up with Phonogram (click on them to enlarge and read them):

Hitkrant - July 5th, 1979

De Telegraaf - July 7th, 1979

Hitkrant, September 1979

The media not only paid attention to Luv's career but also focused on their privacy. Patty Brard and TROS Quizmaster Ron Brandsteder got married in Vinkeveen, Netherlands on July 31st, 1979. 

Het Parool, August 1st, 1979

Hitkrant, August 16th, 1979

Freizeit Magazin (Germany), August 1979

José van de Wijdeven separated from her husband Maarten Andreoli and started to date Dutch record producer Will Hoebee in the Spring of 1979.

Hitkrant, August 30th, 1979

Marga Scheide graced the cover of the September 27th, 1979 issue of Dutch teen magazine "Hitkrant". It was explained that "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" came out without the consent of the ladies. Their record label even planned to put out a third single from the "Lots of Luv'" album. "I don't understand why they want to release a single from an LP which already turned gold," the blonde Luv' singer said. "It's better if you release new material. Now that we move to another record company, we cannot change the situation. Fortunately, we are working very hard on a new single. The public will decide which one is the best," she added.

Chart performance 

"Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" entered the Dutch Top 40 on August 25th, 1979 and later peaked at #11. 

It also reached #6 on the Nationale Hitparade (Netherlands), #9 in Belgium, #8 in Denmark, #17 in Switzerland and #36 in Germany.

TV performances

Luv' took advantage of a big exposure on television as they performed "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" live at the IFA (the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair in Berlin) on "Musikladen" (a high-rated German TV show) on August 30th, 1979. They also promoted the song on another legendary TV program: AVRO's TopPop.

* August 30th, 1979: Eeny Meeny Miny Moe on Musikladen (Radio Bremen), West Germany.

* September 1st, 1979: Eeny Meeny Miny Moe on TROS Top 50/Rockplanet on TROS, Netherlands

* September 6th, 1979: Eeny Meeny Miny Moe on AVRO's TopPop,  Netherlands

Tracklisting and release:

7" Vinyl - original release by Philips/Phonogram Records in August 1979:

A Side: "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" (Janschen & Janschens) - 2:54

B Side: "I.M.U.R" (Janschen & Janschens) - 3:35

Click here to see different versions of the single. 

Original Dutch front cover

German cover

Turkish cover

The French subsidiary of Philips/Phonogram released "I.M.U.R" as the A-side and "Eeny Meeny Miny Moe" as the B-side:

Cover version

Pop/Disco artist, Mona Carita, covered the track in Finnish entitled "Kuti Kuti Kultasein" which was included on her 1979 eponymous album.

* Bibliography:

Top 40 Hitdossier 1956-2005 (9e editie) by Johan van Slooten, publ: Gottmer 

Bech 

*Source: Luv' blog archives, Wikipedia, Discogs.com, Dutchcharts.nl...