LeVert - "Casanova" (1987) : One Hit Wonder

Family heritage dictated that vocal group LeVert should become leading lights of the growing new jack swing boom of the late 80s, but ultimately their contribution amounted to just one very catchy hit.

Gerald and Sean LeVert, sons of O'Jays founder Eddie, along with bandmate Marc Gordon, had been R&B mainstays in the States over the course of two albums but had yet to cross into the mainstream until Casanova was issued in 1987.

The entire song, written by producer Reggie Calloway to ape Club Nouveau's Lean On Me, is quite radically stripped back, reliant almost wholly on the high-calibre singing under a smart, insistent beat, with only occasional keyboard and guitar motifs beneath. Gerald's lead vocals on the verses are smooth and warm while the experience of Eddie is evident on his arrangement of the trio's tremendous chorus harmonies, and the line everyone remembers ("I ain't much on Casanova, me and Romeo ain't never been friends").

A big hit in the US, Casanova then made it to No.9 in the UK. Having peaked, the band focused on maintaining their presence on the North American R&B scene, making seven albums in total. Gerald later had some success with supergroup LSG, but tragically both he and Sean died either side of their 40th birthdays. Eddie Levert, now aged 83, is still performing with The O'Jays.