Steven Desmond "Steve" Brookstein (born 10 November 1968 in London) is an E… Read Full Bio ↴Steven Desmond "Steve" Brookstein (born 10 November 1968 in London) is an English jazz and soul singer, who rose to fame in the UK in 2004 after winning the first series of The X Factor with 6 million votes.

After winning The X Factor, Steve Brookstein was immediately signed to the Sony BMG record label through which he released his first single, a cover of "Against All Odds" on 20 December 2004. The song debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 2 and then rose to the number 1 spot on 2 January 2005, and stayed there for one week. In Ireland, the song peaked at number 11. The music video for the song was a montage of clips from his time on The X Factor, from his initial audition to his final performance after being declared the winner.

Brookstein released his debut album Heart & Soul on 9 May 2005 through Sony BMG, five months after his first single reached number one. The album was an immediate success, also debuting on the UK charts at number one and going on to sell approximately 250,000 copies. Although Brookstein continued to perform tracks from his album on television shows, a second single failed to materialise. In August 2005 it was announced that Sony BMG had dropped him from their line-up only eight months after his X Factor victory and despite the success of his debut single and album. Brookstein maintains that the decision to 'drop' him reportedly came after he was offered a second album and to come back on the show, which he declined as it was to be another album of covers and he preferred a mix of old and new.

After being released from his contract by Sony BMG, Brookstein spent the next year writing his own material and forming his own record label. On 2 October 2006, he released his second single (and first from his upcoming album), Fighting Butterflies, independently. Although accompanied and promoted by a music video, the song failed to crack the UK Top 75. Undeterred, Brookstein released his second album, 40,000 Things, on 9 October 2006. However, the album also failed to chart.

From September to November 2006, Brookstein embarked on a nationwide tour of small venues in order to promote his new album. Many of the shows were sold out, but several had to be cancelled due to low ticket sales.

In June 2007, Brookstein appeared on the P&O Portsmouth to Bilbao ship for cruisers, alongside X Factor series 2 alumni Chico and Journey South In September 2007, Brookstein embarked on his Great American Soul Book tour, and in October he recorded and contributed the track "Head Over Heels" for Ian Levine's Disco 2008 album. In 2008, he played 'the father' in a touring production of the award-winning musical Our House.

In 2009 he was working on producing his wife Eileen Hunter's jazz album and performing at smaller venues. He also recorded a cover of Promised Land with the Boogie Pimps which was a best seller for the label, Liberty Records.

Since his 2004 X-Factor win and subsequent fall from grace, Steve has spent much of his time bitterly, publicly and vociferously criticising Simon Cowell, The "X-Factor" phenomenon and the media generally, via his website and twitter feed.

Help Me Make It Through The Night
Steve Brookstein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Lay it soft against my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come on lay down by my side
'Til the early morning light
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night

I don't care what's right or wrong
I won't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of site

It's so sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Steve Brookstein's song "Help Me Make It Through The Night" are a plea for companionship and comfort during a time of loneliness and emotional turmoil. The first verse paints a romantically tense picture of a woman removing a ribbon from her hair and laying it against the singer's skin like the shadows on the wall. The imagery is both intimate and shadowy, indicating a certain level of desperation and need for physical touch.

The second verse delves deeper into the singer's emotional state, confessing that he doesn't care what's right or wrong and won't try to understand the world around him. He simply needs someone to be there for him during a time of darkness and uncertainty. The chorus repeats the song's central message, that yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrow is out of sight, leaving only the present moment and the need for companionship to make it through the night.

Overall, the song is a poignant representation of the human need for love and connection during difficult times. It speaks to a universal desire for comfort and support in the face of emotional turbulence, and its lyrics are both intimate and relatable.

Line by Line Meaning

Take the ribbon from your hair
Remove your hair decoration

Shake it loose and let it fall
Loosen your hair and let it fall off

Lay it soft against my skin
Gently place it on my skin

Like the shadows on the wall
Similar to shadows on the wall

Come on lay down by my side
Please lay down next to me

'Til the early morning light
Until the early morning hours

All I'm taking is your time
I'm not asking for anything more than your time

Help me make it through the night
Assist me in getting through tonight

I don't care what's right or wrong
I don't care about morals or ethics

I won't try to understand
I won't attempt to comprehend

Let the devil take tomorrow
I don't care about what happens tomorrow