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.

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
Steve Brookstein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can think of younger days when living for my life
Was everything a man could want to do
I could never see tomorrow, I was never told about the sorrow

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories of days gone by
But we could never see tomorrow, would you believe that no one ever told us about the sorrow

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop that old sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
And Tell me how can you mend this broken man?

How can a loser ever win?
Help me mend my broken heart and let me live again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Steve Brookstein's song, "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" express feelings of pain, regret, and loss. Brookstein muses on his past and reminisces over his younger days when he lived life to the fullest. However, in retrospect, he realizes that he was never taught how to deal with the sorrow that often accompanies life. He seems to be grappling with the concept of how one can mend a broken heart, stop the rain from falling, or the sun from shining. He is seeking answers, a way to fix himself from past hurts and suffering.

The chorus of the song is particularly poignant, as Brookstein begs for help in mending his broken heart. He wonders how a loser can ever win and how he can return to a state of joy and fulfillment. The song is relatable to anyone who has experienced heartbreak and loss, and it is clear that Brookstein is expressing the universal emotions that many people experience.

Line by Line Meaning

I can think of younger days when living for my life Was everything a man could want to do
Looking back on my youth, I remember that all I wanted to do was live my life to the fullest.

I could never see tomorrow, I was never told about the sorrow
I had no idea what the future held, and no one ever warned me about the pain and heartbreak that can come with life.

And how can you mend a broken heart?
When your heart is shattered, how can it ever be repaired?

How can you stop the rain from falling down?
Just as you can't stop the rain from falling, you can't always stop the pain and hurt from coming into your life.

How can you stop the sun from shining?
No matter what happens, the sun will always rise and shine again. But how can you find hope and light again after a heartbreak?

What makes the world go round?
What keeps us moving forward in life? What gives us purpose and meaning?

I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees And misty memories of days gone by But we could never see tomorrow, would you believe that no one ever told us about the sorrow
Even though I have fond memories of the past, I realize now that no one ever prepared me for the hardships and sadness that would come with growing up.

And Tell me how can you mend this broken man? How can a loser ever win?
Even though I feel broken and defeated, is it possible for me to heal and find hope again? Can I ever become a winner instead of a loser?

Help me mend my broken heart and let me live again
I'm reaching out for help to repair my shattered heart and find a way to keep living and moving forward.

Lyrics © DistroKid, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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