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.
I Don't Want to Talk About It
Steve Brookstein Lyrics
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And the stars in the sky don't mean nothing to you, they're a mirror
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, to my heart
If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the colour of my heartBlue for the tears, black for the night's fears
The stars in the sky don't mean nothing to you, they're a mirror
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, listen to my heart
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, my heart
My broken heart, just listen to my heart
The lyrics of Steve Brookstein's song "I Don't Want to Talk About It" tell a story of heartbreak and sadness. The opening lines suggest that the person he is addressing has been crying for a long time and that nothing brings them joy or comfort– not even the stars in the sky. He then proceeds to express that he does not want to talk about the pain caused by the person who broke his heart. He longs for some sort of acknowledgment that his heart is hurting and hopes that the other person will listen to him, but doesn't want to delve into the specifics of how his heart was broken.
The following verse suggests a feeling of isolation, almost as if he is standing alone in the dark with the color of his heart obscured by shadows. The last chorus once again expresses the desire for the other person to listen to his heart, this time even more directly. The repetition of the phrase "just listen to my heart" emphasizes his need for comfort, understanding or maybe just someone to hear him out.
Overall, the song is a poignant expression of the aftermath of heartbreak, the isolation, sadness and longing for someone to listen or understand the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
I can tell by your eyes that you've probably been crying forever
You seem to have been crying ceaselessly going by the look in your eyes
And the stars in the sky don't mean nothing to you, they're a mirror
The sight of the stars in the sky reflects your numb state of mind
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart
I am not willing to discuss how you shattered my heart
If I stay here just a little bit longer
If I linger a while more
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, to my heart
If I stay nearby, can you please lend an ear to my heart's silent cries
If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the colour of my heart
When I stand alone, will the shadow cast over me conceal my emotional state?
Blue for the tears, black for the night's fears
I am blue with tears and blackened by fears of the night
My broken heart, just listen to my heart
My heart's broken state, please listen to its silent voice
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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