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.

Until You Come Back to Me
Steve Brookstein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Though you don't call anymore
I sit and wait in vain
I'm gonna rap on your door
Tap on your window pane

I want to tell you baby
The changes I've been going through
Missing you

'til you come back to me that's what I'm gonna do

Why did you have to decide
You had to set me free
I'm gonna swallow my pride
I'm gonna beg you baby oh won't you please see me
I'm gonna walk by myself
To prove that my love is true
'Til you come back to me that's what I'm gonna do

Living for you my dear
Is like living in a world of constant fear
In my plea, I've got to make you see
That our love is slowly dying

Although your phone you ignore
Somehow I must explain
I'm gonna rap on your door
Tap on your window pane
I'm gonna camp by your stair
Until I get through to you

I'm gonna change your view
'Till you come back to me that's what I'm gonna do

Overall Meaning

The song “Until You Come Back to Me” by Steve Brookstein is a song that presents a situation where despite not being in contact with a loved one, the singer keeps holding onto the hope that their loved one will come back. The lyrics depict a sense of longing and heartache, and the desperation of wanting to hold on to a relationship that has already been lost. The first stanza portrays the singer’s attempts to get in touch with their loved one, by indicating that even though they don’t call anymore, the singer will still rap on their door or tap on their windowpane. This indicates that while the singer is trying to move on, they are still very much in love with their past partner and are willing to do anything to get their attention.

The second stanza depicts the singer's acceptance of the situation, acknowledging that their partner had to set them free. The lyric "I'm gonna swallow my pride, I'm gonna beg you baby, oh won't you please see me" indicates the singer's humility and desperation. They are willing to put aside their pride to make their past partner see how much they love them. The third stanza, "Living for you my dear, is like living in a world of constant fear" expresses how the singer is trapped in a constant state of unease since the love of their life has left. The singer knows that their love is slowly dying and is doing everything in their power to try and hold on to it.

Overall, the song “Until You Come Back to Me” by Steve Brookstein, expresses the struggles of dealing with a lost love and the longing to rekindle a relationship. It presents a relatable message of wanting to hold on to love even in the face of adversity and the difficulties of letting go.

Line by Line Meaning

Though you don't call anymore
Even though you do not contact me anymore

I sit and wait in vain
I spend my time waiting for you despite knowing it is pointless

I'm gonna rap on your door
I am going to knock on your door

Tap on your window pane
I will make noise on your window to draw your attention

I want to tell you baby
I desire to inform you my dear

The changes I've been going through
I have undergone some transformations

Missing you
I have been longing for you

'til you come back to me that's what I'm gonna do
I will wait until you decide to return

Why did you have to decide
Why did you have to make a choice

You had to set me free
You felt the need to release me

I'm gonna swallow my pride
I will suppress my ego