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.

Yah Mo B There
Steve Brookstein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Heavenly father watching us all
We take from each other and give nothing at all
Well it's a dog-gone shame
But never too late for change
So if your luck runs low
Just reach out and call his name, his name

Yeah mo be there (up and over)

Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there

Whenever you call
So never be lonely lost in the night
Just run from the darkness
Looking for the light
'Cause it's a long hard road
That leads to a brighter day
Don't let your heart grow cold
Just reach out and call his name, his name

Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there

Whenever you call
You can count on it brother
'Cause we're all just finding our way
Travelling through time
People got to keep pushing on
No matter how many dreams slip away
Yeah mo be there
Well it's a dog-gone shame

But never too late for change
So if your luck runs low
And reach out and call his name, his name

Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there (up and over)
Yeah mo be there
Whenever you call

Overall Meaning

The song "Yah Mo B There" by Steve Brookstein is a soulful and uplifting tune that encourages listeners to reach out to a higher power when they are feeling lost or alone. The lyrics speak to the idea that we live in a world where people often take from each other without giving back, and where it can be difficult to find hope and light in the midst of darkness. However, it is never too late for change, and by calling out to a heavenly father figure (referred to as "Yah Mo" in the song), one can find the strength and guidance they need to keep moving forward.

The chorus of "Yah Mo B There" repeats the phrase "up and over" several times, which is meant to signify the idea of triumphing over adversity and rising above one's circumstances. The song's message of hope and resilience has resonated with audiences since it was first released in 1983, with many fans praising the song's upbeat melody and catchy lyrics.

One interesting fact about "Yah Mo B There" is that it was originally written by Michael McDonald and James Ingram as a duet, and was later covered by a number of other artists, including Brookstein. The song was also featured in the movie "Three Men and a Baby" and became a hit on the R&B charts in the United States.

Line by Line Meaning

Heavenly father watching us all
The idea of an all-powerful being keeping an eye on every aspect of our lives.

We take from each other and give nothing at all
People are ungenerous and fail to share what they have with others.

Well it's a dog-gone shame
Expressing disappointment at the lack of kindness and empathy in the world.

But never too late for change
Belief that it is never too late to alter our behavior and start showing more love and kindness to others.

So if your luck runs low
When things start to go wrong in life, and good fortune deserts you.

Just reach out and call his name, his name
In times of trouble, people can pray to God and seek help from a higher power.

Yeah mo be there (up and over)
God is always there, watching over us from a higher plane, and always willing to help us in our time of need.

Whenever you call
Whenever we pray or seek help from God

So never be lonely lost in the night
God is always with us, even in the dark times when we feel most alone.

Just run from the darkness
Don't let the negative aspects of life hold us back or drag us down.

Looking for the light
Search for the positive, good things in life.

'Cause it's a long hard road
The path we travel can be difficult and challenging.

That leads to a brighter day
However, if we persist and remain positive, things can and will get better.

Don't let your heart grow cold
Don't let the difficulties of life make us bitter and cynical.

You can count on it brother
A message of support and solidarity between people, regardless of background or creed. We are all in this together.

'Cause we're all just finding our way
We are all trying to navigate the complexities of life and find our place in the world.

Travelling through time
We are all on a journey through life, with no clear map.

People got to keep pushing on
Despite difficulties, we must continue to move forward and remain hopeful.

No matter how many dreams slip away
Even if we lose sight of our goals at times, we must never give up hope and always believe in a brighter future.

Yeah mo be there
God is always present, watching over us and guiding us through life's journey.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: James E. Ingram, Michael Mcdonald, Quincy D. Jones, Rodney Lynn Temperton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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