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.
Your Love Keeps Lifting Me
Steve Brookstein Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
was my closest friend But then you came
and he soon departed And now i've never
seen his face again
Chorus
Your love is lifting me higher
Than i've ever been lifted bforeSo keep it up, quench my desire
And i'll be at your side forever more
You know your love (Your love keeps
lifting me) keeps on lifting me (Your love keeps
lifting me) Higher (lifting me,
lifting me),higher, and higher (higher)
I said your love (your love keeps lifting me)
Keeps on (lifting me, lifting me)
Lifting me (lifting me) higher and
higher (higher)
Now once i was downhearted
Disappointment was my closest friend
But then you came and he soon departed
And now he's never shown his face again
Chorus
I'm so glad that i finally found you
Yes, that one in a million girls
And i wish my loving arms around ya
I can stand up and face the world
Chorus
The lyrics to Steve Brookstein's song "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me" express the transformative power of love. The singer describes a past state of feeling downhearted and disappointed, but the arrival of a new love interest has lifted his spirits and banished those negative emotions. The chorus emphasizes the uplifting effect of this love, as it "keeps lifting me higher than I've ever been lifted before" and the singer desires for it to continue to quench his desire so that he can be at their side forever more. The lyrics also pay tribute to the rare and special nature of finding true love, describing the love interest as the one-in-a-million girl that the singer has been searching for.
The theme of love as a transformational force is a common one in countless songs throughout history. What sets Steve Brookstein's version apart is the way that the lyrics emphasize the ongoing and cumulative effect of the love. Rather than simply being a fleeting moment of happiness, the love continues to lift the singer higher and higher. Additionally, the lyrics capture the sensation of standing up to face the world as a result of this newfound love, suggesting that it has not only lifted the singer's mood but also given him newfound strength and confidence.
Overall, "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me" is a celebration of the transformative power of love and the way that it can reinvigorate a person's spirit and sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
I was once so downhearted disappointment
I used to feel very disheartened and let down by life
was my closest friend But then you came
I had become accustomed to feeling disappointed, but meeting you changed that
and he soon departed And now i've never
My feelings of disappointment went away and I haven't felt them since
seen his face again
I no longer feel downhearted
Your love is lifting me higher
Your love is making me happier and more fulfilled
Than i've ever been lifted bfore
I have never felt this happy or fulfilled before
So keep it up, quench my desire
Please continue to love me and fulfill me
And i'll be at your side forever more
I promise to always be by your side as long as you keep loving me
I said your love (your love keeps lifting me)
As I've said before, your love is making me very happy
Keeps on (lifting me, lifting me)
It's a continuous feeling
Lifting me (lifting me) higher and
It makes me feel better and better
higher (higher)
To greater heights than I ever thought possible
I'm so glad that i finally found you
I feel very fortunate to have found you
Yes, that one in a million girls
You are unique and special to me
And i wish my loving arms around ya
I want to hold you and show you how much I love you
I can stand up and face the world
Your love gives me the confidence to face anything
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Carl Smith, Gary Jackson, Raynard Miner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind