Loves Got A Hold On My Heart - For a long time this was my favourite Steps song, it’s still in the top echelon for me. The song, the video, the fake Steps movie. I remember waking up early on Saturday morning to make sure I’d catch this on the top 50 countdown on Rage.

 

After The Love Has Gone - I can remember when I first saw this in HMV back in 1999 and purchased it, not one of my favourites but it’s nice enough.

 

Say You’ll Be Mine - My favourite video at the time and I liked how each member got lines in this song. I think it’s a little bit too cheesy now.

 

Better The Devil You Know - I heard this before I heard Kylie’s version, but I knew it was a cover. It’s nice enough but I can’t help but think it deserved better than a love video.

 

Deeper Shade Of Blue - I didn’t really like this when it first got released, I think there were other songs I’d have preferred get the single treatment from Steptacular. (Movin On). As time has gone on I’ve really come to love this song, it’s a shame it never got a release in Australia as I think could’ve performed decently.

 

When I Said Goodbye - Again not a huge fan of this but I think I just wanted something more uptempo from them. I can appreciate it now though. The second Steps single I purchased as a HMV import, and that was because of....

 

Summer Of Love - A new song, not a cover. I remember this giving me hope a new Steps album was on the way.

Stomp - I remember this having a held back release in Australia (January 2001), their first release since Say You’ll Be Mine/Better The Devil You Know back in December 1999. It also had a different cover art. I remember thinking it’d never get a release and Steps being finished in Australia. That aside I enjoy the song and the video has a certain charm to it.

 

It’s The Way You Make Me Feel - The other Steps import I got from HMV as it had the two new songs on it. (Side note - In It For Love is great!). This song is the complete package, song, video, the dance steps. Along with Deeper Shade Of Blue I feel this was a missed opportunity for them in Australia.

 

Here And Now - Whilst the song and video are both enjoyable there were other songs off Buzz I’d have liked to get released. Funnily enough I remember buying this at Sanity and the girl serving me said ‘ohh new Steps, then proceeded to get two copies out, one for me and one to play in the store.

 

You’ll Be Sorry - Again not in my top half of Buzz tracks but enjoyable all the same.

 

Chain Reaction - This is how you make a cover version your own., so joyous. Steps last top 50 hit in Australia. The perfect choice to launch Gold.

 

Words Are Not Enough - It’s not horrible but at the same time they have better ballads. Only In My Dreams would’ve been my choice as second single. Side note I do enjoy Bittersweet.

 

I Know Him So Well - I do enjoy this song a lot, but don’t think it should’ve been a single.

 

Light Up The World - Not that keen on the original but the 7th Heaven remix is fantastic.

Scared Of The Dark - What a return, what a song! Such a great comeback. I echo the thoughts had this have been released back in 2011 not only do I think it would’ve gone top 10 but I also think it would’ve charged in Australia.

 

Story Of A Heart - I love a good ABBA type song and this ticked all the boxes for me, a perfect fit for Steps.

 

Neon Blue - It took a while for me to fully appreciate this but it’s finally clicked with me. It’s great.

 

Dancing With A Broken Heart - I’m not a big fan of Delta’s version and I’m less a fan of this. Happy or I Will Love Again would’ve made better singles but I know they wanted to launch the re-release. There were better songs they could’ve covered.

 

What The Future Holds - A nice enough song a probably the best choice to lead the campaign buys it just slightly misses the mark for me.

 

Something In Your Eyes - I went and listened to the original after the tracklist for the album was announced and thought it was a perfect fit for Steps. I love their version.

 

To The Beat Of My Heart - A great choice for a single, I only wish it got a proper video and dance routine.

 

Heartbreak In This City - They really nailed this campaign with its single choices.

Thanks for all these thought Warwick!!

 

I do agree, this era's single choices have been fantastic. Much better than their comeback era, although their comeback single was obviously much more of a MOMENT for them I feel!

Thanks for all these thought Warwick!!

 

I do agree, this era's single choices have been fantastic. Much better than their comeback era, although their comeback single was obviously much more of a MOMENT for them I feel!

 

Thanks for the feedback. :)

 

They had a pretty flawless singles run. Buzz and Tears would be the on,y ones I’d change comfortably.

 

This brought back so many memories.

Thank you for catching up and sharing your opinions and memories, Warwick Avenue! :wub: Deeper Shade of Blue and It's the Way You Make Me Feel definitely seem like missed opportunities in their run of Australian singles, and I'm surprised they skipped over both! :o

Thank you for catching up and sharing your opinions and memories, Warwick Avenue! :wub: Deeper Shade of Blue and It's the Way You Make Me Feel definitely seem like missed opportunities in their run of Australian singles, and I'm surprised they skipped over both! :o

 

Thanks Jay.

 

Me too, particularly with Deeper Shade of Blue. Say You’ll Be Mine just missed the top 20 and Loves Got A Hold On My Heart just missed the top 30 so they were still clearly somewhat popular.

 

It’s The Way You Make Me Feel, I can slightly understand that one. Stomp was a severely delayed released and only peaked in the lower end of the charts but it was a sound that was in at the time and I think it could’ve gone top 50 for them.

Here it my singles review per album

 

STEP ONE:

 

5678 - I love this song so many fond memories of school discos, family parties, christenings, weddings and summers at the caravan doing the dance (of which I was a complete expert of course). It gets a bit of stick from their fan base but I think it's a rooting tooting good fun song. It will always be a favourite due to it launching them and the total feel good factor of it. When it comes on in the car driving it's such a moment!

 

LAST THING ON MY MIND - I feel this is a bit of a forgotten single for Steps and it's genuinely such a catchy song. Has a strong Abba vibe to it and that is reinforced with that video set back in time. I had no idea this was a cover until many many years later when I saw Melanie C at Hard Rock Cafe in Manchester... On the programme they had Bananarama as future performers and they had LTOMM on their setlist of course I had to look it up and find out. I'm not a fan of the original it's quite basic Steps definitely gave it the OOMPH it needed.

 

ONE FOR SORROW - Steps have arrived. I feel this was the song where Steps went from being a novelty avct to a huge Pop force to be reckoned with. It was the start of their many top 5 hits and it sounds just as good (if not better with the nostalgia) today. The only downside for me with this song is it's too much Claire. I can see why problems arose with her having such a massive part on a single, it's basically a Claire solo song with backing vocalists. I see no reason why Faye couldn't have had the second verse then Lisa the solo chorus ,it would have sounded just as good.

 

HEARTBEAT - I have grown to really appreciate this song over the years. Back when it was released Tragedy definitely overshadowed it for me and I by comparison found Heartbeat a little bit boring, although I did love the video, so cheesy but fun. Over time I've grown to appreciate it is actually a beautiful song and I appreciate that all the girls have solos on it. I really enjoyed this on the tour.

 

BETTER BEST FORGOTTEN - Still my favourite Steps song I utterly adore it! I remember being obsessed with this as a child and playing it over and over and rehearsing the dance routine. The chorus is just so catchy and once I hear it I can't get it out of my head. The video is a bit naff and cheap but at the same time very cute and of it's time.

 

Love you more and Back to you could also have been released and finished off this era as a final single.

Thanks for posting spiceboy, looking forward to reading the rest of your thoughts.

STEPTACULAR

 

TRAGEDY - STONE COLD CLASSIC! So many memories like with 5678 of this song at school discos, parties, weddings etc etc. It's such a feel good party track and is an improvement on the original with more of an oomph to it. I love the video and the nod to it on the POTDF tour was one of the best staging ideas I have EVER seen in a concert, utterly amazeballs. This song was on my wedding playlist and I have great memories of dancing to it with my cousin, we got really into it and were throwing outselves onto the floor. :lol: :lol: :lol: The Bee Gees I'm sure are very glad of Steps for recording this and making them yet more money!

 

LOVE GOT A HOLD OF MY HEART - I initially really liked this song on release, I remember seeing it being previewed on some TV show and I was all YESSS new Steps music!! However over time I like it less and less, I find it a bit too shrill and Claire a bit too loud on the chorus. It's now down towards the bottom of my Steps preference. I do however LOVE the video, the storyline of it was very fun I must watch it again sometime. Plus those yellow outfits are iconic!!

 

ATER THE LOVE HAS GONE - I like this song it's got a lovely vibe to it and is great to sing along to...I've always particularly loved the lyrics "We may not have tomorrow, but there's always yesterday." My issue with the song again is it is too Claire heavy, it was very obvious they thought it was going to be another one for sorrow (and it's not a patch on that song) so pushed Claire to the front... again there is no reason that Faye couldn't take the second verse and Lisa the final one!? I'm not actually the biggest fan of Claire's voice so this may be the reason why I feel like this. I loved the dance and the Chinese theme going on in the video though!

 

SAY YOU'LL BE MINE - Another AMAZING video! I loved this video when I first saw it very well done and fun, I bet they had a ball doing it! I love the song it's very cheesy but incredibly catchy and is a favourite of mine. I also love how each member gets some solo time in it.

 

DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE - Another stone cold Steps classic! I didn't really appreciate this song much back in the day but wow has it grown and stood the test of time in their discography!! Such a catchy chorus and the music is excellent. My only fault is that I prefer the album version as it has that extra additional chorus at the end which I think the song needs. The video is another excellent video and LEE omfg wow! This was one of those moments where I was very confused about my sexuality seeing topless Lee!

 

WHEN I SAID GOODBYE - A bit of a damp squib tbh. A beautiful video but the song is rather boring and not one I revisit. They always seem to do this on tour and it's such a meh moment too... time to let it go! Also way too H and Claire heavy barely any Faye on it (especially in the video)... not needed.

 

Moving on would have been a better release over When I said goodbye for me... but then Steps already had enough covers and didn't really need any more of them.

Edited May 3, 20214 yr by spiceboy

BUZZ

 

BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW - I absolutely loved this at time of release and combining it with and having it combined with SYBM made it one of my favourite single releases so far. Over time I don't really revisit this song anymore as I much prefer the original version, it's one of Steps covers that doesn't offer anything new to the song really. I do however love this when it's performed on tour it's always a real crowd pleasing moment. I thought the video was a bit meh and it deserved a proper video, however since it does really come to life on stage I guess it is the perfect video from that perspective.

 

SUMMER OF LOVE - I love this song now! It's such a excellent song they sound amazing, the beat is hypnotic and the lyrics are brilliant. At the time of release it kind of passed me by, perhaps because it was linked to When I said goodbye which I did not (and still don't really) like. However when I got the Buzz album I realised I missed out on a great song. I loved that they opened Summer of Steps with it, such an unusual choice but it worked really well.

 

STOMP - Always had a lot of love for this song. I remember when it was released I was obsessed with the video and I loved the update in sound and image of the band, it felt very fresh. My only downside to the song is I feel it is missing that last chorus which would round it off better... For this reason my favourite version is the POTDF tour version that was excellent - I also loved the costumes on the tour very retro disco!

 

THE WAY YOU MAKE ME FEEL - This truly is one of the best Steps releases ever. From the very start with the music opening it is addictive and I also love that each member gets a part on the song. In a way this is Lisa's song she has such a big part on it, which is kind of surprising as Claire and Faye were the main vocalists of the group. I'd love an all Faye singing the solos of this song her voice is spectacular on it!

 

HERE AND NOW - This was my favourite Steps song for a while when it was first released. I remember seeing the video and being utterly addicted! Again fantastic to see all members getting solos and that chorus is amazing. While I'm not the biggest fan of Claire's voice I have to say her solo part on this song is utterly amazing "there for you there for you there for you here and nooooooow!" uggggh excellent!

 

YOU'LL BE SORRY - I didn't really appreciate this at the time it was very much overshadowed by Here and Now plus I was kind of annoyed it got a single release over Paradise Lost. I did like that the two videos were kind of linked although someone posted about them going into the spaceship and then coming out on an Arabic magic carpet which I think would have been excellent. You can see the money went into the Here and now video over the You'll be sorry video. I didn't like H having the solos in this at the time but I think the song really suits him now, might have been nice to have Lee do the second verse though make it the guys song! I actually really like this song now it's very catchy and was a move in the right direction for Steps at the time as it was a bit more modern and cool.

 

Paradise lost was definitely a missing single in this era, I kind of wish Chain reaction had been a double A-Side with PL so it had a moment to shine.

GOLD

 

CHAIN REACTION - Another excellent choice of single although by this point I was wanting Steps to stay away from the covers. After having a run of 5 singles with no covers I was hoping for Steps to continue down that route. They do lift the original of this song though and like with Tragedy give it a bit more oomph... I do however prefer Diana's version. I remember there being a big deal over them doing another Bee Gee penned track and that the video was inspired by Tragedy being a "real life" video due to that. I loved the video at the time although I saw it a couple of years ago and it was a lot of just singing at the camera during the hospital scenes, would have been good to see them cutting H open maybe? :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH - I really liked this song at the time of release, but I think that was more to do with it being an original Steps song than actually liking it lol! The video is great and was cool to see an animated one, the song itself is actually quite weak.

 

Baby don't dance no being released was just weird for me, it's SUCH a great track!

Edited May 3, 20214 yr by spiceboy

THE LAST DANCE / THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION

 

I KNOW HIM SO WELL - I remember seeing this initially on Abba Mania and falling in love with it. I couldn't understand why it wasn't a single since Westlife had released I have a dream and I preferred this over that song. The girls all sound beautiful on it and it was the first time I'd heard the song. Over the years I've heard many versions of it and I tend to like to them all since nobody really offers anything new to it... it has gone down my list due to this. I do think it is a lovely song though.

LIGHT UP THE WORLD

 

LIGHT UP THE WORLD - I've listened to this song twice and never felt the desire to listen to it again. The end.

TEARS ON THE DANCEFLOOR

 

SCARED OF THE DARK - WHAT A COMEBACK!!! Deserved to be a #1 for weeks on end. This is Steps strongest opening single for me, it is such a bridge between old and new stuff and sounds like what Steps could / would have evolved onto after Steps Gold. After the travesty of Light up the world and Dancing Queen cover this was such a return to form. I'm glad it managed to go top 40 and it does seem to be recognised well in and out of their fanbase, it was well received on both tours. The video is simple but effective.

 

STORY OF A HEART - A beautiful cover, all the girls sound amazing on it. I'd never heard this song until they brought it to light and I love it. The video is also really lovely so nostalgic and I love how they incorporated this into the POTDF tour with the dancers coming out and doing the iconic Steps looks and routines. I found it strangely emotional!

 

NEON BLUE - This is my favourite of all the new material and up there in my top 5 favourite Steps songs ever! Utterly excellent! I feel like it should have been the second single over SOAH and may have had a chance of charting in the top 100 had it been (or at least higher than SOAH did). The video is quite simple but again really fits the song, I especially love the bits where they are dancing in the club! I also think Faye looks utterly amazing in this video!

 

DANCING WITH A BROKEN HEART - I've actually not paid a lot of attention to this song until recently and it's actually a very good song. I think it's just not as good as the previous three singles and out of the new songs September Sun and Beautiful Battlesfield were actually my favourite (although I don't think either would have been a better single). The video is interesting lets say... I think they look a bit ridiculous.

 

 

I think Happy was a bit of a missed opportunity for release but the only song I'd not release for it is DWABH which kind of defeats the object with it being for a re-release.

Edited May 3, 20214 yr by spiceboy

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

 

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS - AMAZING!! Another fantastic come back. I remember first hearing it and thinking meh this is a little bit naff... but omg what a grower. It just gets better and better the more you hear it. The video is fine it suits the song, it feels a little bit young for them though. I'm looking forwards to seeing this on tour.

 

SOMETHING IN YOUR EYES - AMAAAAZING! This is up there with Neon Blue as one of the best things they have done since they came back, and full stop in their entire career. Another one where I wasn't so sure on first listen but every time I listen it just gets better and better and batter. I think this could overtake Neon Blue as my favourite new song and potentially Better best forgotten as my favourite Steps song ever! The video is great really suits the song... those outfits though lol!!

 

TO THE BEAT OF MY HEART - Another very catchy song I was really pleased when I found out this was going to be a single. The video is rubbish though and does not do it justice at all.

 

HEARTBREAK IN THIS CITY - Brilliant song and it sounds even better in single form. I thought Michelle Visage was a weird choice but somehow it works. I was really hoping for a Kylie collaboration seeing that they are both on the same record label... could you imagine her on this song then with a better the devil you know b-side!!!!! :wub:

 

I really wanted To the one to be released from this album but I can't fault the single run at all.

Love your kylie idea, I would have loved that to have happened.

Love your kylie idea, I would have loved that to have happened.

 

We can only dream :P

Edited May 3, 20214 yr by spiceboy

Thanks so much for hosting this, Jay! I discovered loads of bops :wub: I ranked all the singles as I went, this is my full rank:

 

1 Scared of the Dark

2 Deeper Shade of Blue

3 Stomp

4 The Way You Make Me Feel

5 Neon Blue

6 Something in Your Eyes

7 Tragedy

8 Heartbreak in This City

9 Summer of Love

10 To the Beat of My Heart

11 Here and Now

12 What the Future Holds

13 Better Best Forgotten

14 Heartbeat

15 One for Sorrow

16 You'll Be Sorry

17 Say You'll Be Mine

18 Love's Got a Hold On My Heart

19 Last Thing On My Mind

20 Chain Reaction

21 Story of a Heart

22 After the Love Has Gone

23 Dancing With a Broken Heart

24 Words Are Not Enough

25 Better the Devil You Know

26 When I Said Goodbye

27 Light Up the World

28 I Know Him So Well

29 5, 6, 7, 8

I really enjoyed reading through your posts about each era of singles, Spiceboy! :wub: I agree with a lot of what you say, in particular that a couple of the songs, One for Sorrow & After the Love Has Gone, didn’t really need to be so Claire heavy. There’s a scene in the Steps Reunion documentary which is quite iconic to the fans lol, when they’re recording Dancing Queen - Lisa doesn’t think that Claire should do a particular vocals in the song and says “it would build nicely with Faye - or me” :lol: She had a point though! https://youtu.be/egvP52G_aFU&t=5m02s

 

Really glad you enjoyed the listening party, Joseph! :wub: Most of your faves are my ultimate faves too *.*