STEVE BRAUN

LOVE COULD BE SO GOOD

Released January 1986

COMMENTARY

AND RATING

CREDITS AND

INFORMATION

SONG

LYRICS

CLICK THE HIGHLIGHTED SONGS TO HEAR A SAMPLE

NU 15 7 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m.

NUM 15 12 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m.

Numan Music, 1986

Steve Braun's Universe

UNI-S1, 7 inch vinyl 45 r.p.m.

Universe Records, 1982

A

6:58 Love Could Be So Good (Extended)

A

Out To Play [early version] 3:21

§1 3:55 Red Light Districts

B

Red Light Districts [early version] 3:40

§2 4:51 Love Could Be So Good (Special Mix)

EXCLUSIVE BONUS TRACK

Love Could Be So Good [Alternate Mix] 4:21

all tracks written by Steve Braun

0,2, Produced by Gary Numan

1, Produced by Steve Braun

Steve Braun, Vocals and Keyboards

Ian Ritchie, Saxophone

Tessa Niles, Backing Vocals

Special thanks to The Waveteam

Mixed by Tim Summerhayes

Recorded at Rock City Studios, Shepperton, Middlesex, England

Marketed and Distributed by Precision Records & Tapes Ltd.

Written and

Produced by Steve Braun

Vocals, Steve Braun

Track A: All instruments, Steve Braun

Track B: Keyboards, Steve Braun

Track B: Saxophone, Ian Ritchie

Track B: Drums, Keith Walters

Universe Music

Universe Records

P.O. Box 80

Crawley, West Sussex

U.K.

Ratings (1-5)
A	2
B §1	3
B §2	3
overall	8 / 15

LAST UPDATED ON 14 JANUARY 2004

Comments: This follow-up release to the 1985 "When I See Your Eyes" should have demonstrated Steve Braun's continued range of songwriting skills. Unfortunately, it suffered from a generally iterative composition that resulted in too much attention being foisted upon the lyrics. Granted, it was released soon after "When I See Your Eyes" and bears the badge of the same production style, but at times it feels as though it were cobbled together from segments of "When I See Your Eyes," but not in a way that comes together with the same finesse.

To begin with, a disconcerting sameness pervades the length of the song's composition, which, on the extended version, is considerable. The last several minutes repeat the chorus well past the point of interest. The same 12 inch extended single, however, also contains a "Special Mix" of this track that is tighter and shorter and, as a result, showcases the song's true strengths. However, with the Special Mix as a ready basis for comparison, the dullness of the extended version can be attributed to its relative absence of musical variety; if only a minute or two of downshift in mood or theme had been written into the longer version (recall, for example, the end of the extended mix of Numan's "We Take Mystery"), the song's overall repetitiveness might have been graced. And, perhaps this is why backing vocalist, Tessa Niles, seems at times to ad-lib virtually to the point of nonsensical scat.

In general, the lyrics of the Steve Braun A-sides appear to have been composed more for their pop music appeal rather than their gravitas, which is consistent with the genre of dance music that Braun was promoting here. There's no shame in this, as it is an expected feature of commercially sought after pop dance music. In "When I See Your Eyes," the strength of the music made the pop triteness of the lyrics inconsequential. Without that strength of sound, though, the lyrics of "Love Could Be So Good" unfortunately stand out sometimes as underachieving poetry:

Young stars will shine out and young stars are bright;

they want to be near you.

The reasons are simple and that's why I'm here:

I've got to be near you.

Better musical arrangement could have finessed or outright concealed such lyrics that were beginning to draw attention to their doggerel. And, while it pains me to say it, I feel the song could have succeeded if it had been produced more in the style of Stock, Aitken and Waterman, and if Braun's otherwise fine talent would have been permitted to be subsumed by the production, rather than showcased. Otherwise, the track was simply better suited for someone like Samantha Fox or Rick Astley. Even now, I feel it was a shame that Caroline Munro was not invited to do guest vocals on "Love Could Be So Good," which might have added the greater pop appeal it needed. But, enough said. For an exclusive listen to an alternative mix of "Love Could Be So Good," CLICK HERE.

The B-side offering, "Red Light Districts," is a very different song from "Love Could Be So Good." It is absent of all backing vocals and does not require them either, as the song's lyrics and music are much more interesting. In fact, all told, "Red Light Disticts" is a better song than its A-side, and probably should not have been relegated to the flipside again, as it was on the pre-Numa, 7" single, "Steve Braun's Universe" in 1982. (See "Credits and Information" above.) From on point of view, the earlier version of the song is stronger, since Braun seems to have borrowed an edgy, robotic beat from Numan's Pleasure Principle era (much in the style of "Observer" or "Conversation")--traces of the the raw energy that is frequently found in artists' demos. In the Numa Records version of "Red Light Districts," slick and capable production by Gary Numan ironically turns a thoughtful and honest song about atypical subject matter into something prurient, common and unseemly as a Las Vegas lounge act. These observations avail themselves only at the benefit of contrasting the song to its earlier version on "Steve Braun's Universe." It's quite possible that, had I not heard the earlier version at all, I would express no dissatisfaction with the Numa version. In any event, the song had strong possibilities and, once again, more truthfully showcased Braun's talents as an accomplished singer and musician with a distinctively mellow and capably sexy voice. As such, it should have gone farther to place in the charts than it did (or at least should have been given a better chance to succeed than it was).

Unfortunately, NUM 15 was Steve Braun's last recorded release, which is a shame because Braun seemed the sort of artist who had pop star potential, a gracious personality and a great deal of respect from his colleagues--just the sort of person one wishes only success. Even though I carp about the "Love Could Be So Good" single, it was a far, far better piece of writing, singing, and production than a fair number of songs that came out at about that same time and which were undeservedly successful. A combination of management setbacks and a virulent antagonism toward the Numa acts at that time prevented Braun's pop music career from advancing; his fine singles were unfortunate casualities of a disgraceful campaign of anti-Numan sentiment.

Steve Braun is now Professor Steve E. Brown, Ph.D., a writer and internationally respected lecturer of Business Management who is considered one of the top ten Business academicians in the world. In addition to teaching, which he enjoys immensely, he is married and has two children. He continues to write music in his home-based studio.

For more information about his life, his career, and his switch to academia, visit "Several Shades of Braun" on the Steve Braun Lobby page, or click HERE.

If you are actively searching for more information about him on the web, be advised that it is a fairly common name and easy to confuse with the following artists: German born Steve Braun who recorded "Endlich sind wir zusammen" on the Bur Ton label; out gay Hollywood actor famed for The Trip (2003); bass player for the jazz ensemble Nes Lort; Steve Braun of the metal group Azlan; or, lastly, sax player for the King Comets, a swing band based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (my old hometown).

To read further commentary about Steve Braun's previous single, "When I See Your Eyes," click HERE.

My heartfelt gratitude goes out to Steve Brown for honoring me with an excellent assortment of images and music for this project, and for patiencing my many questions. Anyone who would like to contribute additional information or live photos of Steve Braun can reach me at Karl.Sherlock@gcccd.net. I will gladly acknowledge your input on this page.

LYRICS

LOVE COULD BE SO GOOD

Chorus:

I never knew that love could be so good.

[repeat]

The young stars are out this evening.

The young stars shine out at night.

It's the boys, girls, and the undecided.

They look fine and move so right.

Young stars will shine out and young stars are bright;

they want to be near you.

The reasons are simple and that's why I'm here:

I've got to be near you.

Chorus:

I never knew that love could be so good.

[repeat]

So let's leave and become lovers.

I'll kiss you into the night.

Well who knows what we've discovered,

but we know the feeling's right.

Young stars will shine out and young stars are bright;

they want to be near you.

The reasons are simple and that's why I'm here:

I've got to be near you.

Chorus:

I never knew that love could be so good.

[repeat]

RED LIGHT DISTRICTS

Smiling and joking, the name of the game.

The crowd that you stay with, the stage is the same.

Smiling and joking, with no offence intended--

everything's so mild now, we know what you're fancying.

Chorus:

Oh, Red Light District's where I'll go.

Pay my money and see the show.

There's so much more than you to see.

I mean more to you than you do to me.

Smiling continues, allusions to sex.

Relax and I'll follow, or give-in to get.

The laughing, the flirting, it's the food and the wine.

All convinced in your depression you're having good times.

Chorus:

Oh, Red Light District's where I'll go.

Pay my money and see the show.

There's so much more than you to see.

I mean more to you than you do to me.

You're dying, slowly, the worst way to go.

Why you arouse me, I don't even know.

Stay as you are, though; you know it's for the best.

But, thanks to you all, for being my pets.

Chorus:

Oh, Red Light District's where I'll go.

Pay my money and see the show.

There's so much more than you to see.

I mean more to you than you do to me.