When I Said Goodbye / Summer of Love

"When I Said Goodbye" and "Summer of Love" are two songs by British pop music group Steps, released as a double A-side single. "When I Said Goodbye" is taken from their second studio album, Steptacular (1999), while "Summer of Love" was a previously unavailable track, later included on their third album, Buzz (2000). Following its release on 3 July 2000, the single peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 18 in Ireland.

"When I Said Goodbye" / "Summer of Love"
Single by Steps
from the album Steptacular and Buzz
Released	3 July 2000 (2000-07-03)[1]
Recorded	1999
Studio	PWL (Manchester, England)
Genre	Latin pop ("Summer of Love")
Length	3:32 ("When I Said Goodbye") 3:52 ("Summer of Love")
Label	Jive Ebul
Songwriter(s)	Mark Topham Karl Twigg
Producer(s)	Mark Topham Karl Twigg Pete Waterman
Steps singles chronology
"Deeper Shade of Blue" (2000) "When I Said Goodbye" / "Summer of Love" (2000) "Stomp" (2000)
Music videos
"When I Said Goodbye" on YouTube "When I Said Goodbye" (Colour version) on YouTube "Summer of Love" on YouTube

Critical reception

Can't Stop the Pop described "Summer of Love" as "an obvious nod" to the Latin-pop craze which dominated the charts at the time. They added that "everything about this track is ramped up to the max" and "moves with such pace that you’d scarcely believe it’s almost four minutes long because it zips by in a flash."^[2]

Chart performance

"When I Said Goodbye" / "Summer of Love" peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart and spent 11 weeks in the top 75, two of which were spent in the top 10.^[3] It is their earliest single release (and one of only four in the band's original run) not to have reached at least a Silver certification. The single also reached number 18 in Ireland.^[4]

Music videos

The video for "When I Said Goodbye" was a black-and-white video shot in Rome, Italy. It features shots of the members singing solemnly. A colour version was released in 2022. In contrast, the video for "Summer of Love" features brightly coloured clothes and energetic dancing. It portrays Steps and their dancers as "good" Steps (colourful and dressed innocently) and "bad" Steps (dressed in leather, with black makeup); in the end, good Steps chase bad Steps away with their dancing.

Track listings

UK CD single^[5]

1. "When I Said Goodbye" – 3:32
2. "Summer of Love" – 3:52
3. "Summer of Love" (W.I.P. remix) – 6:38

UK cassette single^[6]

1. "When I Said Goodbye" – 3:32
2. "Summer of Love" – 3:52

Credits and personnel

A-side: "When I Said Goodbye" Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Steptacular.[7] Recording Recorded at PWL Studios, Manchester, in 1999 Mixed at PWL Studios, Manchester Mastered at Transfermation Studios, London Vocals Lead vocals – Claire Richards, Ian "H" Watkins Background vocals – Lisa Scott-Lee, Faye Tozer, Lee Latchford-Evans Personnel Songwriting – Mark Topham, Karl Twigg Production – Mark Topham, Karl Twigg, Pete Waterman Mixing – Chris McDonnell Engineer – Chris McDonnell Drums – Chris McDonnell Keyboards – Karl Twigg Guitar – Mark Topham Bass – Mark Topham

A-side: "Summer of Love" Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Buzz.[8] Recording Recorded at PWL Studios, Manchester in 1999 Mixed at PWL Studios, Manchester Mastered at Transfermation Studios, London Vocals Lead vocals – Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Lisa Scott-Lee, Ian "H" Watkins Background vocals – Lee Latchford-Evans Personnel Songwriting – Mark Topham, Karl Twigg Production – Mark Topham, Karl Twigg, Pete Waterman Mixing – Steve Price Engineer – Tim Speight Keyboards  Karl Twigg Guitars  Greg Bone Bass  Mark Topham

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000) Peak position Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[9] 24 Ireland (IRMA)[4] 18 Scotland (OCC)[10] 6 UK Singles (OCC)[3] 5 UK Indie (OCC)[11] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position UK Singles (OCC)[12] 90