Vonda Shepard was born in New York but her family relocated to California when she was fairly young. She played piano from an early age. Her father is Richmond Shepard, a mime and improv actor. Vonda has three sisters: Rosetta, Luana, and Brianna. Her mother left the family when Vonda was ten, and her father raised the four girls by himself.
After performing as a backing singer for many years she was eventually given her own recording contract. Shepard's first chart appearance was in 1987 when she recorded a duet with Dan Hill entitled 'Can't We Try'. She released her first self-titled album in 1989 with little fanfare. The album did yield one chart single, Don't Cry Ilene, a mid-tempo, piano-driven jazz-RnB flavored song dealing with the break-up of a relationship between a black woman and a white man, arising from adult peer pressure. The track is sung from the perspective of the woman's white female friend, who harbors a desire to have the man for herself, but keeps her distance out of respect for her friend. The song peaked at 17 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart and stayed on the charts for 12 weeks.
After her third album, Shepard was signed up to appear on Ally McBeal after being spotted by the show's creator David E Kelley. While on the show she recorded two full soundtrack albums and was featured on two other Ally McBeal compilations. The songs Shepard recorded for Ally McBeal soundtrack albums were mainly covers of old songs with lyrics that paralleled what was happening in the title character's life onscreen. Since appearing in the show, Shepard has released two more studio albums and a live album.
Shepard is married to music producer Mitchell Froom and they had their first child, Jack Froom, on 15 April 2006.
Cross To Bear
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There was a red flag waving in my ear saying
"Stay away, you've got something to fear"
Well why did I not choose to hear?
Well I am through with suffering
Gonna make better choices I don't need no wedding ring
I can sing, I can dance
But I can't make thus feeling cease
We all got our cross to bear
Our Star of David, our dreadlocked hair
And oh yeah baby, I still care
And if you need some help
You know I'll always be there
Well it's been a strange year
You've been a very bad dog
As my fire went out
You'd put on another log
But it was worth never having any peace
And deep in my soul you left a permanent crease and
Repeat chorus
Some nights I thought I'd cry forever
I'd wish him away and then I'd turn into a beggar
But it was worth always scraping my knees
And deep in my soul you left a permanent crease
I wear my heart like a wrinkle on my sleeve
And I've got the aching love that only you can relieve
But I'm not afraid to go down with a sinking friend
I'm gonna live out my dreams even if they kill me in the end
Repeat chorus
The lyrics of Vonda Shepard's song Cross To Bear speak of a tumultuous relationship with someone who left a permanent crease in the singer's soul. The singer laments her choices and inability to hear the warning signs before getting involved with this person. Despite the pain, the singer still cares for the person and is willing to offer help if needed. The chorus refers to everyone having their own cross to bear, whether it be a symbol of religion or a physical manifestation such as dreadlocked hair. The singer wears her heart on her sleeve and acknowledges the love she has for this person, even though it causes her great pain.
The song's lyrics delve into themes of love, pain, and resilience, and its melody is infused with a bluesy, soulful interpretation. With the combination of deep lyrics and emotive music, Shepard's Cross To Bear strikes a chord with listeners and has become a popular staple on various playlists around the world.
Line by Line Meaning
You ran away with your conscience dear
You left me behind and followed your own moral compass
There was a red flag waving in my ear saying "Stay away, you've got something to fear"
I had a gut feeling that something was wrong, but I ignored it
Well why did I not choose to hear?
I regret not listening to my intuition
Well I am through with suffering
I am tired of being in pain
Gonna make better choices I don't need no wedding ring
I will choose wisely and not rely on someone else for my happiness
I can sing, I can dance
I have talents and abilities
But I can't make thus feeling cease
But I can't make this feeling go away
Cause deep in my soul you left a permanent crease
Because you left a lasting mark on my heart and soul
We all got our cross to bear
We all have our own struggles and problems to deal with
Our Star of David, our dreadlocked hair
Our unique identities and characteristics
And oh yeah baby, I still care
And even though we are apart, I still have feelings for you
And if you need some help
And if you need assistance
You know I'll always be there
You can count on me to be there for you
Well it's been a strange year
It has been a difficult and unusual year
You've been a very bad dog
You have not been treating me well
As my fire went out
As my passion for you faded away
You'd put on another log
You tried to reignite our relationship
But it was worth never having any peace
But it was worth enduring the turmoil and chaos
Some nights I thought I'd cry forever
Some nights, the pain was overwhelming
I'd wish him away and then I'd turn into a beggar
I wished for you to leave my life, but then I would beg for your return
But it was worth always scraping my knees
But it was worth enduring the hardships
I wear my heart like a wrinkle on my sleeve
I am open and vulnerable with my emotions
And I've got the aching love that only you can relieve
And I still have a strong desire and love for you
But I'm not afraid to go down with a sinking friend
But I am not afraid to support you even if it brings me down
I'm gonna live out my dreams even if they kill me in the end
I will pursue my aspirations and goals no matter the outcome
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind