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.
Downtime
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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In my mind and my heart and my soul were fine
I would sit with Alan and have a smoke
But I didn't smoke so I usually choke
Alan and I would talk about life
We never really kissed, never stayed the night
Now I'm twisted into a perfect knot
I will meet you in Downtime
Has become a crime
I'll be waiting on Downtime
Why is it a crime?
We'd write till three in our reverie
We liked simple things
He saw the art in me
So I saw it in myself
Was a woman of wealth
Had no money just Alan and me
Now I work all day and I think all night
In a complicated life will I ever get it right?
Yeah I'm twisted into a perfect knot
The pace is a maze and I'm totally caught
I will meet you in Downtime
Has become a crime
I'll be waiting on Downtime
Why is it a crime?
Downtime has become a crime
I'll be waiting on Downtime
When will we be fine
In "Downtime," Vonda Shepard expresses her longing for a simpler life - a time prior to the present when her mind, heart, and soul weren't cluttered. She reminisces on time spent with a man named Alan, where they would sit and have a smoke and talk about life, never kissing or staying the night together. Shepard sees herself as having been uncluttered in this time, stating that she was a woman of wealth despite having no money. They would write until three in the morning, indulging in simple things and appreciating one another's art.
Now, the pace of life is a maze that Shepard is totally caught up in. She works all day and thinks all night, longing for downtime, which she believes has become a crime. The desire for simplicity and connection with Alan is so strong that she tells him she will meet him in Downtime, but she's not sure how to make it happen. The chorus repeats, questioning why downtime is now a crime.
Overall, "Downtime" is a lamentation on the loss of simplicity and connection in a busy, modern world. Shepard muses on how life used to be and wishes for a way to return to it. The song's theme is relatable, as many people have also experienced the struggle to balance a complicated life without losing touch with the things that matter most.
Line by Line Meaning
There was a time when I was uncluttered
There was a time when I had clarity and simplicity in my life.
In my mind and my heart and my soul were fine
During that time, my mental, emotional, and spiritual state were all doing well.
I would sit with Alan and have a smoke
I used to spend time with Alan and smoke even though I didn't typically smoke and would end up choking.
Alan and I would talk about life
Alan and I used to have deep conversations about life.
We never really kissed, never stayed the night
We had a platonic relationship and never took it to a romantic level.
Now I'm twisted into a perfect knot
Currently, I am feeling overwhelmed and tied up in knots.
The pace is a maze and I'm totally caught
I'm feeling trapped in the complexity of my current lifestyle.
I will meet you in Downtime
I hope to meet you during our free time.
Has become a crime
Unfortunately, it seems like a luxury to have downtime these days.
I'll be waiting on Downtime
I'm eagerly anticipating our next opportunity to relax and unwind.
We'd write till three in our reverie
Alan and I would often stay up writing until the early hours of the morning.
We liked simple things
We enjoyed and appreciated the little things in life.
He saw the art in me
Alan recognized and respected my artistic abilities.
So I saw it in myself
Through his encouragement, I began to see my artistic talents as well.
Was a woman of wealth
Despite not being financially rich, I felt wealthy in having a good friend like Alan.
Had no money just Alan and me
Our friendship was more valuable than any monetary wealth we could have had.
Now I work all day and I think all night
Currently, I am burdened with a heavy workload and have trouble leaving work behind even at night.
In a complicated life will I ever get it right?
I often find myself questioning if I will ever find balance and simplify my complicated life.
Downtime has become a crime
Sadly, it seems that having time to relax and decompress is becoming a thing of the past.
When will we be fine
I wonder when we will ever have the chance to truly relax and escape the pressures of our busy lives.
Contributed by Caroline R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.