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.
Grain of Sand
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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I'm gonna leave it all behind
I feel like I'm gaining my soul
While I'm losing my mind
And I feel like I understand
And I feel like a grain of sand
I'm gonna see what it's there for
'Cause all I ever want is your skin or your soul, baby
But you couldn't give me either one of those
And I feel like I understand
And I feel like a grain of sand
And I feel like a grain of sand
You use to hold me like a flower
We used to talk for seven hours
I see the bigger picture now
And I feel like I understand
And I feel like a grain of sand
And I feel like a grain of sand
In Vonda Shepard's song Grain of Sand, the lyrics convey a sense of confusion and epiphany in a troubled relationship. The singer seems to be torn between wanting to leave everything behind and gaining a sense of enlightenment, while feeling like they have lost their mind in the process. The lyrics "And I feel like I understand / And I feel like a grain of sand" suggest that the singer has come to a realization, but in the grand scheme of things, they are just a small and insignificant part of the world.
The chorus is repeated multiple times, emphasizing the idea of feeling small and insignificant. The second verse adds more details about the relationship, how the singer used to be held like a fragile flower and have long conversations with their partner. However, things have changed and the partner is no longer able to provide what the singer needs, whether it's physical or emotional.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel like I'm walking on a mine
I feel like I am in a dangerous situation where any move could lead to a disastrous outcome.
I'm gonna leave it all behind
I am going to leave behind everything that troubles me and start fresh.
I feel like I'm gaining my soul, while I'm losing my mind
I feel like I am gaining a deeper understanding of myself, my values, and my dreams, even though it is making me feel insane.
And I feel like I understand
I feel like I have finally grasp a realization, an understanding of something.
And I feel like a grain of sand
I feel insignificant and small in the grand scheme of things.
I'm gonna walk through that door
I am going to take a leap of faith and step through a new opportunity.
I'm gonna see what it's there for
I am going to analyze what new opportunity should offer me.
'Cause all I ever want is your skin or your soul, baby
I only ever wanted to be intimately connected with you, either physically or spiritually.
But you couldn't give me either one of those
But unfortunately, you couldn't deliver what I was asking for.
You use to hold me like a flower
You used to cherish me like a delicate, beautiful object, with great care.
We used to talk for seven hours
We used to talk for an extensive amount of time, about deep and complicated topics.
I see the bigger picture now
I have a better and a broader view of things now.
And I feel like I understand
I finally get it now.
And I feel like a grain of sand
I still feel small, insignificant compared to everything else.
And I feel like a grain of sand
I still feel small, insignificant compared to everything else.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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