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.
He Ain
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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I'm seeing something I didn't before
Is that a new look in your eyes
Now you don't believe that I'm asking for more
I saw you walking down the street
With another girl who looks just like me
People always say we look so happy
He ain't with me he ain't with me
He says he loves me but he don't look in my eyes
But I'll take it 'till it's all gone 'cause
He ain't with me, but at least I'm not alone
You say you laughed with your old girlfriend
You're doing nothing to encourage the end
I could be charming on long distance too
And if you want I'll make it easier for you
Communication is the key
Interrogation don't work for me
You saw that other guy smiling at me
If you were here I wouldn't act so free
He ain't with me he ain't with me
He says he loves me but he don't look in my eyes
He likes to hold my hand in public
Stranger can't you see he ain't with me
He ain't with me he ain't with me no more
He ain't with me he ain't with me
I guess fate really has my number
Every time you wander away
I reconsider all the time you said you'd stay
He ain't with me he ain't with me
He ain't with me no more
He likes to hold my hand in public
He ain't with me he ain't with me
But I'll take it 'till it's all gone 'cause
He ain't with me but at least I'm not alone
He ain't with me
The song "He Ain't With Me" by Vonda Shepard is about a woman who is in a relationship with a man who isn't fully committed to her. She notices that he is paying attention to other women and not looking at her in the eyes when he says he loves her. The woman sees him with another girl who looks just like her, but she asserts that he took her love, but not her. The woman is aware that the man isn't fully devoted to her, but she is content with the fact that she is not alone, and she will take what she can get from the relationship until it's over.
Throughout the song, the woman expresses her frustration with the man's lack of attention, but she isn't willing to lose him. The lyrics suggest that she is asking for more from him, but he isn't willing to provide it. She offers to change and make it easier for him to communicate with her, but she realizes that interrogating him won't work. In the end, the woman understands that fate has a way of making things happen, and she may not always have control over her relationship.
Overall, the song is about a woman who is willing to settle for less than what she deserves to be with someone who isn't entirely committed to her. It's a story of a woman's struggle to find love and acceptance while dealing with the fear of being alone.
Line by Line Meaning
Calling all these other guys
Asking you about the other guys you're talking to
I'm seeing something I didn't before
Noticing a new behavior from you that I've never seen
Is that a new look in your eyes
Wondering what's behind your new eyes
Now you don't believe that I'm asking for more
Thinking that you might not be interested
I saw you walking down the street
Observing you with another girl on the street
With another girl who looks just like me
Noticing the similarity between the new girl and myself
People always say we look so happy
Recalling how others perceived our happiness
He took my love but he didn't take me
Feeling like your ex-lover only took your love and not your individuality
Communication is the key
Believing that honest communication is essential for a relationship
Interrogation don't work for me
Disliking to be forcefully interrogated on a topic
You saw that other guy smiling at me
Acknowledging someone else's interest in me
If you were here I wouldn't act so free
Restricting words/actions, If you were present
He says he loves me but he don't look in my eyes
Suspecting a lack of authenticity behind his declaration of love
He likes to hold my hand in public
Feeling that he enjoys the societal benefits of appearing like we're together
Stranger can't you see he ain't with me
Noticing strangers' assumptions about the relationship
I guess fate really has my number
Feeling that destiny is interfering with my life
Every time you wander away
Noticing your periodic absences from the relationship
I reconsider all the time you said you'd stay
Remembering your promises to stay with no mention of discontinuation
He ain't with me no more
Accepting that the relationship is over
But I'll take it 'till it's all gone 'cause
Admitting to staying long after the love is gone
He ain't with me but at least I'm not alone
Finding solace in the fact that at least company is not absent
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: VONDA SHEPARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind