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.
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Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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Remember how we laughed?
There was a time we knew how to live it up
And I couldn?t totally give it up, no, no, no...
Maybe, maybe, maybe
Maybe you were blind
Or maybe you finally, finally lost your mind
I loved you baby, don?t you know
But I almost missed the show
Waiting for your love to grow
Watching the December snow
I know better, I know better not to lean on you in any way
You?re a distant memory... nothing to do with today
Baby, baby, baby
How am I gonna dream without the love
The lovin? you gave to me?
Well whoever wants to be totally free?
Maybe, maybe, maybe
There will come a time
I?m gonna find a love that is really mine
I?m livin? it up in my spare time
I see you wave goodbye
Another pretty bus ride
I hear the next town is nice
I wish I could break the ice
I know better, I know better not to lean on you in any way
You?re a distant memory... nothing to do with today
Na, na, na...
I loved you baby, don?t you know?
But I almost missed the show
Waiting for your love to grow
Lost in the December snow
I thought I should let you know
I know I can let you go
I?m happier than you know
Hummin? along to the radio
I know better, I know better not to lean on you in any way...
You?re a distant memory... nothing to do
I know better, I know better not to lean on you in any way...
You?re a distant memory... nothing to do with today
The lyrics of "I Know Better" by Vonda Shepard describe a breakup and the singer's realization that she should not rely on her former partner anymore. The first stanza reflects on the good times they shared together and the difficulty in letting go of the memories. The second stanza suggests that perhaps the relationship ended because the partner was not committed or lost interest, but the singer has come to terms with that fact. She acknowledges that she loved him, but realized that waiting for him to reciprocate her love would prevent her from enjoying her life. The chorus repeats the mantra that she knows better than to depend on her ex-partner and that he's a distant memory from her past.
The third stanza provides evidence that the singer is moving on from the relationship. She acknowledges that dreaming about a love that is long gone will only hold her back from finding what she truly wants. She also references living her life to the fullest and enjoying her free time, suggesting that she is enjoying her newfound independence. The fourth stanza describes the physical departure of her ex-partner and the singer's internal acknowledgement of letting him go. The final line serves as a metaphor, "hummin' along to the radio," for how she's found a new rhythm in life.
Overall, "I Know Better" explores themes of heartbreak, moving on, self-acceptance, and realizing one's self-worth. Through the lyrics, Vonda Shepard encourages her listeners to embrace themselves first and move forward, even when it seems impossible.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, baby, baby
Addressing her lover with affection and fondness
Remember how we laughed?
Nostalgically reminiscing their happier times together
There was a time we knew how to live it up
Talking about a time when they lived life to the fullest
And I couldn?t totally give it up, no, no, no...
Implying that she couldn't stay in an unfulfilling relationship any longer
Maybe, maybe, maybe
Considering various possibilities or explanations for the situation
Maybe you were blind
Suggesting her lover may have been unable to see what was wrong
Or maybe you finally, finally lost your mind
Imagining that her lover might have gone crazy
Or maybe you just needed to unwind
Positing that her lover may have required time and space to relax
I loved you baby, don?t you know
Reminding her lover that she did care for them once
But I almost missed the show
Admitting that she almost wasted her life on the wrong person
Waiting for your love to grow
Acknowledging that she was waiting in vain for her lover to change
Watching the December snow
Using the imagery of winter to hint at the frosty state of their relationship
I know better, I know better not to lean on you in any way
Conveying the realization that she can no longer count on her lover to be a support system
You?re a distant memory... nothing to do with today
Stressing that she's moved on and that their past relationship has no bearing on her present
How am I gonna dream without the love
Asking how she will be able to envision a future without feeling loved
The lovin? you gave to me?
Questioning whether her lover's caring gestures were genuine or not
Well whoever wants to be totally free?
Musing about the concept of freedom versus being in a relationship
Maybe there will come a time
Thinking about the possibility of finding love again in the future
I?m gonna find a love that is really mine
Hoping to discover a genuine, reciprocal love one day
I?m livin? it up in my spare time
Enjoying her independence and freedom to do what she wants
I see you wave goodbye
Picturing her lover leaving as she watches
Another pretty bus ride
Describing the scenery as pleasant, but the mood as bittersweet
I hear the next town is nice
Noticing the positive aspects of moving on
I wish I could break the ice
Expressing a desire to overcome the awkwardness and communicate with her lover again
I thought I should let you know
Deciding to communicate her feelings to her lover
I know I can let you go
Acknowledging that she's finally ready to move on for good
I?m happier than you know
Claiming to be content in life without her former love
Hummin? along to the radio
Reveling in the simple pleasures of life
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind