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.
Mischief & Control
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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There is a river flowing in your soul
To put out the fire when it gets out of control
There is a stranger in all of us
That we try to get to know
There is a wise woman in there, too
She's trying to run the show
In between the mischief and control
Swinging from the pendulum of desires
In between the mischief and control
There is a painter in all of us
She knows exactly which brush to choose
She knows exactly where to make a stroke
But there's an army of voices
She might have to get through
There is a writer in all of us, yeah
He knows what to say and he knows when it's done
But then there's this twenty-foot blank page
You gotta fill, darling
Or you think your life has no meaning
I can not escape the constant equipoise
In between the mischief and control
Swinging from the pendulum of desires
In between the mischief and control
Excuses piling up like junkyards
We never want to sort through
Efficiently we hide our needs
And all along a voice is calling out please, please
'Cause I'm so hungry and I'm so tired
I feel so lonely, I feel so wired
I need my angel...where is my angel
The lyrics of Vonda Shepard's song "Mischief & Control" express the internal struggle that all humans experience between their desires and their sense of control. The fire within all of us represents our passions and desires that can sometimes become out of control if not harnessed properly. This is where the river flowing in your soul comes into play, as it represents our ability to channel our desires in a productive manner in order to put out the fire when it gets too hot. The stranger in all of us is the part of ourselves that we are still getting to know, but there is also a wise woman inside us who is trying to take charge and keep everything in balance.
The song talks about the constant equipoise between mischief and control that we must navigate through in order to live fulfilling lives. It illustrates the struggle that artists must endure in order to express themselves fully, whether it be through painting, writing or any other form of art. The painter in all of us knows exactly what brush to use and where to make a stroke, but there are often many voices that we have to get through before we can fully express ourselves. The writer in all of us knows what to say and when to say it, but often there is a blank page that we must fill before we can truly find meaning in our lives.
Overall, Vonda Shepard's "Mischief & Control" is a powerful and introspective song that explores the human condition of wanting to express ourselves freely while staying in control of our emotions and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a fire within all of us
Each person has a passion or drive within them.
There is a river flowing in your soul
There is a constant flow of emotions and feelings inside a person.
To put out the fire when it gets out of control
One must learn to manage their passions or drive when it becomes too much.
There is a stranger in all of us
There are parts of ourselves that we don't fully understand or know.
That we try to get to know
People often try to explore and understand themselves better.
There is a wise woman in there, too
People have a source of inner wisdom within themselves.
She's trying to run the show
This inner wisdom may guide a person's actions and decisions.
I can not escape the constant equipoise
The artist feels that they cannot avoid the balance between different aspects of themselves.
In between the mischief and control
The artist is referring to the balance between acting on impulses versus self-control.
Swinging from the pendulum of desires
This balance can be likened to a swinging pendulum, moving between fulfilling desires and self-restraint.
There is a painter in all of us
Everyone has a creative aspect to themselves, whether it be painting or some other medium.
She knows exactly which brush to choose
The creativity within a person is knowledgeable and skilled in creating something beautiful.
She knows exactly where to make a stroke
This creativity knows exactly how to bring a piece of art to life.
But there's an army of voices
However, there are often many internal doubts and critiques that can hold a person back from their creative potential.
She might have to get through
A person must learn to overcome these doubts in order to fully express their creativity.
There is a writer in all of us, yeah
People also have the ability to express themselves through writing.
He knows what to say and he knows when it's done
Writing can be a powerful form of communication when a person knows how to craft their words effectively.
But then there's this twenty-foot blank page
However, the pressure to fill a blank page with meaningful words can be daunting and cause writer's block.
You gotta fill, darling
Despite these challenges, it's important to try and overcome them in order to create something meaningful and fulfilling.
Or you think your life has no meaning
The ability to express oneself creatively can bring purpose and fulfillment to a person's life.
Excuses piling up like junkyards
People often make excuses in order to avoid facing their own needs and desires.
We never want to sort through
Avoiding these needs and desires can lead to feelings of dissatisfaction and loneliness.
Efficiently we hide our needs
People often hide their own needs from themselves in order to avoid confronting them.
And all along a voice is calling out please, please
Despite these efforts, there is an inner voice urging a person to acknowledge and address their needs.
'Cause I'm so hungry and I'm so tired
The singer is expressing feelings of exhaustion and hunger, both literally and metaphorically.
I feel so lonely, I feel so wired
The singer is also experiencing feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
I need my angel...where is my angel
The singer is searching for a source of guidance or support to help them through these difficult emotions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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