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.
Read Your Mind
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then we jumped in the water
Off the jetty we'd fly
As the sun got hotter
We were any age
Floating through space
Happy for once in the human race
On this sweet Sunday and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Like a broken record
I've stayed protected
From promises, from disappointments
I wanna hear your dreams, wanna drift away
Wanna break you in
Oh, I wanna stay
Stay in heaven, oh in heaven
And see my life finally begin
Will we be together, oh forever?
Darling please let me in
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Oh, I want to stay in this sweet Sunday and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
Has finally found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Na, na, na , na, na
If I could read your mind
Na, na, na, na, na
In this song by Vonda Shepard, there seems to be a fond recollection of a past relationship. The lyrics capture a snapshot, perhaps a perfect day or moment, shared between two people. They jump into the water, hold hands, laugh and feel happy for once in the human race. The singer of the song, though, is not sure if this feeling of freedom and happiness is real or if it is just a momentary relief from the struggles of life. They wish they could go back in time to make up for all the wasted time and lost opportunities. They want to hear the other person's dreams, to break down their walls and be able to stay in this moment of heaven together, forever. The refrain repeats throughout the song: "If I could read your mind/I hope I'd find/The same love I have in mine." It seems that the singer is yearning for love, connection, and understanding.
The song seems to be focused on the idea of missed opportunities and the fear of not being understood or loved. The singer wonders if the other person feels the same way they do. The use of water, specifically the image of jumping off a jetty, adds a layer of metaphor to the lyrics. The water represents the unknown, the depths of emotion that the characters are afraid to tread. The water is also cleansing, making way for something new and unknown. The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer still searching for the same love they have in their heart.
Line by Line Meaning
We held hands and laughed
We shared joy and intimacy, reveling in each other's company.
Then we jumped in the water
We took a spontaneous leap into an unknown, refreshing experience.
Off the jetty we'd fly
We felt the unbridled freedom of soaring above the sea with abandon.
As the sun got hotter
As the heat of the day grew more intense, we only got closer.
We were any age
Our connection was timeless, ageless, unencumbered by the passing of time.
Floating through space
We felt weightless, suspended in a moment of pure bliss, unmoored from earthly struggles.
Happy for once in the human race
For once, we felt truly content and fulfilled as humans, despite life's struggles.
On this sweet Sunday and into Monday
This precious moment together stretched into the new week, lingering in memory and hope.
Your arms wrapped around me
Your embrace enveloped me in safety, assurance, and warmth.
Where my love has found me
I have finally found the love I have long sought, in your unwavering presence.
But am I really free?
Despite the security and love I feel, I wonder if I'm truly liberated from my past hurts and doubts.
If I could read your mind
I long to know the deepest thoughts and feelings in your heart, to reassure myself of our mutual love.
I hope I'd find
I trust that your thoughts match mine in their depth and intensity, affirming our connection.
The same love I have in mine
I yearn for the reassurance that the devotion and love I hold for you is reciprocated in your own heart.
If I could go back in time
I regret any time wasted apart from you, and long to make up for it by cherishing every moment together.
I'd try to find you
I would search tirelessly for you, to affirm our bond and make up for any missed opportunities of the past.
And make up for all this wasted time
I hope to make every moment count from here on, to make up for any lost opportunities or regrets.
Like a broken record
I have replayed old hurts and disappointments so much that they've worn a rut in my mind.
I've stayed protected
I've guarded my heart and emotions, fearing further disappointment or pain.
From promises, from disappointments
I've shielded myself from any commitment or expectation that might lead to heartbreak or disillusionment.
I wanna hear your dreams, wanna drift away
Despite my fears, I ache to bond with you on a deeper level, to share our hopes and dreams and lose myself in your embrace.
Wanna break you in
I long to see you vulnerable and honest, breaking down any walls between us.
Oh, I wanna stay
I never want to leave this newfound state of happiness and security.
Stay in heaven, oh in heaven
I dream of staying in this heavenly state for eternity, basking in our love.
And see my life finally begin
I feel that my life only truly begins now, in this moment with you, where I feel safe enough to fully live.
Will we be together, oh forever?
Despite my newfound happiness, I still worry about our future, about our connection lasting through time and adversity.
Darling please let me in
I long for your validation, your love, your assurance that we're in this together forever.
Na, na, na , na, na
This nonsensical refrain underscores the emotional weight of the song, the overwhelming desire for love and security that Vonda craves.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mitchell Froom, Vonda Shepard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Suzannax
👍 Lyrics 👍
We held hands and laughed
Then we jumped in the water
Off the jetty we'd fly
As the sun got hotter
We were any age
Floating through space
Happy for once
In the human race
On this sweet Sunday, and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
Has finally found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Like a broken record
I've stayed protected
From promises
From disappointments
I wanna hear your dreams
Wanna drift away
Wanna break you in
Oh I wanna stay
Stay in heaven, oh in heaven
And see my life finally begin
Will we be together, oh forever?
Darling please let me in
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Oh I want to stay in this sweet Sunday, and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
Has finally found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Na, na, na, na, na...
If I could read your mind
(Na, na, na, na, na...)
If I could read your mind
(Na, na, na, na, na...)
If I could read your mind
(Na, na, na, na, na...)
ケニーちゃんのおチャンネル
We held hands and laughed
Then we jumped in the water
Off the jetty we'd fly
As the sun got hotter
We were any age
Floating through space
Happy for once
In the human race
On this sweet Sunday, and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
Has finally found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Like a broken record
I've stayed protected
From promises
From disappointments
I wanna hear your dreams
Wanna drift away
Wanna break you in
Oh I wanna stay
Stay in heaven, oh in heaven
And see my life finally begin
Will we be together, oh forever?
Darling please let me in
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Oh I want to stay in this sweet Sunday, and into Monday
Your arms wrapped around me
Where my love has found me
Has finally found me
But am I really free?
If I could read your mind
I hope I'd find
The same love I have in mine
If I could go back in time
I'd try to find you
And make up for all this wasted time
Na, na, na , na, na...
WhatAlsaid!
My mom had the ally McBeal CD and she would play it in the car on road trips. I loved ALL the songs, but this one was my favorite.
Rian A
Vonda, if you read this, I just want to say thank you for this song. 1999 was the happiest year of my life and this song was a part of it.
Neeka
Same!
Juan Pablo Gatti González
Same!
Sherrie Brand
Rian A
So what kinds of happy things took place? (I'm just a sucker for reading about that kinda stuff.)
Bryan Ariza
Me too.
Darren Gately
Still one of the best lyricists around, the way she can link one thing to the next and maintain an ascendancy of meaning to find you somewhere in the spectrum of understanding.
TFVids
Read Your Mind was one of the first songs I ever learned in English when I was very young. Now I'm an English graduate so I guess I should partially thank this song for getting me interested in the language!
Tim Lim
I really love how you sing. Love all your songs... I remember ally mcbeal
Larten's Grill
Such an awesome song