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.
River
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry
She tried hard to help me
You know, she put me at ease
And she loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
The lyrics to "River" tell the story of a person who is feeling lost and sad during the Christmas season, which is typically associated with happiness, family, and love. The singer longs for escape, and in particular, wishes they had a river they could skate away on. The juxtaposition of the idealized winter scene with the reality of their situation reflects the chasm between their desires and their reality. The singer is unhappy with their life and wishes they could make enough money to leave their current situation behind. They also feel regret over the loss of a loved one, described as their "best baby," and wonder if they could have avoided this outcome if they were a different kind of person.
The repetition of the line "I wish I had a river I could skate away on" provides a strong focal point for the lyrics, emphasizing the dream of escape and the singer's dissatisfaction with their current situation. The repeated reference to the Christmas season highlights the sense of alienation the singer feels during a time that is supposed to be joyful and celebratory. Ultimately, the song is a meditation on loss and longing, and the ways in which people attempt to cope with difficult emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
It's coming on Christmas
The holiday season is approaching
They're cutting down trees
People are preparing for Christmas by cutting down trees for decorations
They're putting up reindeer
In addition to trees, people are also putting up decorations in the form of reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
People are also singing songs to celebrate the holiday season
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
The singer feels overwhelmed by the holiday season and wants to escape it all
But it don't snow here
However, the location where she is currently does not experience snow during Christmas
It stays pretty green
The place is still lush and green despite the holiday season
I'm going to make a lot of money
The singer plans to make a lot of money and change her current situation
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Once she achieves her financial goal, she plans to leave her current environment
I wish I had a river so long
The singer wants an escape so badly that she wishes for a long river to skate away on
I would teach my feet to fly
The singer hopes to leave her problems behind and start fresh by skating away on the river
I made my baby cry
The singer hurt her partner and caused her to cry
She tried hard to help me
The partner made an effort to help the singer
You know, she put me at ease
The partner provided emotional support to the singer
And she loved me so naughty
The partner loved the singer despite her flaws
Made me weak in the knees
The partner had a strong physical and emotional effect on the singer
I'm so hard to handle
The singer acknowledges that she is difficult to deal with
I'm selfish and I'm sad
The singer recognizes her negative qualities
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
The singer lost her partner, who she considers to be the best thing she ever had
That I ever had
The loss of the partner is painful
I wish I had a river
The singer still wishes for an escape from her current situation
I made my baby say goodbye
The singer's actions caused her partner to leave her
They're cutting down trees
The holiday season is still happening despite the singer's personal struggles
They're putting up reindeer
People are still celebrating Christmas despite the singer's problems
And singing songs of joy and peace
The holiday spirit continues, despite the singer's feelings of sadness and isolation
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
The singer's desire to escape and start anew remains strong
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Integrity Music, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Joni Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L Joseph
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I made my baby cry
He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh, I wish I had a river I could skate away on
I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Oh, I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby say goodbye
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river I could skate away on
Kim Glasgow
I really love this version of "River." I'd never heard Robert Downey Jr. sing before and was surprised at how great he sounded.
Rain Stormz
+Kim Glasgow Me toooo! :D
tanjina badhon
same happened with me
Lucarius1
I already loved the song before I've seen him performing it on Ally McBeal. But when I saw him sing it in that one episode I had tears in my eyes. So touching, sad voice, and the whole scene made this song even more intense. It was a great performance in every way: singing and acting.
Gregory Gorton
This song was written by Joni Mitchell. There is also a great cover by James Taylor.But I must say that this version by Robert Downey Jr. is fantastic. More emotion here than in some of his movies.
coolnegative
Simply amazing! The cello is solo haunting! What an amazing voice!
Leo Fewtrell
brilliant
Lynn Richard
oh my! What a beautiful rendition! I didn't know Robert Downey Jr could sing! Talented in singing as in acting!
drc08rules
First time I heard RD jr sing when I use to watch All McBeal. Now I play it every Christmas. Miss that show so far ahead of its' time back then
Anthony Walsh
When i saw this episode -this song and RDJ gave me chills on haunting it is--one of my very favorite Holiday songs.