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.
This Is the Time
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
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Each time you break away, I fear you've gone to stay.
Lonely nights that come, memories that flow, bringing you back again,
Hurting me more and more.
Maybe it's my mistake to show this love I feel inside;
'Cause each day that passes by you got me
Never knowing if I'm coming or going, but I, I love you.
I love you, yes, I do.
These old arms of mine miss having you around;
Makes these tears inside start a-falling down.
Maybe it's my mistake to show this love I feel inside;
'Cause each day that passes by you got me
Never knowing if I'm coming or going, but I, I love you.
This old heart darling, is weak for you.
I love you, yes, I do. Yes, I do.
I try hard to hide my hurt inside.
This old heart of mine always keeps me cryin'
I try hard to hide my hurt inside
This old heart of mine always keeps me cryin' the way you treat me,
Leaves me incomplete, you're here for the day, gone for the week, now
But if you leave me a hundred times
A hundred times I'll take you back.
I'm yours whenever you want me
I'm not too proud to shout it.
Tell the world about it 'cause I love you.
Yes I do. Yes, I do.
I love you. This old heart darling is weak for you.
I love you. This old heart darling is weak for you.
I love you. This old heart darling is weak for you.
Vonda Shepard's song "This Old Heart of Mine" is a heartbreaking ballad about a love that keeps causing pain. The singer's heart has been broken a thousand times by the person they love, but they still feel weak for them. They are never sure if the person will stay or go, and the memories of lonely nights with that person keep hurting them more and more. The singer tries to hide their hurt inside, but their love for this person is too strong, and they will always take them back.
The song's lyrics capture the vulnerability and pain that comes with being in a toxic relationship. The singer knows that loving this person is hurting them, but they can't help but love them. The repetition of "This old heart of mine" and "I love you" reinforces the theme of the enduring, almost painful nature of their love. The chorus is particularly powerful in conveying the singer's vulnerability, as they plead to their love to stay with them: "This old heart darling is weak for you. I love you. Yes, I do."
Overall, "This Old Heart of Mine" is a soulful ballad that vividly captures the pain and vulnerability that comes with loving someone who keeps breaking your heart.
Line by Line Meaning
This old heart of mine been broke a thousand times.
My heart has been broken numerous times before.
Each time you break away, I fear you've gone to stay.
Whenever you leave, I worry that you're not coming back.
Lonely nights that come, memories that flow, bringing you back again, Hurting me more and more.
I have lonely nights where I think about you and it hurts me because I can't have you.
Maybe it's my mistake to show this love I feel inside; 'Cause each day that passes by you got me Never knowing if I'm coming or going, but I, I love you.
Perhaps it's wrong for me to express my love since you make me feel unsure about our relationship, but I still love you.
This old heart darling, is weak for you. I love you, yes, I do.
My heart is vulnerable when it comes to you, and I truly mean it when I say I love you.
These old arms of mine miss having you around; Makes these tears inside start a-falling down.
I miss holding you in my arms, and it makes me cry.
I try hard to hide my hurt inside. This old heart of mine always keeps me cryin'
I attempt to conceal my pain, but my heart still makes me cry.
the way you treat me, Leaves me incomplete, you're here for the day, gone for the week, now
Your treatment of me leaves me feeling unfinished; you're only here for a short while and then gone again.
But if you leave me a hundred times, A hundred times I'll take you back.
No matter how many times you leave me, I'll always take you back.
I'm yours whenever you want me. I'm not too proud to shout it. Tell the world about it 'cause I love you.
I belong to you whenever you need me, and I'm not afraid to tell everyone how much I love you.
This old heart darling is weak for you. I love you. Yes, I do.
My heart is feeble when it comes to you, and I truly love you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Edward Jr. Holland, Lamont Dozier, Sylvia Moy, Brian Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind