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.
Walk Away Rence
Vonda Shepard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lot we used to pass by every day
Just walk away Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
You're not to blame
From deep inside the tears I'm forced to cry
From deep inside the pain I chose to hide
Just walk away Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me it cries
Your name and mine inside a heart upon a wall
Still find a way to haunt me though they're so small
Just walk away Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
Now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
For me it cries
Just walk away Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
You're not to blame
The song "Walk Away Renee" by Vonda Shepard is a cover of the original song by The Left Banke. The lyrics describe a painful breakup and the emotions associated with it. The singer sings to Renee, a former lover, and insists that she just walk away and not return to their past memories together. The first two lines of the song, "And when I see the sign that points one way / The lot we used to pass by every day," suggest that the singer is trying to avoid all the places that remind her of the past relationship with Renee. The phrase "Just walk away Renee" is repeated multiple times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's desire for Renee to leave her alone and let her move on.
The next few lines, "The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same / You're not to blame," indicate that the singer is trying to come to terms with the end of the relationship and not blame Renee for the pain she feels. However, the chorus repeats the sentiment of the first verse, reminding Renee that she should not expect the singer to follow her back home. The song ends with the same lines as the beginning, highlighting the singer's attempts to move on but also acknowledging that the memories and pain associated with Renee will continue to haunt her.
Line by Line Meaning
And when I see the sign that points one way
Whenever I come across a directional sign that points in one direction,
The lot we used to pass by every day
Where we regularly used to pass by,
Just walk away Renee
Please leave and forget about me, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
I have no intention of following you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
The sidewalks in my neighborhood seem empty and lifeless without you
You're not to blame
You're not responsible for the way I feel
From deep inside the tears I'm forced to cry
I can't help but cry from the depths of my emotions
From deep inside the pain I chose to hide
I'm still struggling with the pain that I've been hiding
Now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes
Now I'm here, in the midst of a downpour, with eyes already tired from crying
For me it cries
All of this rain feels like a metaphor for my sadness and crying
Your name and mine inside a heart upon a wall
Our names placed inside of a heart on a wall somewhere,
Still find a way to haunt me though they're so small
Even though something as simple as our names scribbled onto a wall, it's enough to remind me of you and make you feel present in my heart
Just walk away Renee
Please leave and forget about me, Renee
You won't see me follow you back home
I have no intention of following you back home
The empty sidewalks on my block are not the same
The sidewalks in my neighborhood seem empty and lifeless without you
You're not to blame
You're not responsible for the way I feel
Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Scott Hansen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind