Don't Cry Ilene

Album: Vonda Shepard (1989)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Most people think they have Vonda Shepard's "Don't Cry Ilene" figured out. Most people are wrong. The singer explained in a Songfacts interview: "Yes. There was a real Ilene. And you know what's funny, it is like documented fact that the song is about an interracial relationship; that's not true at all. I don't know who made that up. It's not about that. It cracks me up, because people say it, like, you know, very educated, interesting smart people think that's what it's about."

    So what is the song really about? Shepard says it was inspired by a guy she was "kind of in love with" who already had a girlfriend.
  • Vonda Shepard got her first taste of fame when she appeared on the hit "Can't We Try" with Dan Hill in 1987. This led to a deal with Reprise Records, which released her debut, self-titled album in 1989. "Don't Cry Ilene" was the most popular song on the set, getting some airplay on Adult Contemporary radio and a few spins on VH1. She parted ways with Reprise in the mid-'90s, but emerged on the pop culture landscape in a big way when she got a regular role on the show Ally McBeal, which ran from 1997-2002. "Don't Cry Ilene" remained a staple of her live shows and appears on her 2012 acoustic set, Solo.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

Artis the Spoonman

Artis the SpoonmanSong Writing

Even before Soundgarden wrote a song about him, Artis was the most famous spoon player of all time. So why has he always been broke?

Metallica

MetallicaFact or Fiction

Beef with Bon Jovi? An unfortunate Spandex period? See if you can spot the true stories in this Metallica version of Fact or Fiction.

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

Kiss

KissFact or Fiction

Kiss is the subject of many outlandish rumors - some of which happen to be true. See if you can spot the fakes.