I Know Better

Album: From the Sun (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • By 2008, Ally McBeal had already been off the air for six years, but the show that gave Vonda Shepard her big break still wasn't far from the singer's mind. In fact, many of her post-Ally songs, such as "I Know Better," have a distinct Ally feel.

    "It's the kind of song that if Ally were still in production, David would have used," Shepard said in an interview with Anne Carlini.

    The back-story for most of Shepard's original songs, however, starts with a relationship. By the time she first released "I Know Better" on her From the Sun album in 2008, she was already married to music producer Mitchell Froom. She assured Songfacts the song is not about her husband.

    "I went back and kind of healed a past relationship that was unresolved. So it was great to do that and cut that person loose, finally. I mean, it's not like you're still in love with the person, but you feel weird about an unresolved relationship. And rather than have the conversation with the person who maybe wasn't willing to have the conversation, I just wrote it into a song," she said. (Here's our full interview with Vonda Shepard.)

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.

Michael Schenker

Michael SchenkerSongwriter Interviews

The Scorpions and UFO guitarist is also a very prolific songwriter - he explains how he writes with his various groups, and why he was so keen to get out of Germany and into England.

Edwin McCain

Edwin McCainSongwriter Interviews

"I'll Be" was what Edwin called his "Hail Mary" song. He says it proves "intention of the songwriter is 180 degrees from potential interpretation by an audience."

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80s

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80sSongwriter Interviews

'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.

Stephen Christian of Anberlin

Stephen Christian of AnberlinSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist for Anberlin breaks down "Impossible" and covers some tracks from their 2012 album Vital.

Philip Cody

Philip CodySongwriter Interviews

A talented lyricist, Philip helped revive Neil Sedaka's career with the words to "Laughter In The Rain" and "Bad Blood."