101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening sym… Read Full Bio ↴101 Strings was an umbrella term for a highly successful easy listening symphonic music organization, with a discography exceeding a hundred albums and a creative lifetime of roughly thirty years. Their LPs were individualized by the slogan "The Sound of Magnificence", a puffy cloud logo and sepia-toned photo of the orchestra. According to the photograph, the 101 Strings orchestra was composed of 124 string instruments (all male except for the harpist) and was conducted by Wilhelm Stephan. The orchestra's famous official photograph was taken in the Musikhalle Hamburg. In reality, of course, the recordings also featured a full brass, woodwind and percussion section, and not quite as many strings as are shown in the photograph. In later years (right up to the 80's), the recordings were made by a session orchestra in London, with a line-up including a modern "pop" rhythm section. In the late 1990's, the 101 Strings Orchestra was revived with "The New 101 Strings Orchestra" for a series of modern recordings.

Mona Lisa
101 Strings Orchestra Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you?
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep

They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
They just lie there and they die there
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa

Overall Meaning

, men have named you in this classic song by 101 Strings Orchestra. The song speaks about the iconic portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci, and how it has captivated the hearts and imaginations of people for centuries. The lyrics, "You're so like the lady with the mystic smile," speak to the enigmatic quality of the painting, as it seems to hold a secret or hidden meaning behind its subject's smile. The questions posed by the song, “Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you? For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?” reflect the fascination and intrigue that the painting has evoked throughout history.

The lyrics also speculate on the motivations behind the smile in the painting, questioning whether she is smiling to tempt a lover or to hide a broken heart. This adds to the air of mystery surrounding the subject, and the unanswered questions of the painting's meaning. The final lines of the song, "Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa? Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?" further explore these themes, pondering whether the painting is simply a work of art or a representation of a real person.

Overall, "Mona Lisa" is a timeless song that speaks to the enduring fascination and mystery surrounding the most famous painting in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you
People have given you the name Mona Lisa

You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
Your appearance is very similar to the woman with the enigmatic smile

Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you?
Are people calling you strange only because you seem lonely?

For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?
Is your mysterious smile the cause of your perceived strangeness?

Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Is your smile meant to lure in a love interest, Mona Lisa?

Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Or could your smile be a way to conceal your emotional pain?

Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Many people have had aspirations associated with you

They just lie there and they die there
But those dreams have failed to come to fruition

Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Are you a warm, genuine person, Mona Lisa?

Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?
Or are you just a beautiful but isolated piece of art?

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@leonardabarillas9610

Bella melodía me gusta mucho me recuerda ami Madre gracias por compartir

@LoveTheOConnor

12y

Bravo! Gorgeous video, Jim! Such a beautiful version of this song, and all your pictures are stunning! So happy to see your favorite at the end, and my favorite right before! Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful video--it brightened my day :)

@negoronegoro1265

Спасибо! Очень люблю эту мелодию!

@Jymster46

12y

Thank you so much for listening! Jim

@Jymster46

12y

Oh, Thank You Heather! I thought you might like the photo of Ms. Dunne included in the video. It was never in question to leave her out, she is a favorite of mine too. Your comments brightened my day, so Thank You for that! Take Care my Friend! Jim

@Jymster46

12y

You have wonderful taste! Ms. Jones is Stunning, I agree. I just love them all but I saved my all time favorite to end the video, the lovely Ann Sheridan. I am so happy you liked it. Thanks so much for watching and for your great comments! Oh...and thanks for all the stars! Jim