During World War II, Wesley Prince left the group and Cole replaced him with Johnny Miller. The King Cole Trio signed with the fledgling Capitol Records in 1943.
In 1947, Irving Ashby replaced Oscar Moore. The trio split up in 1955 after Nat's solo career took frontstage.
Mona Lisa
King Cole Trio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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
, the world will never know
The loneliness that you have known, oh, oh, oh
The heartaches that you've gone through
This fascination for the lady with the mystic smile began long before King Cole Trio's song. The Mona Lisa painting was created in 1503-1506 by Leonardo da Vinci, and since then, it's been celebrated as one of the most famous and mysterious portraits in history. The painting was acquired by King Francois I of France, and it became part of the Royal Collection at the Palace of Fontainebleau. In the 1700s, the Mona Lisa began to gain widespread popularity, and it became a symbol of the genius of the Italian Renaissance.
The song Mona Lisa is a tribute to the world-famous painting, as the lyrics attempt to uncover the mystery behind the woman's enigmatic smile. The opening line "Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you" acknowledges the painting's notoriety, and the line "Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you?" hints at the endless speculation that surrounds the identity of the painting's subject. The lyrics also suggest that the woman in the painting might be covering up a broken heart with her mysterious smile.
The song's interpretation of the Mona Lisa as a symbol of loneliness and heartbreak is in line with the painting's history of being owned by powerful rulers and hiding away from public view. King Cole Trio's interpretation of the painting also adds a layer of modernity to the centuries-old work, claiming that even the world-famous artwork is not immune to the human heart's trials.
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 resemblance to the woman with an enigmatic smile is striking
Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you?
Have people accused you of being strange just because of your loneliness?
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?
Is the oddness in your smile due to your overall mysteriousness?
Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Do you purposely smile to seduce a potential lover, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Or is your smile a means to conceal a heart that has been hurt?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Numerous aspirations have been presented to you over time
They just lie there and they die there
But they never come to fruition and fade away over time
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Are you a warm-hearted and authentic person, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?
Or merely a beautiful artwork with a sense of detachment and isolation?
Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Do you deliberately give a seductive smile to attract a lover, Mona Lisa?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Alternatively, is your smile a method to disguise a heart that's been shattered once again?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Once again, many aspirations have been presented to you in the past
They just lie there and they die there
But, once again, those dreams just fade away over time
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Are you a kind-hearted and genuine person, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?
Or nothing more than a stunning piece of art that brings about feelings of detachment and loneliness?
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa
Addressed once more as Mona Lisa
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind