Hurley's debut album, First Songs, was recorded for Folkways Records in 1965 on the same reel-to-reel machine that taped Leadbelly's Last Sessions. He was "discovered" by blues and jazz historian Frederick Ramsey III, and subsequently championed by boyhood friend Jesse Colin Young, who released his 2nd & 3rd albums on The Youngbloods' Warner Bros. imprint, Raccoon. In the late 70's, Hurley made three albums for Rounder, all of which have since been reissued on CD. His 1976 LP Have Moicy, a collaboration with the Unholy Modal Rounders and Jeffrey Frederick & The Clamtones, was named "the greatest folk album of the rock era" by the Village Voice's Robert Christgau.
In 1996, Koch Records released Wolfways with Hurley backed by Mickey Bones - Drums, Gus Ziesing - percussion, Jill Gross - Harmony Vocals, Jim Harvey - Trombone, Dan Archer and Bob Jordan - Guitars and Mike Boise - Bass. Tours with Son Volt and high praise from younger performers like Lucinda Williams, Vic Chesnutt, Calexico, Cat Power and Robin Holcomb followed.
Greg Weeks of Espers noted in an eBay auction in July 2006 that the band has begun work on a collaborative album with Hurley.
Gnomonsong released the Michael Hurley album titled "Ancestral Swamp" on September 18, 2007. Backing was provided by longtime Hurley associate David Reisch of the Holy Modal Rounders and new friends Tara Jane O'Neil and Lewi Longmire.
In 2021 Hurley released "The Time of the Foxgloves".
Mona Lisa
Michael Hurley 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
They just lie there, and they die there
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.
Michael Hurley's song "Mona Lisa" is a contemplative and introspective piece that raises questions about the true nature of the enigmatic smile of Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting. The song opens with the lines, "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." In these lyrics, Hurley suggests that the reason behind Mona Lisa's smile may be born out of loneliness, and that outsiders have misinterpreted her expression as "strange."
The following lines in the song further explore Mona Lisa's character and motivations: "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." These verses paint a picture of Mona Lisa as a complex and conflicted person, who may be using her smile as a mask to hide her true feelings. Hurley wonders if Mona Lisa is a real person with emotions, or just an object of art that exists without warmth or reality.
It is worth noting that Hurley's version of "Mona Lisa" differs significantly from the more famous version by Nat King Cole, which is a more straightforward love song. Hurley's interpretation offers a more nuanced and introspective take on the subject matter, and his inquisitive lyrics encourage listeners to delve deeper into the meaning and mystery of the famous painting.
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 and smiling expression are similar to that of the mysterious lady
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
Some people blame your strange smile on your perceived loneliness
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
The peculiarity in your smile is commonly referred to as the Mona Lisa strangeness
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Is your smile an attempt to entice a romantic interest?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Alternatively, is your smile a tactic to conceal the pain of a broken heart?
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
A lot of people have had aspirations and aspirations that involve you in some way
They just lie there, and they die there
But those dreams remain unfulfilled and forgotten
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Are you friendly and genuine or just a creation of paint and brushstrokes?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Perhaps, you're just a beautiful artwork that evokes loneliness and melancholy
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
A repetition of the title, suggesting a reiteration of the questions posed throughout the song
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind