The Ballad of Mona Lisa
Panic!; At The Disco Lyrics

She paints her fingers with a close precision
She's meticulous in her craft of painting her nails.

He starts to notice empty bottles of gin
He's taking note of her excessive drinking of gin.

And takes a moment to assess the sin
He takes a step back to evaluate the wrongdoing/misdeeds involved here.

She's paid for
She's had to pay a price for her actions.

A lonely speaker in a conversation
She's talking but nobody seems to be listening.

Her words are swimming through his ears again
He's hearing every word she says, but they don't seem to be making much sense to him.

There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you've paid for
It's okay to indulge in something you've already spent a lot of money on.

Say what you mean
Be truthful and straightforward in what you say.

Tell me I'm right
Confirm that what I'm thinking or feeling is correct.

And let the sun rain down on me
Let me bask in the warmth and good feelings of this moment.

Give me a sign
Show me a signal or indication that I can believe in.

I want to believe
I'm looking for something to put my faith in.

Whoa oh oh oh oh, Mona Lisa
She's the center of attention.

You're guaranteed to run this town
You have the power and influence to control this place.

I'd pay to see you frown
I'm fascinated by the idea of you having any negative emotion.

He senses something, call it desperation
He can detect a feeling of hopelessness or despair in her demeanor.

Another dollar, another day
It's just another day of exchanging money for her services.

And if she had the proper words to say
If she knew how to say the right thing to convince him, she would.

She would tell him
She would communicate the truth to him.

But she'd have nothing left to sell him
There would be no more incentives for him to continue their arrangement.

Pleased to please you
She's happy to provide a service that he finds pleasing.