The Del Rubio triplets were born as the Boyd triplets (Edith, Elena and Mildred Boyd) in 1921 in the Panama Canal Zone. The girls grew up in the Panama Canal Zone and Washington, D.C.. Their stage name comes from the color they dyed their hair; the word "rubio" means "blond" in Spanish.
Grammy winning songwriter Allee Willis is credited with discovering the Del Rubio Triplets in 1985 and presenting them at her parties where they garnished much notable attention.[1] Their biggest "hit" was an acoustic-guitar cover version of the song "Whip It" by Devo.
They made various television appearances such as Married... with Children, Full House, The Golden Girls (called the Donatello Triplets on the show), Night Court and Pee-wee's Playhouse wearing bouffant hair-dos and gaudy blue eyeshadow. They often appeared scantily clad (usually showing off their legs) despite the fact that they were in their sixties at the time. They are often remembered for their contribution of "Winter Wonderland" to the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special that originally aired in 1988. They also briefly appeared in the motion picture Americathon, playing "America the Beautiful" behind several posing bodybuilders. In the late 1980s they were featured in a McDonald's fast food advertisement.
The three performed until Eadie was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 where she died at Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California. After her death Elena and Milly never again performed but lived together for five years until Elena died of cancer in 2001. Elena and Eadie are interred in a family plot at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California next to their father.
Since the death of Elena Del Rubio, Milly has remained in the San Pedro, California home that they all shared together.
Mona Lisa
The Del Rubio Triplets 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.
At the heart of the Del Rubio Triplets' Mona Lisa lies a sense of intrigue and mystery surrounding Leonardo da Vinci's renowned painting of the same name. The song invites listeners to ponder the true nature of Mona Lisa's smile and what it might say about her internal world. The opening line suggests that men have named Mona Lisa and draws attention to the fact that she is like "the lady with the mystic smile." This phrase implies that Mona Lisa's expression carries some sort of mystical or otherworldly quality that has captivated people since the painting's creation.
The lyrics go on to ask if Mona Lisa's smile is a calculated attempt to attract a lover or if it is simply a mask used to hide the pain of a broken heart. The song acknowledges that many people have come to Mona Lisa's doorstep, perhaps drawn in by her enigmatic smile, but that their dreams have ultimately gone unfulfilled. Whether Mona Lisa is a warm and genuine person or merely a beautiful work of art remains an open question throughout the song.
In many ways, the Del Rubio Triplets' Mona Lisa captures the essence of the painting it is named after. The song is captivating, mysterious, and thought-provoking, much like Mona Lisa herself. It invites listeners to explore the depths of human emotion and the complex ways that we present ourselves to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa men have named you
The artwork before me is called Mona Lisa, and it is said to be a creation by the human species
You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
You are eerily similar to a woman who had a mysterious smile
Is it only cause you're lonely they have blamed you
Are they attributing your unique features to your loneliness?
For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile
Is the perceived strangeness in your smile the reason for your fame?
Do you smile to tempt a lover Mona Lisa?
Are you intentionally smiling to lure in a romantic partner?
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Perhaps your smile is a facade to conceal the pain and hurt in your heart
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Numerous hopes and aspirations have been placed upon you
They just lie there, and they die there
However, they remain unfulfilled and fade away
Are you warm, are you real Mona Lisa?
Are you a living, breathing person with warmth and depth to your character?
Or just a cold and lonely, lovely work of art.
Or are you simply a beautiful, but isolated, painting?
Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa.
Once again, the artwork in focus is referred to as Mona Lisa
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Ray Evans, Jay Livingston
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind