Mona Lisa
Willie Nelson Sister Bobbie Lyrics


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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?




Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?

Overall Meaning

The song "Mona Lisa" by Willie Nelson's sister Bobbie is a contemplation on the enigmatic beauty of the famous painting of the same name by Leonardo da Vinci. The song addresses the Mona Lisa as though she were a real person, questioning whether her famous smile is a calculated attempt to attract a lover or a facade to conceal her inner pain. The song also suggests that despite the attention and adoration Mona Lisa receives from admirers, she remains a lonely figure.


The repetition of the phrase "Mona Lisa" underscores the mystery and elusive quality of the subject of the song. The reference to her "strangeness" and "loveliness" suggests that her beauty is something beyond comprehension, and her inner life remains hidden from the outside world. The line "many dreams have been brought to your doorstep / they just lie there and they die there" implies that Mona Lisa is a symbol of unattainable desire, an object of beauty that remains forever out of reach.


Overall, the song serves as an ode to the enduring fascination that the Mona Lisa painting continues to hold over the centuries since its creation. Through the lyrics, the listener is invited to contemplate the possible inner life of this mysterious figure, and to reflect on the complexities of beauty, desire, and loneliness.


Line by Line Meaning

Mona Lisa, Mona Lisa, men have named you
You have been given a name by men, Mona Lisa.


You're so like the lady with the mystic smile
The mystic smile that the lady in the painting has, you have a similar smile as well, Mona Lisa.


Is it only 'cause you're lonely they have blamed you?
People only attribute the strangeness in your smile to your loneliness, Mona Lisa?


For that Mona Lisa strangeness in your smile?
Is your smile, Mona Lisa, considered strange because of the mysterious nature surrounding it?


Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?
Mona Lisa, do you smile to lure a potential mate?


Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?
Or is it a way for you to conceal the pain of a shattered heart, Mona Lisa?


Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep
Mona Lisa, countless people have come to you with their dreams.


They just lie there and they die there
The dreams simply wither and perish, Mona Lisa.


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


Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?
Or are you merely a stunning piece of art, devoid of warmth and companionship, Mona Lisa?




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DUPLESSIS, JERRY/JEAN, WYCLEF /

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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