"Mona Lisa" is a popular song written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston for the Paramount Pictures film Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1949), in which it was performed by Sergio de Karlo and a recurrent accordion motif.
The title and lyrics refer to the renaissance portrait Mona Lisa painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
"[6] In an American Songwriter magazine interview, Jay Livingston recalled that the original advertisements for the record did not even mention "Mona Lisa"; only upon returning home from a publicity junket of numerous radio programs did the song become a hit.
2 on the sheet music sales chart, with British cover versions by Ronald Chesney (harmonica), Steve Conway and The Stargazers, Frederick Ferrari, Oscar Rabin and his Band (vocal by Dennis Hale), Joe Loss and his Orchestra, Max Bygraves and Ted Heath and his Music (vocal by Dickie Valentine).
[10] A parody version by Yiddish entertainer Mickey Katz and his Orchestra, entitled "Mona Liza", with vocal by Anzio Pizza, was also recorded and released when the song was first popular.
A rockabilly version of "Mona Lisa" (b/w/ "Foolish One") was released by Carl Mann on Phillips International Records (#3539) in March 1959 and reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The melody is slightly different, and the lyrics are also mostly the same as in the original version by Nat King Cole, though a few more phrases are added in that elaborate more on the girl he likes.
Andy Williams released a version on his 1964 album, The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies.