The Mona Lisa's Sister

The Mona Lisa's Sister is a 1988 album by Graham Parker. It was Parker's first album for RCA following an acrimonious split with Atlantic and the first he produced himself (with Brinsley Schwarz). The "stripped-down" sound of the album garnered critical acclaim and presaged a back-to-basics trend in rock music in the 1990s. It was re-released by Buddah Records in 1999 with a bonus track, "Ordinary Girl", the B-side to "Get Started. Start a Fire". The album debuted at #132 on Billboard 200 Album chart on 28 May 1988, peaking at #77.

In 1989, it was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 best albums of the 1980s.

Track listing
All song by Graham Parker except (11)


 * 1) "Don't Let It Break You Down"  – 3:34
 * 2) "Under the Mask of Happiness"  – 3:34
 * 3) "Back in Time"  – 3:24
 * 4) "I'm Just Your Man"  – 3:41
 * 5) "OK Hieronymus"  – 4:15
 * 6) "Get Started. Start a Fire"  – 5:08
 * 7) "The Girl Isn't Ready"  – 3:32
 * 8) "Blue Highways"  – 2:35
 * 9) "Success"  – 3:48
 * 10) "I Don't Know"  – 2:47
 * 11) "Cupid" - (Sam Cooke)  – 2:30

Bonus track – 1999 Buddha re-release

 * 1) "Ordinary Girl"

Bonus tracks – 2016 Expanded Edition

 * 1) "Ordinary Girl"
 * 2) "Durban Poison"
 * 3) "Burning on a Higher Flame"
 * 4) "There's a Ghost in My House"

Personnel

 * Graham Parker - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, producer
 * Brinsley Schwarz - electric guitar, backing vocals, percussion, producer
 * Andrew Bodnar - bass guitar
 * James Hallawell - keyboards
 * Terry Williams - drums
 * Pete Thomas - drums on (4) and (7)
 * Andy Duncan - drums on (9)
 * Christie Chapman - backing vocals
 * Technical
 * Jon Jacobs - engineer
 * Martin Edwards - assistant engineer
 * Jack Drummond - cover painting
 * Jolie Parker - photographs