The Mona Lisa's Sister

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The Mona Lisa's Sister
Graham Parker-The Mona Lisa's Sister (album cover).jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 1988
Recorded1987–1988
Genre Blues rock, soul, rhythm and blues, reggae fusion
Length38:48
Label RCA
Producer Graham Parker & Brinsley Schwarz
Graham Parker chronology
Steady Nerves
(1985)
The Mona Lisa's Sister
(1988)
Live! Alone in America
(1989)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Robert Christgau C+ [2]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Trouser Press (Favorable) [4]

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.[ citation needed ] 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.

Contents

In 1989, it was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 best albums of the 1980s. [5]

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"

Charts

Chart (1986)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [6] 81
United States (Billboard 200) [7] 77

Personnel

Technical

Notes

  1. "The Mona Lisa's Sister - Graham Parker | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  2. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Graham Parker". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  3. DeCurtis, Anthony (19 May 1988). "The Mona Lisa's Sister". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  4. "Graham Parker (and the Rumour)". Trouser Press. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  5. "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980's". Rolling Stone. No. 565. 16 November 1989.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 229. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Squeezing Out Sparks Graham Parker > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2012.

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