The Mona Lisa's Sister

1988 studio album by Graham Parker

Studio album by

Graham Parker

Released

April 1988

Recorded

1987–1988

Genre

Blues rock, soul, rhythm and blues, reggae fusion

Length

38:48

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
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Robert Christgau	C+^[2]
Rolling Stone	^[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.

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)

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

Bonus track – 1999 Buddha re-release

"Ordinary Girl"

Bonus tracks – 2016 Expanded Edition

"Ordinary Girl"
"Durban Poison"
"Burning on a Higher Flame"
"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

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

Notes

^ "The Mona Lisa's Sister - Graham Parker | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
^ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Graham Parker". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
^ DeCurtis, Anthony (19 May 1988). "The Mona Lisa's Sister". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
^ "Graham Parker (and the Rumour)". Trouser Press. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
^ "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980's". Rolling Stone. No. 565. 16 November 1989.
^ 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.
^ "Squeezing Out Sparks – Graham Parker > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Billboard. Retrieved 7 January 2012.