"Mona Lisa" is a song by American recording artist Britney Spears, taken from her debut extended play (EP), Britney & Kevin: Chaotic. It was released on September 27, 2005, and appears as the third track on every edition of the EP.
Background[]
"Mona Lisa" was written by David Kochanski, Teddy Campbell and Spears herself, and produced by Bloodshy & Avant.
The song is listed in the BMI repertoire, crediting Spears as both the songwriter and performer.[1] During her fourth concert tour, The Onyx Hotel Tour, Spears started writing and recording new material, including "Mona Lisa," which she worked on with her tour band.
Composition[]
"Mona Lisa" is characterized as a synth-pop song with electronic, rock and funk influences, running three minutes and twenty-six seconds in length. It is composed in the key of C# minor with 80 beats per minute, corresponding to 12A in the Camelot system.
Lyrical theme[]
"Mona Lisa" centers on the figure of Mona Lisa as a metaphorical or symbolic character, exploring themes of identity, control, and transformation. It tells a story of a woman who is observed, constrained, and "cloned," reflecting on how society tries to shape, replicate, or exploit her. The repeated references to being "the original" and "unforgettable" emphasize her uniqueness and resilience, even as external forces try to duplicate or diminish her. Spears described the song as a cautionary tale and dedicated it to all the "legends and icons."
Lyrics[]
[Intro]
This is a story about Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa
[Verse 1]
Ladies and gentlemen, I've got a little story to tell
About Mona Lisa, and how she suddenly fell
Now, see, everyone knew her, they knew her, oh, so well
Now I'm taking over to release her from her spell
[Chorus]
She's the original (Yeah, yeah)
She's unforgettable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned, she's been cloned, she's been cloned
[Verse 2]
She was taken under, drowning in her sea
Running like an angel, she was crying and could not see (Oh, no)
Now, see, everyone's watching as she starts to fall
They want her to break down
There will be a legend of her fall
[Chorus]
She's the original (Yeah, yeah)
She's unforgettable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned, she's been cloned, she's been cloned
[Bridge]
Now, ladies, does that make you cry?
Mona Lisa's got to fly
Nobody really dies
Everyone, may we have a moment of silence?
Right here
God
[Chorus]
She's the original (Yeah, yeah)
She's unforgettable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
That she's home, that she's home
[Chorus]
She's the original (Yeah, yeah)
She's unforgettable (Yeah, yeah)
She want's you to know (Yeah)
She's been cloned
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah, yeah)
She wants you to know (Yeah)
That she's home, that she's home, that she's home
[Intro]
This is a story about Mona Lisa
That was her name, Mona Lisa
[Verse 1]
Ladies and gentlemen, I've got a little story to tell
About Mona Lisa, and how she suddenly fell, huh!
Now, see, everyone knew her, they knew her, oh, so well
Now I am taking over to release her from her spell
[Chorus]
She's unforgettable (Yeah)
She was a legend though (Yeah, yeah)
It's kind of pitiful (Yeah)
That she's gone
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah)
It's time to let her go (Yeah)
'Cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone
[Verse 2]
She was taken under, drowning in her sea, huh!
Running like an angel, she was crying but could not see (Oh, no)
Now, see, everyone's watching as she starts to fall
Now don't have a breakdown, you will hit the freaking wall
[Chorus]
She's unforgettable (Yeah)
She was a legend though (Yeah, yeah)
It's kind of pitiful (Yeah)
That she's gone
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah)
It's time to let her go (Yeah)
'Cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone
[Bridge]
Now ladies does that make you cry? huh!
Now fellas you have to say bye bye
'Cause Mona Lisa's got to fly
Everyone, may we have a moment of silence?
Right here, huh!
God?
[Chorus]
She's unforgettable (Yeah)
She was a legend though (Yeah, yeah)
It's kind of pitiful (Yeah)
That she's gone
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah)
It's time to let her go (Yeah)
'Cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone
[Chorus]
She's unforgettable (Yeah)
She was a legend though (Yeah, yeah)
It's kind of pitiful (Yeah)
That she's gone
It's kind of incredible (Yeah, yeah)
She's so unpredictable (Yeah, yeah)
It's time to let her go (Yeah)
'Cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone
'Cause she's gone, 'cause she's gone
Credits[]
Credit list for "Mona Lisa":
- Britney Spears - lead vocals, songwriter
- Bloodshy & Avant - producers, programmers, arrangers
- David Kochanski - songwriter
- Teddy Campbell - songwriter
- Emma Nilsdotter - background vocals
- BlackCell - background vocals
- Mango- programmer
- Steven Wolf - percussion
- Per Eklund - percussion
- Niklas Flyct - mixing engineer, drum programmer
- Thomas Lindberg - guitar
- Henrik Jonback - guitar
Availability[]
On December 30, 2004, Spears made an unannounced visit to KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. In a surprising move, she premiered the demo of "Mona Lisa" live on air and announced that it would be included on a new album she was working on, tentatively titled The Original Doll.
