The Ballad Of Mona Lisa – English Lyrics

• By: Panic! At The Disco
• Album: Vices & Virtues

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the English language through the theatrical and introspective lyrics of Panic! At The Disco's "The Ballad of Mona Lisa." This song offers a rich vocabulary for expressing complex emotions and inner conflict. Its layered metaphors, centered around the famous painting, provide a unique and engaging way to learn about figurative language and storytelling in music.

[English]

She paints her fingers with a close precision

He starts to notice empty bottles of gin

And takes a moment to assess the sin she's paid for

...

A lonely speaker in a conversation

Her words are swimming through his ears again

There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you paid for

...

Say what you mean, tell me I'm right

And let the sun rain down on me

Give me a sign, I wanna believe

...

Whoa, Mona Lisa

You're guaranteed to run this town

Whoa, Mona Lisa

I'd pay to see you frown

...

He senses something, call it desperation

Another dollar, another day

And if she had the proper words to say, she would tell him

But she'd have nothing left to sell him

...

Say what you mean, tell me I'm right

And let the sun rain down on me

Give me a sign, I wanna believe

Whoa, Mona Lisa

You're guaranteed to run this town

Whoa, Mona Lisa

I'd pay to see you frown

...

Mona Lisa, wear me out

I'm pleased to please ya

Mona Lisa, wear me out

Say what you mean, tell me I'm right

And let the sun rain down on me

Give me a sign, I wanna believe

Whoa, Mona Lisa

You're guaranteed to run this town

Whoa, Mona Lisa

I'd pay to see you frown

Say what you mean, tell me I'm right

And let the sun rain down on me

Give me a sign, I wanna believe

...

There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you paid for

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
precision /prɪˈsɪʒən/ B2	noun - the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate
empty /ˈɛmpti/ A2	adjective - containing nothing; not filled or occupied
assess /əˈsɛs/ B2	verb - to evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of
sin /sɪn/ B1	noun - an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company; isolated
taste /teɪst/ A2	noun - a small sample of food or drink; a brief experience of something
mean /miːn/ A2	verb - to intend to convey, indicate, or refer to (a particular idea or object) adjective - unkind, unpleasant, or bad-tempered; unwilling to give or share things
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - true or correct as a fact; morally good, justified, or acceptable noun - a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way
rain /reɪn/ A1	verb - (of rain) fall; to fall in large quantities noun - moisture condensed from the atmosphere that falls visibly in separate drops
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A1	verb - accept (something) as true, feel sure of the truth of
guaranteed /ˌɡærənˈtiːd/ B2	verb - formally assured (something) will meet specified standards or be as described; made certain; ensured
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move at a speed faster than walking verb - to manage or operate (a business, organization, etc.)
frown /fraʊn/ B1	verb - to furrow one's brows in an expression indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration noun - a furrowing of the brow indicating disapproval, displeasure, or concentration
desperation /ˌdɛspəˈreɪʃən/ B2	noun - a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behavior
proper /ˈprɒpər/ B1	adjective - suitable or appropriate; truly what something is said or regarded to be; genuine
wear (out) /wɛər aʊt/ B1	verb - to make (someone) extremely tired; to become or make something unusable through continued use
paid /peɪd/ A2	verb - past simple and past participle of 'pay': to give (someone) money that is due; to suffer a disadvantage as a result of an action
Mona Lisa /ˈmoʊnə ˈliːsə/ C1	proper noun - A half-length portrait painting by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, considered an archetypal masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance.

Key Grammar Structures

• She paints her fingers with a close precision

  ➔ Present Simple with 's' for third person singular

  ➔ The verb 'paints' ends with 's' because the subject 'She' is third person singular.

• There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you paid for

  ➔ Contraction with 's' (There is)

  ➔ 'There's' is a contraction of 'There is', commonly used in spoken and informal English.

• Say what you mean, tell me I'm right

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The verbs 'say' and 'tell' are in the imperative mood, used to give commands or advice.

• Whoa, Mona Lisa, you're guaranteed to run this town

  ➔ Present Simple with 're' for 'are'

  ➔ 'You're' is a contraction of 'you are', commonly used in spoken English.

• And if she had the proper words to say, she would tell him

  ➔ Past Perfect + Would for hypothetical situations

  ➔ The structure 'had + past participle' (Past Perfect) combined with 'would' is used to express hypothetical situations in the past.

• Mona Lisa, wear me out, I'm pleased to please ya

  ➔ Infinitive without 'to' after verb

  ➔ The verb 'wear' is used without 'to' after the verb 'please', which is common in informal or poetic language.