Oscar-Nominated Songs: Mona Lisa
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (72025)
United States
January 12, 2023 10:42am CST
Normally I don’t make brash statements like this, but if I hadn’t included today’s song in my list of favorite songs nominated for an Academy Award y’all should have drawn and dimed me. Not “drawn and quartered,” because my opinion wouldn’t be worth 25c! 
The only thing is…this was in a movie???? Yeah, me too. Let’s go.
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
THIS was in a movie????
If they say so. I mean, it’s on the list. It even has a little gold statue to verify that it was in a movie. But this was in a movie?????
The movie in question was called Captain Carey, U.S.A. If you’ve ever heard of it, you’re one up on me. It’s an Alan Ladd movie, made three years before his classic Shane. Captain Carey, U.S.A. (the “USA” is United States Army, not United States of America) was a story about an officer who survived a sabotage attack during World War II and, once the war ended, set out to find the person or persons responsible.
Nah, I’ll just listen to “Mona Lisa.” While Nat King Cole’s version was not used in the film, this song is generally synonymous with the great pop singer. This song has been covered a blue billion times, even rockabilly’d up, but Nat and this song were made for each other.
Who cares if it was in a movie.
Mona Lisa
Written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston
Recorded by Nat King Cole
Oscar Winner
From Captain Carey, U.S.A., 1950
Do you smile to tempt a lover:
The only thing is…this was in a movie???? Yeah, me too. Let’s go.
Mona Lisa - Nat King Cole
THIS was in a movie????
If they say so. I mean, it’s on the list. It even has a little gold statue to verify that it was in a movie. But this was in a movie?????
The movie in question was called Captain Carey, U.S.A. If you’ve ever heard of it, you’re one up on me. It’s an Alan Ladd movie, made three years before his classic Shane. Captain Carey, U.S.A. (the “USA” is United States Army, not United States of America) was a story about an officer who survived a sabotage attack during World War II and, once the war ended, set out to find the person or persons responsible.
Nah, I’ll just listen to “Mona Lisa.” While Nat King Cole’s version was not used in the film, this song is generally synonymous with the great pop singer. This song has been covered a blue billion times, even rockabilly’d up, but Nat and this song were made for each other.
Who cares if it was in a movie.
Mona Lisa
Written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston
Recorded by Nat King Cole
Oscar Winner
From Captain Carey, U.S.A., 1950
Do you smile to tempt a lover:
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21 people like this
20 responses
@Marilynda1225 (83921)
• United States
12 Jan 23
I don't know the movie or that that song was from that movie but I do love Nat King Cole singing it
4 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
Seems we’re all learning something from this countdown. I personally like it when that happens! 
3 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
@Marilynda1225 — the ones in the top ten will be a little more obvious, for the most part. 
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (83921)
• United States
12 Jan 23
@FourWalls as familiar I am with most of these songs I probably couldn't tell you off the top of my head what movie they were from
3 people like this
@popciclecold (39889)
• United States
12 Jan 23
@FourWalls What! I heard that song.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
Absolutely! He really helped with integration, too. He was loved by whites and blacks. Did you know he even had a #1 country song in 1944???? (“Straighten Up and Fly Right”)
3 people like this
@Kandae11 (55923)
•
12 Jan 23
@FourWalls. That is great to know. At what age did he die? A #1 country song , wow!
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (82958)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 Jan 23
I have never seen that movie but I do love this song, Donny Osmond had a great version of this,
3 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
The rockabilly versions are very different, needless to say, but enjoyable (as long as you don’t compare them to this rendition).
3 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
I think the moral of this discussion is: Song memorable, movie not.
3 people like this
@TheHorse (224150)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 Jan 23
@FourWalls Like Ronald Reagan, I appreciate summaries.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
Poor Alan Ladd, to modern people he gets the “Oh, he was in a movie other than Shane?” treatment.
3 people like this
@just4him (318846)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Jan 23
@FourWalls I've seen him in several movies. I don't know their names other than Shane. He was a good actor.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
@yesiisey — definitely. It was ten years before I was born, and I’m betting I’m a good 30 years older than you are.
1 person likes this
@yesiisey (267)
• Indonesia
13 Jan 23
@FourWalls looks like that song is different era to me LoL
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (186228)
• United States
13 Jan 23
That song has an ethereal dream like quality, that I don;t think other singers can match.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
You’re absolutely right. Singers back then had a warm, unique quality. And what Sinatra had was different from what Como had and from what Cole had.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (172308)
• Boise, Idaho
12 Jan 23
A movie I haven't seen either. I will go check on YouTube for it. I like Alan Ladd. It's a nice song. He and Dennis Day both do nice renditions of it.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (172308)
• Boise, Idaho
13 Jan 23
@FourWalls ........Yes, he is hard to surpass.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
Jim Reeves, my all-time favorite singer, did a version of it on an album called Girls I Have Known. I even like the rockabilly versions. But I always go back to Nat’s rendition.
2 people like this
@allknowing (141857)
• India
13 Jan 23
Who can forget Nat King Cole's rendition - Chest nuts roasted on an open fire - A Christmas carol?
I have always liked Mona Lisa Too.
2 people like this
@allknowing (141857)
• India
13 Jan 23
@FourWalls I just feel Christmassy the moment I hear this song
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
That’s “The Christmas Song,” and it was co-written by another pretty darn good singer, Mel Tormé.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
You didn’t know this song??? What kind of a young kid are you?!
I’d never heard of the movie, either.
I’d never heard of the movie, either.2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
We are just going to town this month with songs you know and like!!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
Something tells me the movie isn’t as memorable as this song is!
3 people like this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
12 Jan 23
@FourWalls Sounds about right.
2 people like this
@Beestring (14988)
• Hong Kong
13 Jan 23
This is a good song. Nat King Cole has a great voice.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
He was definitely one of the best singers of the 1950s!
2 people like this
@popciclecold (39889)
• United States
12 Jan 23
Never heard of the movie but sure heard the song. How is your weather?
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
Here in Louisville things are okay. The severe weather and tornado warnings are about 70 miles to the east, around Lexington, KY. We were blessed to only get some rain. The thunder wasn’t even that loud (although it did wake me up).
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
I totally agree with you on every point. Even my favorite singer, Jim Reeves, couldn’t do it as well.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
So do I! What a marvelous singer he was!!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
I completely agree with you on that point!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
12 Jan 23
I’m thinking there’ll be a nope tomorrow, but you might surprise me. You usually do. 
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14759)
• San Jose, California
13 Jan 23
I think my mom had this on a 45 when I was a kid.
2 people like this
@FourWalls (72025)
• United States
13 Jan 23
My parents never had this version, but Jim Reeves had recorded it so I was familiar with it from a young age.
2 people like this
