The Mona Lisa's Sister is a 1988 album

Album

An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...

 by Graham Parker

Graham Parker

Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...

. It was Parker's first album for RCA

RCA Records

RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...

 following an acrimonious split with Atlantic

Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

 and the first he produced himself (with Brinsley Schwarz

Brinsley Schwarz (musician)

Brinsley Ernst Pieter Schwarz is an English guitarist and rock musician. He formed a band named Kippington Lodge in 1965, which evolved into the eponymous band Brinsley Schwarz...

). The "stripped-down" sound of the album garnered critical acclaim and presaged a back-to-basics trend in rock music

Rock music

Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 in the 1990s. It was re-released by Buddah Records

Buddah Records

Buddah Records was founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's founding...

 in 1999 with a bonus track, "Ordinary Girl", the B-side to "Get Started. Start a Fire". The album debuted at #77 (US) May 28, 1988.

In 1989, it was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s.

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
    Cupid (Sam Cooke song)
    "Cupid" is a 1961 hit single recorded and written by Sam Cooke. The song is ranked #452 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.-Cover versions:* In 1964, Johnny Rivers covered the song on his live album In Action....
    
    " - (Sam Cooke
    Sam Cooke
    Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
    
    ) – 2:30

Personnel

• Graham Parker
  Graham Parker
  Graham Parker is a British rock singer and songwriter, who is best known as the lead singer of the popular British band Graham Parker & the Rumour.-Early career :...
  
   - Lead & Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Producer
• Brinsley Schwarz
  Brinsley Schwarz (musician)
  Brinsley Ernst Pieter Schwarz is an English guitarist and rock musician. He formed a band named Kippington Lodge in 1965, which evolved into the eponymous band Brinsley Schwarz...
  
   - Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Producer
• Andrew Bodnar - Bass Guitar
• James Hallawell - Keyboards
• Terry Williams
  Terry Williams (drummer)
  Terrence "Terry" Williams is a Welsh rock drummer, whose resume includes work for Dire Straits, B. B. King, and Bob Dylan....
  
   - Drums
• Pete Thomas
  Pete Thomas
  Pete Thomas is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello. Tom Waits has referred to him as "one of the best rock drummers alive".-Career:...
  
   - Drums on (4) and (7)
• Andy Duncan - Drums on (9)
• Christie Chapman - Backing Vocals

• Jon Jacobs - Engineer
• Martin Edwards - Assistant Engineer
• Jack Drummond - Cover Painting
• Jolie Parker - Photographs