Trumpeter and big band leader Charlie Spivak recorded "Mona Lisa" (Ray Evans - Jay Livingston) for the 1950 motion picture "Captain Carey, U.S.A." starring Alan Ladd. The movie was based on the novel "No Surrender" and filmed using the title "O.S.S." and then "After Midnight" before being released as "Captain Carey, U.S.A." The song won the Academy Award for Best Song.

Pianist/singer Nat "King Cole" took the single to the top of the charts that same year. The arrangement was by Nelson Riddle while Les Baxter's Orchestra provided the backup. Originally this was the B side of "The Greatest Inventor Of Them All".