In the lost and found
Elliott Smith/Elliot Smith Lyrics


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he held his breath
to hold your hand
to walk the stairsteps in pairs
climbing up the slippery slope
I'm in love
love I hope
don't go home Angelina
stay with me
hanging around in the lost and found

kissed you quick
feeling weird
lonely lived and disappeared
this is such a simple place
passing time can't erase
don't go home angelina
paint tomorrow blue

day breaks
and every morning when he wakes
he thinks of you

I'm alone
that's okay
i dont mind
most of the time
I dont feel afraid to die
she was here passing by
don't go home angelina
stay with me
hanging around in the lost and found




stay with me
hanging around in the lost and found

Overall Meaning

The song "In the Lost and Found" by Elliott Smith is a melancholy and reflective piece about lost love, regret, and the desire for companionship. The verses introduce a character who is holding his breath and climbing the stairs with his love interest, expressing his hope for love and urging her to stay with him. The chorus repeated twice throughout the song, highlights his desperation for her to not leave him, and stay with him, even in the loneliness of the lost and found. The second verse describes a kiss shared, a feeling of weirdness, and the eventual disappearance of the love interest. Elliott Smith's lyrics allude to a simple and uncomplicated existence, and time that cannot erase memories of a love lost.


The chorus returns and reminds us of the lost love- Angelina, and that the singer is okay with being alone most of the time, but death doesn't frighten him either. As the song ends, the singer begs Angelina to stay with him before finally repeating again, the image of the lost and found. Through the lyrics of this song, Elliott Smith conveys a potent ache for connection and companionship that stays with the listener long after the song is over.


Line by Line Meaning

he held his breath
He was anxious and nervous.


to hold your hand
He desired intimacy with the person he was singing to.


to walk the stairsteps in pairs
He wanted to build a shared home with someone he loves.


climbing up the slippery slope
He knows that relationships can be difficult and require hard work.


I'm in love
He is experiencing strong feelings of attachment to someone special.


love I hope
He wants his love to be reciprocated.


don't go home Angelina
He doesn't want the person he is singing to leave him.


stay with me
He wants the person he is singing to, to stick around.


hanging around in the lost and found
He feels uncertain about the future of his relationship.


kissed you quick
He is reminiscing about a moment of intimacy.


feeling weird
He felt awkward and uncertain about his emotions.


lonely lived and disappeared
He has experienced isolation and detachment from others.


this is such a simple place
He understands that the world can be uncomplicated and beautiful.


passing time can't erase
One can't forget everything that has happened in the past.


paint tomorrow blue
He wants to start anew with the person he loves.


day breaks
Morning has arrived.


and every morning when he wakes
He thinks about the person he loves first thing in the morning.


he thinks of you
He still has strong feelings for the person he loves.


I'm alone
He is by himself.


that's okay
He is content with being alone for now.


i dont mind
Being alone doesn't bother him.


most of the time
He occasionally feels lonely, but generally not.


I dont feel afraid to die
He doesn't fear death.


she was here passing by
He is thinking about a past moment with the person he loves.


stay with me
He begs the person he loves to remain with him.


hanging around in the lost and found
He feels unsure of his relationship's future and feels somewhat lost.


stay with me
He repeats his desire for the person he loves to stay with him.


hanging around in the lost and found
He repeats his feelings of uncertainty about their relationship.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Steven Paul Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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