Produced by Muff Winwood
B-side of Amateur Hour (… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Ron Mael
Produced by Muff Winwood
B-side of Amateur Hour (07/1974)
"A guy finds a wallet lost by a careless man and makes only a half-hearted attempt to find its owner and return it to him. It's not really a metaphor for anything. It's just about a guy finding a wallet and not wanting to give it back" - Russell Mael (1990)
Lost And Found
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
And all the streets are paved tonight, and we won't be their slaves tonight
And I ain't gonna feel bad at all, feel bad at all
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad
He's Robin Hood by accident
I need it more than he does and
I surely will not feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel
Bad at all, feel bad at all
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
Oh is there anybody out there by the name of Mister Jones ?
No, No, Well, I tried
Lost and found, lost and found, lost and found, lost and found
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
We sailed across the Barbary Sea, with Nina, Pinto, and Marie
And none of us will feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at all,
Feel bad at all, feel bad at all, feel bad at
All
Yes, all the streets are paved tonight, and we won't be their slaves tonight
And I ain't gonna feel bad at all, feel bad at all
Lost and found, lost and found, lost and found, lost and found
The song begins with a repetitive motif of "Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man" highlighting the carelessness of someone who has lost their wallet. However, the singer seems to be unconcerned about their own lack of care for their belongings, finding little sympathy for the careless "man" and even claiming to need the money more than he does. The phrase "Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad" interjects after each repetition, as if to mock someone who would be upset at losing their wallet.
The song takes an ironic turn when the singer states, "He's Robin Hood by accident," suggesting that they may have stolen the wallet and are justifying it in their own mind as taking from the rich to give to the poor. The reference to "Mister Jones" suggests that the wallet's owner has been trying to track it down, but the singer seems dismissive of their efforts. The final verse describes a journey across the Barbary Sea with three companions, affirming the idea that they won't feel bad for any past or future misdeeds.
Line by Line Meaning
Lost and found, a wallet from a man, careless man, careless man
The singer has found a wallet that belonged to a careless man.
Too bad, too bad, too bad, too bad
It's unfortunate that the careless man lost his wallet.
And all the streets are paved tonight, and we won't be their slaves tonight
The singer and their companions are enjoying the freedom of the night.
And I ain't gonna feel bad at all, feel bad at all
The artist does not feel guilty for taking the wallet.
He's Robin Hood by accident
The artist feels like an unintentional hero like Robin Hood.
I need it more than he does and
The singer justifies taking the wallet because they needed it more than the careless man.
Lost and found, lost and found, lost and found, lost and found
The singer repeats the phrase to emphasize the theme of losing and finding.
Oh is there anybody out there by the name of Mister Jones ?
The artist is possibly searching for the owner of the lost wallet.
No, No, Well, I tried
The artist has tried but failed to find the owner of the wallet.
We sailed across the Barbary Sea, with Nina, Pinto, and Marie
The artist and their companions had an adventure across the Barbary Sea with their shipmates Nina, Pinto, and Marie.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: RON MAEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.