The second single, and title track from The Fray’s debut album.
This song is about lead singer Isaac Slade’s experience at a shelter for troubled teens. From an article in “The Sauce” Magazine:
A friend of mine was actually the president for that particular school, so he asked Joe and I to come up...
[Verse 1]
Step one, you say we need to talk
He walks, you say, "Sit down, it's just a talk"
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
[Chorus]
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
[Verse 2]
Let him know that you know best
'Cause after all, you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God He hears you
And I pray to God He hears you, and
[Chorus]
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
[Verse 3]
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
[Chorus]
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
[Refrain]
How to save a life
How to save a life
[Chorus]
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend (Where did I go wrong?)
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
[Outro]
How to save a life
How to save a life
How to Save a Life was written by Joe King & Isaac Slade.
How to Save a Life was produced by Aaron Johnson & Mike Flynn.
The Fray released How to Save a Life on Tue Sep 13 2005.
The lyrics came from an experience singer Isaac Slade had with a teenager who was struggling with crack addiction, while working as a mentor on a camp for troubled youths. In an interview with USA Today, Slade explains:
One of the kids I was paired up with was a musician. Here I was, a protected su...