How to Save a Life Lyrics

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  • Type out all lyrics, even repeating song parts like the chorus
  • Lyrics should be broken down into individual lines
  • Use section headers above different song parts like [Verse], [Chorus], etc.
  • Use italics (<i>lyric</i>) and bold (<b>lyric</b>) to distinguish between different vocalists in the same song part
  • If you don’t understand a lyric, use [?]

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About

Genius Annotation

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 for one of their weekend retreats. I was paired up with one kid in particular. His story was just amazing—all the relationships that he had put at risk because of the decisions he made, and eventually losing the relationships… the cost of his lifestyle and his choices, and kind of relating them to my own life and my own stories; seeing all the relationships I’ve threatened for one reason or another. It was a really inspiring weekend.

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

Is "How to Save a Life" about drugs?
Genius Answer

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 suburbanite, and he was just 17 and had all these problems. And no one could write a manual on how to save him.

In another interview he adds:

He was a recovering addict, coming out of a really tough teenage life. The song is more of a memoir about his slow motion decent and all the relationships he lost along the way. It is the easiest one for me to sing every night.

What did The Fray say about "How to Save a Life"?
Genius Answer

Credits
Written By
Recording Engineer
Mastering Engineer
Mixing Engineer
Assistant Recording Engineer
Assistant Mixing Engineer
Pro Tools Editing
Additional Engineering
Additional Pro Tools Editing
Recorded At
Echo Park Studios, Bloomington, IN, Sony Studios, NY, NY, Coupe Studios, Boulder, CO & FTM Studios, Lakewood, CO
Release Date
September 13, 2005
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