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… Read More [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

Pray to God He hears you

And 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

[Post-Chorus]

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 (I would have stayed up)

Had I known how to save a life

[Outro]

How to save a life

How to save a life