The Fray: How to Save a Life Meaning

Song Released: 2006

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How to Save a Life Lyrics

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...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Nov 3rd 2006 report

   The title track, "how to save a life," was inspired by slade's experience as a mentor to a crack addicted teen. "I was a sheltered suburban kid when I met this guy. He was a recovering addict, coming out of a really tough teenage life. Thankfully, he was on his way out of that life, so he was able to really look back with some objectivity. The song is more of a memoir about his slow motion descent and all the relationships he lost along the way." destined to be one of the band's greatest hits, slade isn't worried about getting tired of performing the song: "it is the easiest one for me to sing every night. I constantly get emails from people who relate to it."
   
   this is from their official website...

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 30th 2020 report

   A man is looking back on a moment in his life where he lost an important person. He's thinking, "Where did I go wrong?" And the line, I lost a Friend says it all. A friend lost to suicide.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Oct 10th 2006 report

   It's about suicide. It's someone trying to help someone from hurting themselfves and thinking back on how they should have listened instead of thinking what to say or how they should have stayed up with the person all night. The song really means how to save a life.
4. anonymous

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   Jul 24th 2021 report

   I do not understand from the lyrics where you get your interpretation from. My original understanding was that a best friend had cheated with his best friends girlfriend and could not find the words to explain that to him. Instead he allows his friend to charge off into the night and crash his car.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
5. anonymous

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   May 16th 2021 report

   This song is definitely about suicide basically saying if he had stayed up all night he could've saved his friend's life.
6. anonymous

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   Apr 24th 2021 report

   This song is about suicide im only 14 and im very suicidal ive been 2 like 4 mental hospitals and they do nothing anymore but lock me in a little room with nobody and nothing to make me realize im hurting the people around me and it kills me i have scares everywear and it hurts seeing them everyday
   
   Before i started being suicidal my mom got into a really bad I accident and broke every bone in her body from her hips down and it was very hard on me and my dad once my mom finally recovered I found out that my dad had left my mom and I started dating this girl this girl got him back into doing drugs and he called my mom the night before he had passed away.me and my mom were The last people to be on the phone with him in the song how to save a life reminds me and her of him and it hurts sm becuase we should have saved me but we couldn’t
   
   
   If anyone who reads this really needs someone to talk to people text me here sre all my socials
   Insta-kaele_101
   Snap-Kprincipato8
   #-7323001452
   Please call me im here for u i can call u and be on the phone with u 24/7 just to save a life
7. Lexie

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   Nov 4th 2020 report

   This song is about a lot. It's emotional, and really makes you feel the connection. It's about a suicide, and how this guy wasn't able to save his friend, because he didn't know how. I recently had a suicide attempt, and luckily I survived it. I look back and realize how thankful I am that my attempt didn't go through. Just know that I am here if you ever need to talk, just shoot me a text, and I will help you (620)-204-1056
8. anonymous

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   Sep 28th 2018 report

   This song reminds me of all that I have lost and how many times I have wanted to save there lives how much I wanted to make memories with them that would last forever. there has been some days that I feel it is my job to save everyones life even tho it might cost mine. So this song hits really close to home for me.
9. anonymous

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   Sep 5th 2018 report

   It he feels he failed his friend from his sucide now feels he could do better and feels guilty for not saving him he been tried to prevent his sucide but he went ahead and kill himself- this songs really ive tried killl myself so many times but songs help me realise theys more to life now im slowly recovering and another thing think about my unborn child (im 5 weeks pregnant} even though still think about killing myself but with the love my friend who help me though the dark times, my family & my hubby (as the baby) who save me from commiting sucide so if feel like kill yourself watch vid (when a bit better) im living proof im a surviour.
10. anonymous

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    Aug 15th 2018 report

    it about sucide and how didnt help him- i know that feels i just tried kill myself last friday and failed but i still feel sucidal and no one listening im getting help with nurses at GP but wait over 2 weeks still im getting help so i know how this feels at the mo hopfully i get help soon all can say if you want to die- get help fast it may save your life
11. AshD

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    May 9th 2018 report

    I think this is about suicide caused from bullying or cyber-bullying. People can stop bullying, they are just too cowardly or scared to stop it.
12. anonymous

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    Dec 11th 2017 report

    Somebody guilt tripping about the suicide of a friend who feels like it was they're fault.
13. anonymous

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    Nov 7th 2017 report

    what is the theme in this song? for example, love, happines etc

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
14. anonymous

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    Oct 9th 2017 report

    There is always going to be someone you can't save and it hurts not being able to understand what they mean. Struggling with depression and anxiety isn't easy, the thoughts get to the point where you can't take it anymore. A friend of mine shared the same feeling and experiences I had so we tried to help each other the best we could to stay away from the thoughts that ate at us, but in the end it was enough to handle for her.
15. anonymous

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    Oct 1st 2017 report

    This is the original intention:
    Slade claims that the song is about all of the people that tried to reach out to the boy but were unsuccessful. As Slade says in an interview, the boy's friends and family approached him by saying, "Quit taking drugs and cutting yourself or I won't talk to you again," but all he needed was some support. The boy was losing friends and going through depression. He lost his best friend and could not deal with it. The verses of the song describe an attempt by an adult to confront a troubled teen. In the chorus, the singer laments that he himself was unable to save a friend because he did not know how.
16. anonymous

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    Sep 12th 2017 report

    I think its about someone who needs help and its not too late to solve their problems with the help of good and trusting friends.
17. Xcalibur

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    Aug 18th 2017 report

    I've come back back on and off to looping this song for a decade now.
    
    I've always interpreted the lyrics as:
    Two lovers. They have been together for at least a year now. Song is speaking to a younger, innocent girl who has her shit together. She's confronting her (functioning addict) older boyfriend. He kept his addiction a secret from her, she just found out.
    
    He loves her back. Deep down he knows if he breaks her heart he will be lost forever.
    
    His addictions take control though. Her heart breaks. She feels guilty she could have done something to save him.
    
    The song is her reflection years after she's moved on.
18. anonymous

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    Jul 2nd 2017 report

    hi I'm 13 and my friend died this year too. she was only 12. I think the song is about suicide. we could have listen to the problems of the person/s we loved. but when we recognized that it was really serious it was too late. and we think it was/is our fault. too late... :-(

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