5 Chords used in the song: C, G/B, Am, G, F

←
Chords transposed Up 8 Half-steps. (Back to Original version)
Transpose chords:
VERSE 1:G#
D#/B
Step one you say we need to talk
Fm
D#
D#/B
G#
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
D#/B
Fm
He smiles politely back at you
D#
D#/B
G#
You stare politely right on through
D#/B
Fm
Some sort of window to your right
D#
D#/B
G#
As he goes left and you stay right
D#/B
Fm
Between the lines of fear and blame
D#
D#/B
And you begin to wonder why you came
CHORUS:
C#
D#
Fm
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
G#
D#
Somewhere along in the bitterness
C#
D#
Fm
And I would have stayed up with you all night
G#
D#
Had I known how to save a life
VERSE 2:G#
D#/B
Let him know that you know best
Fm
D#
D#/B
G#
Cause after all you do know best
D#/B
Fm
Try to slip past his defence
D#
D#/B
G#
Without granting innocence
D#/B
Fm
Lay down a list of what is wrong
D#
D#/B
G#
The things you've told him all along
D#
D#/B
And pray to God he hears you
CHORUS:
C#
D#
Fm
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
G#
D#
Somewhere along in the bitterness
C#
D#
Fm
And I would have stayed up with you all night
G#
D#
Had I known how to save a life
VERSE 3:G#
D#/B
As he begins to raise his voice
Fm
D#
D#/B
G#
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
D#/B
Fm
Drive until you lose the road
D#
D#/B
G#
Or break with the ones you've followed
D#/B
Fm
He will do one of two things
D#
D#/B
G#
He will admit to everything
D#/B
Fm
Or he'll say he's just not the same
D#
D#/B
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
CHORUS:
C#
D#
Fm
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
G#
D#
Somewhere along in the bitterness
C#
D#
Fm
And I would have stayed up with you all night
G#
D#
Had I known how to save a life
⇢ Not happy with this tab? View 9 other version(s)
Tab comments (4)
Filter by:


-2 for original. also for me it sounds better if I add another A# at the end of the chorus
24 May 2020



Top Tabs & Chords by The Fray, don't miss these songs!
About this song: How To Save A Life
Influenced by a boy that Isaac Slade, lead singer, met while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens. According to Slade, the song is about all the people who attempted to help this troubled boy but were unsuccessful.