How to Save a Life (song)
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| "How to Save a Life" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Single by The Fray | ||
| from the album How to Save a Life | ||
| Released | 2006 | |
| Format | Digital Download | |
| Recorded | 2004 | |
| Genre | Alternative Rock | |
| Length | 4:23 | |
| Label | Epic Records | |
| Writer(s) | Isaac Slade, Joe King | |
| Producer(s) | Mike Flynn, Aaron Johnson | |
| Certification | Platinum | |
| Chart positions | ||
| The Fray singles chronology | ||
| "Over My Head (Cable Car)" (2005) |
"How to Save a Life" (2006) |
"Look After You" (2007) |
| The Fray UK singles chronology | ||
| "How to Save a Life" (2007) |
"Over My Head (Cable Car)" (2007) |
|
"How to Save a Life" is an alternative rock song by Colorado-based rock band The Fray. It is the title track from their debut album. It was the follow-up single to the top 10 hit "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and peaked in the top 3 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. The song has sold over 1,000,000 downloads, and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA. It is the band's highest-charting song to date, topping the Adult Top 40 chart for 15 consecutive weeks and topping the Canadian Airplay Chart. The single is backed with a live version performed in a Q101 studio. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal in 2007. It lost to "Dani California" by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The song is the band's first to achieve significant popularity outside of the United States. "How to Save a Life" was a top five hit in Australia, Ireland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Due to an early leak by BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom, where it was the band's debut single, the song was released in that country 5 weeks earlier than planned.
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[edit] About the song
According to lead singer and songwriter Isaac Slade, the song was composed and influenced by his experience while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens:
| “ | 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. | ” |
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, his friends and family approached him by saying, "Quit [the problem behavior] or I won't talk to you again," but all he needed was some support.
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.
While this was the original intent of the song, the band has opened the song to interpretation. They created a website[1] where fans were welcome to submit music videos they had made for the song. This arose from the response that Slade got from the song:
| “ | I got a lot of e-mails about it (...) One kid died in a car accident, and I guess it had been the last song he downloaded from his computer. They played it at his funeral, and some of his friends got Save a life tattooed on their arms. The response has been overwhelming. | ” |
[edit] Music videos
The song is unusual in that it is one of the few songs to ever have three music videos made for it.
The original music video, which premiered on VH1 on September 12, 2006, featured the recurring themes of light and stopped time. This music video shows the scene of a car crash and all of its presumed victims in pause. There is a recurring light throughout the video shining brightly in the dark woods that the video takes place in. Scenes of the band playing in a dark warehouse are intercut with the story going on outside.
Another version of the music video juxtaposes scenes from Grey's Anatomy to scenes of the original music video. However, all the scenes of the presumed car crash victims are excluded and only scenes of The Fray playing in a warehouse are shown.
A third music video was released for the song on December 6, 2006. It was directed by Mark Pellington, who is known for his work on the "Jeremy" music video among others. The video features various different kids, most of which seem to be between 12-18 in age, all who appear to be depressed and suicidal. Many of the kids cry and scream in the video, all against a white background. Scenes of the band playing the song against this same white background are also shown throughout the video. The video ends with each kid seeming to find a sense of self happiness. This version of the video debuted on MTV's Total Request Live at #9, and has since gone on to top the countdown at #1 on December 21, 2006, becoming the band's first TRL #1, and also becoming the last #1 video on TRL for 2006.
The original version of the video was placed at #21 of the year by VH1's "Top 40 Videos of 2006."
[edit] The song featured on television
- "How to Save a Life" was first used in television on an episode of ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy, entitled "Superstition" and aired on March 19, 2006.
- The song was also featured on an episode of NBC's medical series Scrubs, which was first aired on April 25, 2006, and entitled "My Lunch." In this emotionally-driven episode, Dr. Cox reaches a turning point in his career as a doctor when three of his patients die in one day from diseased transplant organs, including one who could've waited a full month longer before receiving his. The song plays as a devastated Cox attempts to revive the latter patient, who inevitably dies.
- It also plays in the episode My Night to Remember, while looking back on the awkward moments in his life, J.D. says how "That Fray song starts playing." How to Save a Life starts playing and J.D. quickly says "No not that Fray song!" and She Is starts playing instead.
- It was also featured on episodes of The WB's drama One Tree Hill, and MTV's reality series The Hills and 8th & Ocean.
- It was also used by HBO on the channel's Summer Image campaign.
- It was also featured as the closing song in the January 7, 2007 episode of CBS's Cold Case, called "Knuckle Up". It played during the closing scenes.
- It is also used in the trailer for Adam Sandler's new film Reign Over Me
[edit] Connection with Grey's Anatomy
Alexandra Patsavas, the music supervisor for ABC's Grey's Anatomy, saw the band perform in Los Angeles. She was impressed with their performance, particularly with the song "How to Save a Life". Alexandra then incorporated the song into "Superstition", an episode of the show's second season (first aired on March 19, 2006). After its usage in the episode, the song became a minor Hot 100 hit. The song became an "unofficial theme" for the other members of the Grey's Anatomy production after the episode aired, leading to the decision that the song would be used in the main promotion for the third season in the show.[2]
One week after the promotion began to air, "How to Save a Life" advanced from position #51 to position #29 on the Hot 100. As the promotion played, the song continued to climb on the charts, reaching a peak position of #3 in the Billboard issue marked October 7, 2006. On September 21, 2006, a Grey's Anatomy version of the music video (similar to the one made for Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars") was shown prior to the third season premiere of the show. The song was also released as one of the tracks on the Grey's Anatomy, Vol. 2 soundtrack album.
[edit] Charts
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| Preceded by "Lips of an Angel" by Hinder |
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart number one single January 3, 2007 |
Succeeded by "Say It Right" by Nelly Furtado |
[edit] Parodies
The song How to Kill a Brand, performed by Doc Adams, criticizes the PlayStation 3 to the tune of How to Save a Life. [2]
[edit] Sample
- "How to Save a Life" (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- "How to Save a Life" from How to Save a Life
- Problems playing the files? See media help.
[edit] References
- ^ Debut 'How to Save a Life' takes on a life of its own. USA Today (July 12, 2006).
- ^ How 'Grey's' got that catchy new "theme" song. New York Post (September 24, 2006).
- ^ a b c d e The song is currently at its peak on this chart and may continue to rise.
[edit] External links
- "How To Save A Life (Mark Pellington Version)" Music Video
- Thefray.net — the band's official website.
- Howtosavealife.com — official website dedicated to the song.
- Savealifecampaign.com — The Save A Life Campaign.
- "How to Save a Life" video group — a group of videos on YouTube related to the song.
| The Fray |
|---|
| Isaac Slade | Joe King | Dave Welsh | Ben Wysocki |
| Discography |
| Albums: How to Save a Life | Live at the Electric Factory |
| EPs: Movement EP | Reason EP |
| Singles: "Over My Head (Cable Car)" | "How to Save a Life" | "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" | "Look After You" |
