How To Save A Life - The Fray


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Tabbed by Ciarán Ó hAoláin

Capo 3rd!

Wanted to try this with how I thought it could sound better and I think that the chords used sound brighter
and make the guitar line more closely and subtly mimiCadd9 the piano line when strummed to emphasize
the 4th and 5th strings, as it sounds much better and has the brightness and tones of the original,
play around with it! :) 

     (G)      
e|----3------|
B|----3------|
G|----0------|
D|----0------|
A|----2------|
E|----3------|

 (Dsus4/F#)  (
----3------|--
----3------|--
----2------|--
----0------|--
----0------|--
----2------|--

Em7b9#5)   (Ca
--3------|----
--3------|----
--0------|----
--2------|----
--2------|----
--0------|----

dd9)       
3------|
3------|
0------|
2------|
3------|
X------|

Use little finger and ring finger for the third fret on the high e and B strings, and leave there
throughout song, move other fingers to make all other chords! If you're used to playing some of the
basiCadd9 chords another way this may be difficult at first but I believe well worth it!

Credit to C5Bocker who's version helped me with the tabbing of the piano!

E--3----------
B----3-0-3--3-
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E--3----------

----5---------
0-3---3-0-3--3
--------------
--------------
--------------
----2---------

-----7--------
-0-3---3-0-3--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-------2---5--
3-0-3---------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-3-----|
-3-----|
-------|
-------|
-2-----|
-3-----| (Firs

t chord of Ver

se)

[Verse 1]
             
Step one you s

       
ay we need to 

#
talk
       
He walks you s

       
ay sit down it

#         
’s just a talk
          Dsus4/F#           Em7b9#5
He smiles politely back at you
             
You stare poli

       
tely right on 

 
through
             Dsus/F#        Em7b9#5
Some sort of window to your right
           
As he goes lef

         
t and you stay

 
 right
            Dsus4/F#          Em7b9#5
Between the lines of fear and blame
              
And you begin 

   
to wonder why 

you came


[Chorus]

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

(Dsus4/F# Em7b9#5Dsus4/F#)

[Bridge 1]
E--3----------
B----3-0-3--3-
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E--3----------

----5---------
0-3---3-0-3--3
--------------
--------------
--------------
----2---------

-----7--------
-0-3---3-0-3--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-------2---5--
3-0-3---------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-3-----|
-3-----|
-------|
-------|
-2-----|
-3-----| (Firs

t chord of Ver

se)

[Verse 2]
             
Let him know t

    
hat you know b

est
 Em7b9#5             Dsus4/F#
Cause after all you do know best
             
Try to slip pa

   
st his defense
  Em7b9#5        Dsus4/F#
Without granting innocence
          
Lay down a lis

        
t of what is w


rong
           
The things you


’ve told him a

ll along
             
And pray to Go

     
d he hears you
Em7b9#5                Dsus4/F#
And pray to God he hears you

[Chorus]

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

(Dsus4/F# Em7b9#5Dsus4/F#)

E--3----------
B----3-0-3--3-
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E--3----------

----5---------
0-3---3-0-3--3
--------------
--------------
--------------
----2---------

-----7--------
-0-3---3-0-3--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-------2---5--
3-0-3---------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-3-----|
-3-----|
-------|
-------|
-2-----|
-3-----| (Firs

t chord of Ver

se)

[Verse 2]
             
As he begins t

   
o raise his vo

ice
       
You lower your

      
s and grant hi

          
m one last cho

ice
              
Drive until yo

  
u lose the roa

d
Em7b9#5                       Dsus4/F#
Or break with the ones you’ve followed
           
He will do one


 of two things
Em7b9#5          Dsus4/F#
He will admit to everything
             
Or he’ll say h

      
e’s just not t

he same
Em7b9#5             Dsus4/F#
And you’ll begin to wonder why you came

[Chorus]

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

(Dsus4/F# Em7b9#5Dsus4/F#)

E--3----------
B----3-0-3--3-
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E--3----------

----5---------
0-3---3-0-3--3
--------------
--------------
--------------
----2---------

-----7--------
-0-3---3-0-3--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-------2---5--
3-0-3---------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-3-----|
-------|
-------|
-------|
-------|
-------|


[Bridge 2]
              
E-------------
B--3-3-3---1--
G--------2----
D-------------
A-------------
E-------------

              
--------------
0-------------
---0----------
--------------
--------------
--------------

  How to save 
--------------
-3-3-3---1--0-
-------2-----0
--------------
--------------
--------------

a Life...
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|

[Chorus]

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

         
Where did I go

      
 wrong, I lost

  
 a friend
             
Somewhere alon

       
g in the bitte

#
rness
         
And I would ha

         
ve stayed up w

/      
ith you all ni

#
ght
             
Had I known ho

      
w to save a li

      
fe

(Dsus4/F# Em7b9#5Dsus4/F#)

[Bridge 1]    
              
E-------------
B--8---3-3-3--
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E-------------

              
              
--------------
-10---3-3-3---
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

     
   How To save
--------------
12---3-3-3---8
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

 A Life...
---------|
--10---3-|
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|

[Bridge 2]
              
E-------------
B--3-3-3---1--
G--------2----
D-------------
A-------------
E-------------

              
--------------
0-------------
---0----------
--------------
--------------
--------------

   How to save
--------------
-3-3-3---1--0-
-------2-----0
--------------
--------------
--------------

 a Life...
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|
---------|

[Bridge 3]
E--3----------
B----3-0-3--3-
G-------------
D-------------
A-------------
E--3----------

----5---------
0-3---3-0-3--3
--------------
--------------
--------------
----2---------

-----7--------
-0-3---3-0-3--
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-------2---5--
3-0-3---------
--------------
--------------
--------------
--------------

-3-----|
-3-----|
-------|
-------|
-2-----|
-3-----| (Hold

 final chord)

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