You Found Me

The Fray

I found God on the corner of First in Amistad
Where the west was all but won
All alone
Smoking his last cigarette
I said "where you been?"
He said, "ask anything"

Where were you
When everything was falling apart?
All my days
Spent by the telephone
That never rang
And all I needed was a call
That never came
To the corner of First and Amistad

[Chorus]
Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me

In the end
Everyone ends up alone
Losing her
The only one who's ever known
Who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be
No way to know
How long she will be next to me

[Chorus]

Early morning
City breaks
I've been calling
For years and years and years and years
And you never left me no messages
You never send me no letters
You got some kind of nerve
Taking all our love

Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lying on the floor
Where were you? Where were you?

[Chorus]

Why'd you have to wait
To find me?
To find me?


Lyrics submitted by bigt89313, edited by StarBrink

You Found Me song meanings
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211 Comments

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  • +32
    General Comment

    Isaac posted this on thefray.net website along with the video.

    "You Found Me is a tough song for me. Its about the disappointment, the heart ache, the let down that comes with life. Sometimes you're let down, sometimes you're the one who lets someone else down. It gets hard to know who you can trust, who you can count on. This song came out of a tough time, and I'm still right in the thick of it. There's some difficult circumstances my family and friends have been going through over the past year or so and can be overwhelming. It wears on me. It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest."

    The song is truly amazing. I myself have been battling my own problems small and large among family, friends, school, work, personal, everything. Caring about everyone around me and trying to put smiles on faces and make people happy during the hardest of times. But when you can't do it, it begins to eat at you, and others problems become your own demons. Eventually hitting rock bottom. And even today I struggle with my demons every other day. And while I am not religious, nor do I believe in God, I continue to believe there might be a higher power that will help those I love with their problems.

    I think this song takes everything about life into account while placing God into it as well. But the song does something rarely what other musicians attempt to do, it shows the emotional range and true insecurities which we all have but rarely reveal.

    Can't wait to see them live, definitely some of the greatest musicians, and certainly great people among a world so messed up as ours.

    3xXon November 24, 2008   Link
  • +27
    My Interpretation

    To me some parts of this song could almost be a conversation between God and the singer:

    I said, “Where you been?” He said, “Ask anything.” (God)

    Singer: Where were you? When everything was falling apart? All my days Were spent by the telephone It never rang And all I needed was a call It never came To the corner of First and Amistad- (He was looking for God and actively trying to find him when this traumatic experience was starting or happening but he didn’t feel like God was responding or there)

    Singer: Lost and insecure- (I was alone, hurting, etc. Why did you let me experience this pain?)

    God: You found me, you found me- (Sometimes it takes really a hard time or bad experience for someone to turn to or “find” God, this is how it happened for me)

    Singer: Lying on the floor - (He was hurting so badly, a really devastating thing happened to this person)

    God: Surrounded, surrounded (I was there with you even though you didn’t realize it)

    Singer: Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? (Why did God let this bad thing happen?)

    God: Just a little late. You found me, you found me- (This bad thing happened to the singer and he was devastated by it, his faith (if he would have had it then) could have helped him deal with it but, he did eventually find God).

    God: I've been calling for years and years and years and years- (It may not have been bells and whistles and obvious but, I have been in your life even though you didn’t realize it) Singer: And you never left me no messages. You never send me no letters (Maybe this is while he was trying to decide if there actually was a God…why didn’t you help me?)

    The last lines of the song really speak to me:

    Singer: Why'd you have to wait? –(Let me experience this pain?) God: To find me, to find me (Otherwise the singer might not have come to Christ)

    This kind of reminds of the story about the footprints dream: the guy thinks God abandoned him during the worst times of his life but really God was carrying or “surrounding” him. (For those not familiar with the story: footprints-inthe-sand.com/index.php)

    I’ve read the previous posts and realize this is probably not the “real” meaning of the song but, it’s how I choose to view it …sorry if I have annoyed you with my Christian view

    alf0509on January 08, 2009   Link
  • +19
    Song Meaning

    To me this song means so much. I struggled with depression and anxiety for 10 years, from ages 11 till 21. I lost many friends, situations didn't work out, brutal teasing, and I felt very alone. That changed Christmas of 2007, when I got saved again by God. I still have days where my anxiety or sad thoughts will come, but it's much easier for me to use my faith in God to combat it.

    To me the overall song is about that anger and envy feelings you get when God finally comes to help, but you wonder why it too so many years. Never realing the struggles you go through end up making your faith get stronger. Just like what Jesus did and took all the sins for us on the cross. Like the line "Where the West was all but won." When Jesus died, his hands on the cross represent his saving us and how far the East is from the West, his scarred hands.

    The girl in the 2nd verse represents the loved ones lost or gone from your life during this time. The ones who got you and could have helped you through this.

    It's actually a hope filled song, wrapped up in the feelings of anger at wanting God's grace and mercy sooner. Because the sinner was FOUND. He's just human and wanted it sooner. ;)

    buffyfan145on November 23, 2008   Link
  • +6
    General Comment

    3xX, you say you have been through some difficult circumstances, and have trouble fighting your demons, yet you still believe in the a higher power that helps your friends and family. But you do not believe in God? To me it sounds like you certainly believe in something. That higher power you speak of is God. It doesn't have to be a man in the sky with a beard watching when we screw up or playing puppeteer. Can God not be found in the people in our lives? Aren't the people who are there for us in the toughest times God reaching out to us? People want some divine miracles where a lightning bolt flashes and everything is fixed, and in doing this we see the small miracles every day. The love of our family and friends is the love of God. When we turn to a friend in a time of need we turn to God. The gift of being a live and having other people is a miracle from God.

    And I think it is extremely appropriate how Isaac portrays God as a human on earth "who sends him no letters" or doesn't call when being waited for. A watched pot never boils, and we miss the other things going on in our lives. We miss the small miracles that keep us going when we hope for something more.

    I personally believe in a balance, so if we don't at times lose God, how can we find him? Sometimes you have to go there to come back. It's the hard times in our lives that we really get the opportunity to see God and his work in this world. The work of our loved ones. Things get hard in life, yet we are still hear today. We are living and breathing and that is all that matters. People say that God has abandoned us, but Isaac eventually found him while on his search in the song. There is still hope buried inside hurt of his heart, and that small ounce of faith is all that is enough. God will do the rest.

    poolshark8on November 28, 2008   Link
  • +6
    My Interpretation

    This in my interpretation; a song can mean whatever it wants to you, thats why people write them.

    I found God on the corner of 1st and Amistad Where the West was all but won All alone, smoking his last cigarette I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything."

    (I think guy has killed him self at this place. and now that he is dead he finds out there is a higher power)

    Where were you, when everything was falling apart? All my days were spent by the telephone that never rang And all I needed was a call that never came To the corner of 1st and Amistad

    (I think before he killed himself he was looking for a reason to live, possibly praying and looking for an answer from God. Whether this answer came from a friend or family. In the form of a letter or call when he needed it most. But he says that answer, that reason, never came)

    Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.

    (he was feeling lost and insecure. and now that he is dead god is finaly there. lying on the floor surrounded is probly refering to him being dead. he is now probaly surrouned by police and EMS. Maybe friends or family that he needed are there now. And he's asking god why he had to wait til now to show him self. Hes saying its just alil late because he cant undo killing himself. )

    But in the end everyone ends up alone Losing her, the only one who's ever known Who I am, who I'm not and who I wanna to be No way to know how long she will be next to me

    (Maybe his gf left him beacuse of him always having a bad outlook on life, or maybe he was holding her down with him or something like that. And she was the person who knew more about him than anyone else. Now she is there next to him amongst the chaos. but he knows this is the last time she will be next to him because he is no longer alive.)

    Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.

    (repeat)

    The early morning, the city breaks And I've been calling for years and years and years And you never left me no messages You never sent me no letters You got some kind of nerve taking all I'm worth

    (now he is tlkign to god again about how all this time he was waithing for an answer. and he sayin hes got some kinda nerve because god could have saved him if he woulda just shown him self. but he waited n it cost this guy everything, including his life)

    Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor Where were you? Where were you?

    Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you? Where were you? Just a little late, you found me, you found me.

    Why'd you have to wait, to find me, to find me?

    Fallothelederdwnon January 29, 2009   Link
  • +5
    My Opinion

    Unless they changed just recently, the members of The Fray are Christian so I don't think they would write a song saying there is no God. I think the song is about being impatient with God's timing. "It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest." He's impatient and sometimes has doubts, but deep down he still has hope and believes.

    hollycfon December 16, 2008   Link
  • +5
    Song Meaning

    I know it has been done already but I think that the meaning of this song really stands out when it is veiwed a conversation. This is how I see it.

    Narrator: I found God On the corner of First and Amistad Where the west Was all but won All alone Smoking His last cigarette I said, "Where you been?" He said, "Ask anything." (A man finds God just standing there, smoking! Not out helping anyone or even seeming to care!)

    Man: Where were you, When everything was falling apart? All my days, Were spent by the telephone, That never rang. And all I needed was a call! That never came, From the corner of First and Amistad. (He asks God the first and most important question, Where was he when he needed God the most?)

    Man: Lost and insecure

    God: You found me, you found me

    Man: Lying on the floor Surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?

    God: Just a little late. You found me, You found me.

    Man: In the end Everyone ends up alone. Losing her, The only one who's ever known, Who I am, Who I'm not, and who I want to be No way to know, How long she will be next to me. (The man has lost someone very dear to him, and God wasn't there!)

    Man: Lost and insecure

    God: You found me, you found me

    Man: Lying on the floor, Surrounded, surrounded! Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?

    God: Just a little late. You found me, You found me

    God: Early morning, The city breaks I've been calling. For years and years and years and years And you never left me no messages, You never sent me no letters You got some kind of nerve, Taking all I want. (God says what is in the mans heart, what he wants to say most. Hearing what he wants so desperately to say but can't find the words for the man realises that God was there, but he was so wrapped up in his own problems that he couldn't see it.)

    God: Lost and insecure

    Man: You found me, you found me, Lying on the floor

    God: Where were you, where were you?

    God: Lost and insecure

    Man: You found me, you found me

    God: Lying on the floor Surrounded, surrounded Why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you?

    Man: Just a little late. You found me, You found me. (The man realises that he was the late one.)

    God: Why'd you have to wait? To find me, to find me? (God asks why the man didn't let him help.)

    I know that it is a very literal, and christian, interptretaion but that is how I see it. I have been through many hard trials in my life, and have turned to prayer - only to be met with silence. I think it would be nice to think that I had some help through those very dark times, that I was actually heard and that someone actually cared. But that is the great thing about this song - anyone can find meaning in it. Thanks, Arthurn.

    arthurnon January 20, 2012   Link
  • +4
    My Interpretation

    I don't think this song is about God at all. I think the reference may have been briefly to describe clarity on the narrator's part... you can tell the narrator is frustrated and needed to let out pent up feelings from "years and years". In terms of my interpretation, I think (for the majority of the song) the person is singing to their ex who may be trying to come back into their life. The relationship or breakup may have been damaging and they're confronting their ex and their problems: "I've been calling for years and years and years and years And you never left me no messages You never send me no letters You've got some kind of nerve Taking all I'm worth"

    EnjoyY0urDayon December 19, 2008   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    I apologize to all of those who aren't Christian, but this song is definitely about God. I love the Fray because they are in fact all Christians but not really a Christian band; they make music accessible to everyone. While this song is clearly about God, that fact is only clear to a Christian. Basically The Fray does their best not to preach and to write songs that everyone can relate to. Everyone can relate to the feelings that the song discusses, believer or non-believer. The feeling of being alone, being insecure and sometimes feeling like there's nobody you can depend on. The song discusses losing someone you loved. 
Even if you aren't a Christian, please don't snub the song just because it has Christian inspiration. Think of it this way, God just happens to be the strongest influence in these mens' lives, so of course it's going to come through in their song writing. You write what inspires passion in you, whether it be love, sadness, God, or any number of other things.

I really like the part where it says:' I said, “Where you been?”

    He said, “Ask anything.”' Without this part the meaning of the song would be completely different. With it, it's basically a man crying out to God and asking why it took so long, when really God was there all along but the man just lost sight of that. Without this part, the song wouldn't really be 'Christian'.

    darthfodderon January 26, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    i ADORE this song. it's sooo original and soo meaningful.. the first time i heard it i serouisly almost started crying.. it reminds me soo much of somebody that i care about soo much. gah the fray never fails to impress me.

    cheetahprintloveon November 28, 2008   Link

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