The group's self-titled, second album, released in 2009, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and was certified gold in the United States, Australia, and Canada. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album in 2010. While both albums were commercially successful, critical reception was mixed. The Fray was ranked No. 84 on Billboard's "Artists of the Decade" list. Their third album Scars & Stories, released in 2012, achieved moderate commercial success; debuting and peaking at number four on the Billboard 200. The album again received mixed reviews from critics. The band's fourth album, Helios, was released in February 2014. The band's compilation album, Through the Years: The Best of the Fray, was released in November 2016.
The Fray's use of the piano as the lead instrument in their music has led critics to compare the band with English piano-driven bands such as Coldplay and Keane. However, the band lists its influences as the Wallflowers, Counting Crows, Better Than Ezra, and U2.
Without Reason
The Fray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've learned to improvise to fill my time I don't want to
Live this life, no I don't want to live this life without reason.
Never want to live without it, never want to live,
I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to live without it, Never want to, I don't want to live without Reason.
I do it on a whim, with no motivation following this line and I don't know why,
This life, no I don't want to live this life without reason
Never want to live without it, never want to live,
I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to live without it, Never want to, I don't want to live without reason.
You want to work to spend to show.
You want to talk to smile to feel.
You want to run to thirst to drink.
You want to love to know it's real.
Never want to live without it, never want to live, I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to Live without it, never want to, I don't want to live without Reason. [Repeats]
In "Without Reason," The Fray's lead vocalist, Isaac Slade, sings about his desire to have purpose in his life. He starts by discussing his tendency to create without much of a plan or purpose, "I do it on a whim, its rhyme without reason / whatever comes to mind I'll pull it from thin air." Despite this, he has come to value the ability to improvise and create in order to fill his time, ultimately leading to a desire to live life with purpose and reason. The repetition of the line, "Never want to live without it, never want to live / I don't want to live without reason," reinforces this desire and highlights the importance of having something to give his life meaning.
The chorus features a list of things that people may do in order to find fulfillment or purpose, like working to spend, talking to smile, running to thirst, and loving to know it's real. This suggests that there are many different ways to live life with purpose, but it is essential to find something that resonates with you personally.
Overall, "Without Reason" is a reflection on the importance of having a sense of direction and meaning in one's life. Through the lyrics, The Fray expresses the idea that living without purpose can feel aimless and unfulfilling but that everyone has the ability to find something that gives their life meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
I do it on a whim, its rhyme without reason whatever comes to mind I'll pull it from thin air.
I create without intention, my words flow uncontrollably and I grab them out of nowhere.
I've learned to improvise to fill my time I don't want to Live this life, no I don't want to live this life without reason.
I have adapted to making things up and keeping busy, but I don't want to feel like I'm just existing without purpose.
Never want to live without it, never want to live, I don't want to live without reason.
I never want to experience a life without meaning, I want every moment to have a purpose.
You want to work to spend to show. You want to talk to smile to feel. You want to run to thirst to drink. You want to love to know it's real.
The things we do in life have a deeper meaning than just the action itself. We work to prove ourselves, talk to feel happy, run to quench our thirst, love to know it's genuine.
Never want to live without it, never want to live, I don't want to live without reason.
Just like before, I never want to experience a life without meaning, I want every moment to have a purpose.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ISAAC SLADE, JOSEPH KING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Paula Vanessa Cuenca Montero
I do it on a whim, its rhyme without reason whatever comes to mind I'll pull it from thin air.
I've learned to improvise to fill my time I don't want to
Live this life, no I don't want to live this life without reason.
Never want to live without it, never want to live,
I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to live without it, Never want to, I don't want to live without Reason.
I do it on a whim, with no motivation following this line and I don't know why,
But I've learned to capture time it's my redirection I don't want to live
This life, no I don't want to live this life without reason
Never want to live without it, never want to live,
I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to live without it, Never want to, I don't want to live without reason.
You want to work to spend to show.
You want to talk to smile to feel.
You want to run to thirst to drink.
You want to love to know it's real.
Never want to live without it, never want to live, I don't want to live without reason.
Never want to Live without it, never want to, I don't want to live without Reason. [Repeats]
Troy W
The fray really rocked this song,,Love it
The Teacup Bunny
This video was blocked in the United States for a long time. I'm glad it's not anymore because this was one of my favorites off this album!
Jennifer Benner
This EP, this song in particular, is what got me back into the Fray.
Leonardo Favio Suárez Ordinola
Una de las mejores bandas y rolas!!!
Yume Basil
The guitars and Joe's voice in this, holy hell this is heavy.
Neelam M
The Fray are amazing.
Kidofrodo
Amazing song
Kubra Hıllman
I'm perfectly happy with and listened to this group <3 <3 <3
Cristian Gutierrez Esp.
Esta canción no está en Spotify :(
barrios thegod
Joe doing good like always when he plays lead