There is disclosed systems and methods for retrieving files from a file server using file attributes. In one embodiment, an audio file server is accessed to retrieve prerecorded audio files using file attributes. In one embodiment, the HTTP protocol is used by adding query attributes, such as a text version of the desired message, along with other required attributes of the audio file, to the audio file server. The audio file server accepts the attributes, including the message text attributes and parses them to resolve which audio (.wav) message to retrieve. The retrieved audio file is then returned to the voice browser, which normally plays the message. In this way, IVR application developers can specify the content, speaker, language, dialect, emotion, and other attributes of a required audio file utilizing standard voice browsers to access audio files.