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1988 single by Sting

"Fragile" is a song written and performed by English musician Sting from his second studio album, ...Nothing Like the Sun (1987). Released as a single the following year by A&M, it peaked at number 70 on the UK Singles Chart. Sung additionally in both Spanish and Portuguese under the titles "Fragilidad" and "Frágil", it appeared twice more on his 1988 EP variant of the album, Nada como el sol. The Spanish version features as a B-side to "I`m So Happy I Can`t Stop Crying".

Background

The song is a tribute to Ben Linder, an American civil engineer who was killed by the Contras in 1987 while working on a hydroelectric project in Nicaragua.[2] In a 1994 interview with Miami Herald, Sting said that the song`s meaning "changes yearly. When I sing it now I think of Bosnia and Yugoslavia."[3]

The guitars on "Fragile" were played by Sting. Miller remarked in a 1999 interview with Virtual Guitar Magazine that Sting was "quite proud of the fact that he played guitar on the recording". He said that Sting would bar him from playing guitar for live performances of "Fragile" in response to Miller incorrectly telling fans that he played guitar on the song. Instead, Miller was assigned to bass guitar for live renditions of "Fragile".[2]

I meet a lot of fans who think that I played [the guitars on "Fragile"]. I tell Sting that I say I did. It really pisses him off! So, his comeback is not letting me play it live. It`s been like that for years now and I`m delegated [sic] to bass.

— Dominic Miller[2]

The song appeared in the 1995 Oscar-nominated documentary The Living Sea.[4] It was the first song performed in Sting`s All This Time concert, recorded on the evening of the September 11 attacks in 2001. Sting also performed the song with cellist Yo Yo Ma during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. A version of the song with Julio Iglesias was included on Sting`s Duets compilation album (2021).

Track listings

Charts

Cover versions

Isaac Hayes recorded a cover in 1995, and it stayed in the top 100 for two weeks.[17]

Pianist Kenny Barron recorded a cover of "Fragile" on his album The Moment.[18] Barron re-recorded the song with Regina Carter for their 2001 album Freefall.[19]