Fragile (Sting song)

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. 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."

The guitars on "Fragile" were played by Sting. Dominic Miller, who has served as Sting's touring guitarist, 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".

The song appeared in the 1995 Oscar-nominated documentary The Living Sea. 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.

Track listings

• UK 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile"
2. "Frágil" (Portuguese)

• Bolivian 7-inch Single

1. "Fragil"
2. "Si Estamos Juntos"

• UK CD Single / UK 12-inch Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:45
2. "Frágil" – 3:50
3. "Frágilidad" – 3:52
4. "Mariposa Libre" – 4:54

• Spanish 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Frágil" (Portuguese) – 3:50

• European 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Frágil" (Portuguese) – 3:50

• West German 12-inch Maxi Single / European CD Maxi Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Up From The Skies" – 10:06
3. "Someone to Watch Over Me" – 4:32

• Uruguayan 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile" (In Spanish) – 3:55
2. "Conversation With A Dog" – 3:34

• Canadian 7-inch Single / US 7-inch Single / Japanese 3-inch CD Single / Japanese Promo 3-inch CD Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Fragilidad" (Spanish) – 3:52

• Portuguese 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Frágil" (Portuguese) – 3:52

• US Promo 7-inch Single

1. "Fragile" – 3:54
2. "Fragile" – 3:54

• French 7-inch Single / French CD Single

1. "Fragil" (Portugues) – 3:50
2. "Mariposa Libre" – 4:54

• Spanish 7-inch Single

1. "Fragilidad" – 3:52
2. "Fragil" (Portugues) – 3:50

• Mexican 7-inch Promo Single

1. "Fragilidad" – 3:52
2. "Fragilidad" – 3:52

• French 12-inch Promo Single

1. "Fragil" (Portugues) – 3:50
2. "Fragil" (Portugues) – 3:50

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Cover versions

Isaac Hayes recorded a funk cover that was released on his 1995 Branded album. The song stayed in the top 100 for two weeks.

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

A version of the song with Julio Iglesias was included on Sting's Duets compilation album (2021).

Sting recorded the song as a duet with Barbra Streisand for her 2025 album The Secret of Life.

In the 2025 Netflix Series "Adolescence", a cover version of the song performed by a student choir from Minsthorpe Community College in West Yorkshire, UK, is used as a soundtrack. It has received praise from Sting who called it "beautiful".

References

References

1. "Sting singles".
2. Sting. "Sting {{!}} Discography {{!}} Fragile, 7"".
3. Sting. (20 February 1994). "Sting without pain: Pop philosopher king lightens up without laying down his crown.". [[Miami Herald]].
4. West, Aaron J.. (2015). "Sting and The Police: Walking in Their Footsteps". Rowman & Littlefield.
5. (21 May 1988). "Playlist Report: RAI - Italy".
6. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988". Dutch Top 40.
7. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988".
8. (1971-12-04). "ISAAC HAYES".
9. Dryden, Ken. "Moment - Kenny Barron".
10. Ginell, Richard S.. "Freefall - Kenny Barron, Regina Carter".
11. Gamboa, Glenn. (2025-06-24). "Barbra Streisand finds 'The Secret of Life' on her new duets album with Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney".
12. Skinner, Tom. (2025-04-14). "Sting praises "beautiful" school choir cover of 'Fragile' on 'Adolescence'".