Fragile (Sting song) explained

Fragile
Cover:	StingFragile.jpg
Type:	single
Artist:	Sting
Album:	...Nothing Like the Sun
Released:	1 April 1988 (UK)^[1]
Recorded:	1987
Genre:	Acoustic rock, jazz
Length:	3:54
Label:	A&M
Producer:	Sting
Prev Title:	Englishman in New York
Prev Year:	1988
Next Title:	They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)
Next Year:	1988

"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".

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]

The song appears 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.

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

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

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)	Position
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[4]	82
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[5]	92
Poland (LP3)^[6]	1

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sting singles.
2. Web site: > Discography > Fragile, CD . Sting.com . 2023-05-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924110521/http://www.sting.com/discography/index/album/albumId/194/tagName/studio_albums . 2015-09-24 . dead .
3. Web site: Lista Przebojów Programu 3. LP3. 14 May 2020. pl.
4. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988. Dutch Top 40. 9 May 2020.
5. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988. dutchcharts.nl. 9 May 2020.
6. Web site: Podsumowanie roku 1988 na LP3.. LP3. 14 May 2020. pl.