The Fragile (song)

Album:The Fragile

Length:4:35

Tempo:143 BPM

Versions:The Fragile
The Fragile (Version)
The Fragile (Still)
The Fragile (Bridge School Benefit)

Live:Fragility v2.0
Performance 2007
NIN|JA 2009

"The Fragile" is the sixth track—and the title track—on the Left disc of the 1999 double album The Fragile.

Appearances

Halos

• The Fragile (1999)
• And All That Could Have Been (Deluxe Edition CD; 2002)
• Still (2002)

Seeds

• The Definitive NIN - Deep Cuts
• The Definitive NIN - Quiet Tracks

Other

• Bridge School Benefit Collection, vol 4 (2009)

Versions

The Fragile

This is the original album version as it appears on The Fragile. Opening with a distant e-bow guitar drone from the end of "We're In This Together," the first verse soon enters, characterized by live drums incorporating the use of a floor tom with a tambourine on top, a simple bassline, and Reznor's soft vocals. The first chorus features merely the new bass riff and drum rhythm accompanied by sequenced synthesizer layers below Reznor's repetitions of the phrase, "I won't let you fall apart." The second verse returns bass riff and drum pattern return with new percussion loops underneath, soon giving way to the second chorus' loud guitars and shouted vocals. These all stop at the end of the phrase, interrupted by a staccato synthesizer melody that ushers in layers of strings and out of tune percussion under Reznor's quiet, desperate vocals. This bridge continues as Reznor repeats "and picking," fading out quietly as distorted guitars bring in the return of the chorus progression and drums beneath a guitar solo playing the same melody as the piano progression in "The Frail." This leads into a final repetition of the chorus, all the instruments and vocals stopping suddenly at the end of the phrase and leading into "Just Like You Imagined."

The Fragile (Deconstructed)

This is a remix by Keith Hillebrandt which was featured as a website-only download for a limited time on nin.com during The Fragile era, along with versions of "No, You Don't" and "La Mer." According to Reznor, its structure was the inspiration for "The Frail." The track is currently available for download at the remix.nin.com website.

The Fragile (Still)

This stripped-down version is on Still, which was originally packaged with the Deluxe Edition CD of And All That Could Have Been and is curently available through NIN.com. It is performed mostly solo on a keyboard.

Song Credits

• Performance: Trent Reznor, Jerome Dillon
• Mix engineering: Alan Moulder
• Engineering: Alan Moulder
• Second Engineering: Leo Herrera
• Programming: Keith Hillebrandt

The Fragile (Bridge School Benefit)

In 2006 Reznor played his only full solo performances at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit. In this performance Reznor played piano but was backed by a string quartet. This version is similar to the Still version of the song.

Live

When played during the Fragility tours and the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, the song would remain very similar to the album version except somewhat louder. During the Performance 2007 tour, a modified Still version of the song was played.

Lyrics

    She shines
    In a world full of ugliness
    She matters
    When everything is meaningless
    
    Fragile
    She doesn't see her beauty
    She tries to get away
    Sometimes
    It's just that nothing seems worth saving
    I can't watch her slip away
    
    I won't let you fall apart
    
    She reads the minds of all the people as they pass her by
    Hoping someone can see
    If I could fix myself I'd—
    But it's too late for me
    
    I won't let you fall apart
    
    We'll find the perfect place to go where we can run and hide
    We'll build a wall and we can keep them on the other side
    …But they keep waiting
    …And picking…
    
    It's something I have to do
    I was there, too
    Before everything else
    I was like you

Previous track - "We're In This Together" Track 6 from The Fragile Left (CD), Side B (Vinyl) Next track - "Just Like You Imagined"