Fragile
Cassandra Wilson Lyrics


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If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
Drying in the color of the evening sun
Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
But something in our minds will always stay

Perhaps this final act was meant
To clinch a lifetime's argument
That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could

For all those born beneath an angry star
Lest we forget how fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star
Like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are

On and on the rain will fall
Like tears from a star
Like tears from a star
On and on the rain will say
How fragile we are
How fragile we are




How fragile we are
How fragile we are

Overall Meaning

In Cassandra Wilson's song "Fragile," the lyrics paint a powerful picture about the consequences of violence and its far-reaching effects on the human psyche. The opening lines speak of the consequences of violence - when flesh and steel come together, there will be blood. The color of the blood leaves a permanent stain, which physical rain can wash away, but the consequences of violence cannot. The imagery of the evening sun setting and the rain washing away the stains is a metaphor to signify that time can erase physical evidence, but it cannot erase the damage that violence causes in people's minds. The lines "But something in our minds will always stay" suggest that the trauma of violence will leave a lasting legacy and that healing may not be straightforward.


The following lines of the song shift the focus to the idea that the violence and the damage it causes is unnecessary. The lines "Perhaps this final act was meant to clinch a lifetime's argument/ That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could" are a powerful observation about violence's futility. The song ending with "How fragile we are" figuratively connotes that one moment of violence, however small or significant it may seem, can alter lives and society permanently. The closing line stands as a reminder to folks that the world is delicate and can quickly crumble and fall.


Line by Line Meaning

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
When human beings turn violent and start attacking each other, there will be a lot of shedding of blood.


Drying in the color of the evening sun
The bloodshed will give a color which is similar to the setting sun’s red, as it dries or gets clotted.


Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
The rains that come the next day will remove the blood stains.


But something in our minds will always stay
However, the fact that violent acts have been committed will always be etched in our minds.


Perhaps this final act was meant
Maybe all the bloodshed, the acts of violence, can be viewed as a final way of proving a point, of winning an argument.


To clinch a lifetime's argument
Perhaps, the final act of violence was a way to win an argument that had been going on for one's entire life.


That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
The message seems to be that violence is not the answer to any question or problem, and it never has been.


For all those born beneath an angry star
This line might suggest that some people are just naturally angry and violent - this could be because of their upbringing or their environment.


Lest we forget how fragile we are
We are reminded here that human beings are in fact vulnerable and fragile, despite our abilities and strengths.


On and on the rain will fall
The rain symbolizes a constant reminder of the fragility of human life.


Like tears from a star
The rain seems like tears that fall from the sky because it’s as if the sky is lamenting human fragility.


How fragile we are
The repetition of this line further emphasizes the fragility of human beings.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gordon Sumner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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