Isaac Lee Hayes (born Aug 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee - died Aug 10,… Read Full Bio ↴Isaac Lee Hayes (born Aug 20, 1942, in Covington, Tennessee - died Aug 10, 2008, in Memphis, Tennessee) was an influential soul singer, songwriter, musician, producer, arranger, and actor. One of the key creative forces behind Memphis' Stax Records, Hayes began his recording career in 1962, soon playing saxophone for The Bar-Kays. Hayes and writing partner David Porter would pen numerous hits for Stax artists such as Sam & Dave ("Hold On! I'm Comin'", "Soul Man") and Carla Thomas ("B-A-B-Y") during the mid-1960s.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hayes became famous as a recording artist in his own right, scoring with critically and commercially successful albums such as Hot Buttered Soul and Black Moses. Hayes is best known today for composing the score to the 1971 blaxploitation film Shaft. That film's "Theme from Shaft" was one of the best-selling singles in Stax Records history, and Hayes became the first African-American to win an Oscar for a non-acting category when "Theme from Shaft" won the 1972 Academy Award for Best Song.

Isaac Hayes may be known to today's youngest generation as the voice of the character "Chef", the ladies' man/school cook, on the animated sitcom South Park from 1997 until his resignation from the show in March 2006. While Hayes' departure was tagged to a controversial South Park episode on Scientology that had supposedly offended him, Hayes rarely declared anything about the departure in first person.

Fragile
Isaac Hayes 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

Isaac Hayes’s "Fragile" is a ballad with a soulful vibe and deep meaning. The lyrics are packed with intense themes of violence, fragility, and mortality which are seamlessly integrated with a soulful melody that makes one ponder the state of humanity. The lyrics “If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one, drying in the color of the evening sun” depict the aftermath of violence and how it leaves a permanent stain on people's minds. It shows that violence destroys both the physical body and the human spirit. The following line “Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away, but something in our minds will always stay” highlights the fact that although we may be able to physically erase the evidence, the memory of the violence will remain forever.

The lyrics later explain that violence is not a solution, but instead it creates more problems. The phrase “That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could” is an important reminder that violence begets violence, leading to a never-ending cycle of destruction. The final lines of the chorus "On and on the rain will fall, like tears from a star, on and on the rain will say, how fragile we are" seem to act as a reflection on the fragile state of humanity. The rain becomes a metaphor for the tears of the Earth weeping in response to the violence that humans have caused.

Overall, "Fragile" is a powerful reminder of the need for peace and a reflection on the human condition. The lyrics are timeless as they remain just as relevant today as when they were first penned.

Line by Line Meaning

If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one
When war breaks out and human die by the hands of fellow humans, there will be bloodshed on the battlefield.

Drying in the color of the evening sun
The blood from the battles dries till it looks like the evening sun, but that does not remove the memories of the ones who witnessed it.

Tomorrow's rain will wash the stains away
The rain will come the next day and wash away the bloodstains, but the scars left on the minds of the ones who witnessed the war will remain forever.

But something in our minds will always stay
The atrocities witnessed in the war produce an impact on the human minds. They can never forget the horrendous act they saw.

Perhaps this final act was meant
The final act of war might be meant to trigger lasting impressions.

To clinch a lifetime's argument
War might be the final act to end a lifetime of disagreement and disputes.

That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could
The song implies that war and violence only have negative outcomes and results in pain and suffering.

For all those born beneath an angry star
For those who were born in a time of conflict or when the stars did not seem to be aligned in their favor.

Lest we forget how fragile we are
It is essential not to forget that humanity is vulnerable and delicate, and one act of violence can destroy everything.

On and on the rain will fall
The rain symbolizes the cleansing of the aftermath, but the sorrow remains.

Like tears from a star
The song uses the metaphor of raindrops falling from a star to signify that the pain ongoing in wars is constant and everlasting, like tears.

How fragile we are
The chorus of the song emphasizes the message of vulnerability and delicacy of mankind.

How fragile we are
The repetition of the lyrics indicates that the subject matter is vital and a reminder of our frailty.

How fragile we are
The repetition of the song's chorus serves again as a reminder to not forget how vulnerable of a species humans can be.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Gordon Sumner

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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