Fragile – English Lyrics

• By: Madonna
• Album: Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part II

Lyrics & Translation

Learn the power of poetic phrasing with Madonna’s version of 'Fragile.' This song is a masterclass in using soft, emotive vocabulary to convey complex, universal themes about life and peace.

[English]

People really think that there's a

beginning and an ending

>> [music]

>> to this thing called life.

But energy never dies.

>> [music]

>> This is just a portal

we're going through.

>> [music]

>> Still,

it's hard to let go.

>> To let go.

>> [music]

>> To let go. To let go. To let go. To let

go.

The portal's open.

>> [music]

>> We share a name,

a home.

We share a fragile [music] bond.

Now you're gone.

We laughed, we cried.

We [music] held each other's hands. We

have his brother's eyes,

and we belong.

This is the part

>> [music]

>> I hate the most,

the words inside my heart.

I know you're fragile

cuz you've been hurt, been let down.

You couldn't be yourself now.

[music and singing]

You had a

nervous breakdown.

>> [music]

>> I know you're fragile

cuz you've been hurt, been let down.

You couldn't be yourself now.

You've been hurt

before.

When I'm alone,

I see you standing there.

I see [music] inside [singing]

your soul

and I feel whole.

>> [singing]

[music]

>> We were so lost.

As children we would dream. We thought

we'd run away

and we'd be free.

>> [music]

>> This is the part

I hate the most. The words inside my

heart.

I know you're fragile

>> [music]

>> cuz you've been hurt and let

down.

You couldn't be [music] yourself now.

You had a nervous

breakdown.

>> [music]

>> I know you're fragile

cuz you've been hurt

and let

down.

You couldn't

>> [music]

>> be yourself now.

You've been

hurt before.

>> [music]

>> You've been hurt.

Late last night I was [singing] fast

[music] asleep. You came to me in a

dream.

You said, "Don't forget about

[music and singing] me.

Don't forget to be happy."

>> [singing]

>> So I hope

>> [music]

>> you fall

a higher ground.

A higher [music] ground.

So I hope you fall

a higher [music] ground.

A higher ground.

>> I know you're fragile [music]

cuz you've been hurt

and let down.

You couldn't be yourself [music]

now.

You had a nervous

breakdown.

>> [music]

>> I know you're fragile

cuz you've [music] been

hurt and let down. down.

You couldn't

be yourself now.

>> [music]

>> You've been

hurt before.

You've been hurt.

>> [music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fragile /ˈfrædʒaɪl/ B2	adjective - easily broken or damaged; delicate
portal /ˈpɔːrtl/ C1	noun - a doorway, gate, or other entrance
energy /ˈenərdʒi/ A2	noun - the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity
bond /bɒnd/ B2	noun - a relationship between people or groups based on shared feelings or interests
nervous /ˈnɜːrvəs/ A2	adjective - easily agitated or alarmed
breakdown /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/ B2	noun - a mental or physical collapse
soul /soʊl/ B2	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being
whole /hoʊl/ A2	adjective - in an unbroken or undamaged state; in one piece
dream /driːm/ A1	verb - to experience a series of images or thoughts while sleeping
forget /fərˈɡet/ A1	verb - fail to remember
happy /ˈhæpi/ A1	adjective - feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
higher /ˈhaɪər/ A2	adjective - at or to a more advanced level or position
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the solid surface of the earth
belong /bɪˈlɔːŋ/ B1	verb - to be a member of a group or feel comfortable in a place
laugh /læf/ A1	verb - to make the sounds and movements of the face that express amusement

Key Grammar Structures

• But energy never dies.

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (General Truth)

  ➔ The simple present is used here to describe a universal, unchanging scientific or spiritual fact about "energy".

• I know you're fragile cuz you've been hurt

  ➔ Present Perfect Passive

  ➔ The structure "have been hurt" indicates an action that happened in the past and has continuing effects in the present.

• You couldn't be yourself now.

  ➔ Modal Verb of Ability (Past Negation)

  ➔ "Couldn't" functions as the past form of "can't", indicating an inability to perform an action during a specific period.

• As children we would dream.

  ➔ Would for Past Habits

  ➔ "Would" is used here to describe repeated actions or habits that took place in the childhood, similar to "used to".

• Late last night I was fast asleep.

  ➔ Past Continuous (State)

  ➔ The past continuous "was... asleep" depicts a background state that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

• You said, "Don't forget about me."

  ➔ Reported Speech (Imperative)

  ➔ The artist quotes a direct command "Don't forget" to highlight a message from the past that remains urgent.

• So I hope you fall a higher ground.

  ➔ Subjunctive/Hope Clause

  ➔ "Hope" + clause is used to express a desire for something positive to happen in the future for someone else.

• People really think that there's a beginning and an ending

  ➔ Existential "There is"

  ➔ "There is" is used to declare the existence of specific concepts, "beginning" and "ending", in the speaker's philosophical view.