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FRAGILE

from FRIENDS CAN BE LOVERS

written by Sting

Released in 1993, Dionne Warwick’s “Friends Can Be Lovers” is surely the best record of that decade for the veteran songbird. For this project, the singer’s label, Arista Records, brought in big names like Diane Warren, Lisa Stansfield, Siedah Garrett and Barry J. Eastmond to write and produce on the album.

Her old partner, Burt Bacharach, also made an appearance to co-write with Hal David and produce the classic ballad opening number “Sunny Weather Lover.” There was also a duet with the late Whitney Houston entitled “ Love Will Find A Way ” and a reworking of one of Sting’s most beloved songs, “Fragile.”

Arranged by David Foster, “Fragile” was reinvented from a Latin-tinged tune to an elegant adult contemporary ballad. “Fragile” is an all-star affair with the presence of the late Luther Vandross who sang and arranged the backing vocals, jazz pianist Bob James who wrote the string arrangement and renowned drummer Harvey Mason who produced the track. Warwick ‘s warm and familiar voice owns the song with refined back-up session aces including Freddy Washington, David Williams and Randy Kerber. The work of music giants Foster, Mason and Vandross obviously gave the song a top-notch quality in terms of execution, arrangement and production.


Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/fragile.mp3|titles=Fragile|artists=Dionne Warwick]


Lead Vocals : Dionne Warwick
Acoustic Piano & Rhodes : Randy Kerber
Electric Bass : Freddie Washington
Keyboards : Harvey Mason
Guitar : David Williams
Synthesizer & Percussion Programming : Harvey Mason
Background Vocals : Luther Vandross, Lisa Fischer, Tawatha Agee,
Darlene Love, Brenda King, Dionne Warwick.

Rhythm Arrangement by David Foster & Harvey Mason
Strings Arrangement by Bob James
Background Vocals Arrangement by Luther Vandross
Produced by Harvey Mason


Lyrics

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