==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 (song)|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 [[Trent 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 , Mellotron, 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 (Instrumental)===
'''''Running Time: 5:12'''''
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)===
==Live==
When played during "The Fragile" was a setlist rarity up to 2009. It made its debut appearance at the [[Fragility]] tours and the ''[[1999/09/09 New York, NY|1999 MTV Video Music Awards]],'' and appeared in encores four times on the [[Fragility]] tour. The song would remain very similar to the album version except somewhat louder. "The Fragile" was not performed on the [[Live: With Teeth]] tour, but was performed by Trent Reznor solo at the 2006 Bridge School Benefit. During the [[Performance 2007]] tour, a modified ''Still'' version of the song was playedfor the song's few performances on the European spring leg. The song returned to setlists during the [[Wave Goodbye Tour|NIN|JA 2009]] tour, once the only time it's been a setlist regular. Once again , it was performed similar similarly to the version on ''[[The Fragile (halo)|''. "The Fragile]]''" has not been performed since August 2009.
== Lyrics ==