Hear the Cure’s Heart-Wrenching New Single ‘A Fragile Thing’

The Cure has released “A Fragile Thing,” the newest single from their upcoming album Songs of the Lost World.

The track begins with haunting piano before bass and drums kick in, giving it a fuller sound. A gradual build leads to Robert Smith’s opening vocals: “Every time you kiss me I could cry, she said / Don’t tell me how you miss me, I could die tonight of a broken heart / This loneliness has changed me, we’ve been too far apart.”

Smith's distinctive croon continues to resonate throughout the heart-aching tune, leading to the emphatic chorus: “There’s nothing you can do to change it back, she said / Nothing you can do but sing / This love is a fragile thing.” An emotive guitar solo midway through the song echoes previous Cure classics, while the final chorus showcases the band's unique balance of beauty and heartbreak.

“A Fragile Thing is driven by the difficulties we face in choosing between mutually exclusive needs and how we deal with the futile regret that can follow these choices, however sure we are that the right choices have been made," Smith explained in a press release accompanying the song. "It can often be very hard to be the person that you really need to be.”

Listen to "A Fragile Thing" below.

When Does 'Songs of the Lost World' Come Out?

Songs of the Lost World is due for release on Nov. 1. It marks the Cure’s first new album since 2008’s 4:13 Dream. The 16 year gap between albums marks the longest break in the Rock & Roll Hall of Famers’ history.

READ MORE: The Cure Albums Ranked Worst to Best

“A Fragile Thing” is the second song to be released from the upcoming LP, following “Alone” which arrived in September. The Cure also previewed other new tunes which will be included on Songs of the Lost World during their 2022-’23 tour, among them: “Endsong,” “And Nothing Is Forever” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye.”

Why Has the Cure Waited So Long to Release a New Album?

Songs of the Lost World has been many years in the making, and Smith blamed himself for the long wait.

“I keep going back over and redoing [the songs], which is silly. At some point, I have to say that’s it. It’s very much on the darker side of the spectrum,” the singer admitted to the Los Angeles Times in 2019.

“I lost my mother and my father and my brother recently, and obviously it had an effect on me,” he continued, discussing the album’s overarching style. “ It’s not relentlessly doom and gloom. It has soundscapes on it, like Disintegration, I suppose. I was trying to create a big palette, a big wash of sound.”

'Three Imaginary Boys' (1979): "10:15 Saturday Night"

Two of the Cure’s most beloved early songs – “Killing an Arab” and “Boys Don’t Cry” – were released as singles and not included on their debut LP Three Imaginary Boys (though they did turn up on the U.S. release Boys Don’t Cry in 1980). Either track would be a worthwhile choice, but since they weren’t technically part of the band’s debut, we’ll opt for a different tune. “10:15 Saturday Night” is a little rough around the edges, but it’s engrossing lyrics, moody tones and jangly, Clash-like guitar give hints at the Cure’s future potential.

'Seventeen Seconds' (1980): "A Forest"

The Cure showed serious signs of progression on their second LP, moving from post-punk sounds to much gloomier tones. The standout track here is “A Forest,” a moody, atmospheric song that established a foundation for the band’s goth rock phase. The combination of Robert Smith’s haunting vocals, placed over a driving rhythm and simmering guitar part, proves infectious. It’s a formula the group would return to many times in the coming years. 

'Faith' (1981): "All Cats Are Grey"

The Cure’s third album is all vibes -- a dark, brooding collection of tunes that helped solidify their place as goth’s preeminent act. The gem here is “All Cats Are Grey,” a gorgeous and heart wrenching track. Far from the radio-friendly hits they’d later create – it takes more than two minutes for the vocals to start! – the atmospheric song rides a long, steady build as it sucks listeners in. By album number three, the Cure had figured out how to take their listeners on an emotional journey. “All Cats Are Grey” is evidence of their evolution.

'Pornography' (1982): "Cold"

The darkest point for a band that is notoriously dark, the Cure’s fourth album is their gloomiest release. It also marked the end of an era, as they shifted in a happier, more mainstream direction (more on that in a moment). The highlight of Pornography is “Cold,” an epic track whose style borders on demonic. Across sinister sounds, Robert Smith delivers such melancholy lines as “A shallow grave / A monument to the ruined age” and “Everything as cold as silence / And you never say a word.”

'The Top' (1984): "Caterpillar"

After their trilogy of goth rock classics, the Cure opted to head in a new direction for their fifth album. The result was… not great. The Top was a disappointment both commercially and critically. Hindsight has been more forgiving – The Top is generally seen as a transitional piece, necessary for the band to reach their hit-making heights in the latter half of the ‘80s. The lone bright spot on the LP is “The Caterpillar,” a slinky, upbeat tune that mixes rich world music influences into the band’s sound.

'The Head on the Door' (1985): "Close to Me"

Here we find the Cure officially entering their golden era. On The Head on the Door, the band perfectly blends pop textures with their goth past, creating a sound both artistically and commercially pleasing. The album also notably marks the first time Robert Smith handled songwriting on every one of the tracks. Our favorite tune is “Close to Me,” the sparse song that’s largely driven by handclaps and a bubbling bass line. Somehow, Robert Smith manages to make his vocals absorbing and emotive, even as he barely sings above a whisper.

'Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me' (1987): "Just Like Heaven"

Honorable mention to “Why Can’t I Be You?”, whose blaring synth-horn sounds still resonate in our ears decades after release. Still, the obvious pick here is “Just Like Heaven.” Every element of the song – from the rolling drums, to the memorable guitar part, to Smith’s distinctive vocals – perfectly intertwines to create one of the era’s defining tunes.

'Disintegration' (1989): "Pictures of You"

It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite track from the Cure’s 1989 masterpiece. Disintegration ranks among the greatest albums of all-time, a true “no-skip listen” from front to back. You could easily make a sound argument for “Lovesong,” “Fascination Street” or “Lullaby” as the best song, but we’re going to go with “Pictures of You.” Inspired by a real-life experience – Robert Smith looking through damage following a fire in his home – the tune offers a flawless blend of emotion, nostalgia and hope, all wrapped up in a glimmering pop package.

'Wish' (1992): "Friday I'm in Love"

Rebelling against their doom-and-gloom stereotype, the Cure deliver a track that’s practically giddy. As the heart of their 1992 LP Wish, “Friday I’m in Love” showcases the band in its poppiest state. The song delivers one of the catchiest hooks in the band’s entire repertoire, while replacing drab tones with a bright sonic palette. “Friday I’m in Love” would go on to become the band's second-highest-charting single in the U.S., behind only “Lovesong.”

'Wild Mood Swings' (1996): 'Mint Car'

The Cure’s 10th studio LP marked the biggest misfire of their career, a mess of an album that underwhelmed all around. Coming on the heels of their biggest commercial successes, Wild Mood Swings was a massive disappointment (an extended hiatus and lineup changes certainly played a role). Despite this, “Mint Car” certainly represents the LP’s strongest track. The buoyant tune bounces along like a sequel to “Friday I’m in Love,” minus the commercial success.

'Bloodflowers' (2000):

The Cure’s 2000 album Bloodflowers is a fine, yet largely forgettable entry in the band’s catalog. The lone exception is “The Loudest Sound,” an exquisite and heartbreaking track that sees the band infusing modern electronic sounds into their already lush style. Lyrically, the tune finds Robert Smith examining a couple that has fallen out of love and can no longer find words to say.

'The Cure' (2004): "The End of the World"

It’s a surprising move when an already-established legend opts to release a self-titled album deep into its career. Still, that’s exactly what the Cure did with their 12th studio album, perhaps in an effort to reintroduce themselves to a new generation of listeners. The band certainly took a more modern approach, recruiting producer Ross Robinson, whose credits included Korn, Limp Bizkit and Slipknot. The Cure was decidedly louder than most of the band’s other efforts, a dynamic which didn’t always work. The jewel of the LP is “The End of the World,” a rousing, romantic tune in which Robert Smith continually proclaims “I couldn’t love you more.”

'4:13 Dream' (2008): "The Only One"

40 years after forming, the Cure proved they still had creative gas left in the tank. Sure, 4:13 Dream paled in comparison to some of the band’s previous triumphs, but it was still nonetheless a solid entry in their catalog. Several tracks find the Cure tapping back into the exuberance they showcased on 1992’s Wish, with “The Only One” emerging as the brightest tune. The song’s swirling guitars and lively pace back Smith, whose voice remains as distinctive as ever more than four decades into his career. 

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