Up next: he’s an American institution… Even people who hate Country Music the genre he’s most tied to Love him. Johnny Cash the man in black… he’s the kind of Legend that legends are measured by. By the end of his long career, Johnny Cash had won every award a musician could dream of and had wealth only a few have attained. But when he was staring at his own mortality… when he was knocking on death’s door, he asked a question….does any of it matter? One of his final songs, a cover Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt asks that question… The cover of Trent Reznor’s song that first appeared on his rock album The Downward Spiral. When Johnny Cash covered Hurt for his the Man Comes Around album Trent Reznor Originally hated it. But after seeing the amazing music video he changed his mind… He actually said that from that point forward it was Johnny’s song. The story of the classic from Cash’s American Recordings is next…
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Today we tell the story of a song that effectively put the capstone on one of the most prolific and acclaimed careers in music history… that of the man in black, Mr. Johnny Cash. And for today’s show, to honor his storied career, we are taking an unexpected dive into a cover song that it was so good… even its creator said that it was no longer his.
The song? Cash’s haunting and gut-wrenching rendition of Hurt, originally written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt. If you haven’t heard Cash’s cover of this song yet, stay with me on this one. There is no doubt that Hurt is the perfect bookend to Johnny Cash’s phenomenal career. And it ranks up there with his very best recordings. I’m not kidding, this is going to blow you away.
A larger-than-life giant in American music history, Johnny Cash has released nearly 100 albums, not including greatest hits and compilation albums. Studio, live, soundtrack, video albums… the man was prolific. And that does not even include countless guest appearances he has made on other artists’ records.
From 1955 to his passing in 2003, Johnny Cash released more than 60 Top 20 singles on the US Country chart, more than 40 Top 10 singles, and something like 20 #1 and #2 hits. Adding in singles with June Carter Cash and other collaborations, those numbers go up even higher. You could spend a lifetime diving deep into his catalog and never reach the bottom… Eleven of those records, counting Live and Compilation versions, broke the Top 20 on the US Billboard Albums chart. And get this, 27 of his albums broke the Top 20 on the US Country charts. 27! I’m telling you, these numbers are ridiculous.
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Poll: What is your pick for the greatest cover song ever recorded?
I went to a Billy Graham crusade years ago, I think it was 1991, and Johnny Cash was there to perform 2 gospel songs. Never got the opportunity to see him do a full set live, but experiencing two songs was still pretty cool. He was an amazing artist.
This man who's released so many great hits throughout his years, this happens to be his best work! Johnny is held up by not only people in the country music industry but also bands like Metallica. To me this was a fitting end and still the best video ever created!
Asked about his thoughts on the Byrd's version of Mr. Tambourine Man, Dylan said, "That's how I would have recorded it if I were them."
Wow; no doubt!
It is interesting that song Hurt has changed for me as i have aged over the decades. In my teen years the Velvet underground's Heroin kept me clean. In my 20's NiN's Hurt reinforced my straightedge lifestyle but as I moved into my 30's Assemblage Cash's song helped me deal with loss and pain the invariably happen as we age, as we experience life. As I have lived these two decades since Cash's death his song has only deepened in its impact. Assemblage 23's Damaged has also been there for me but by far Hurt has been an old friend I see myself with until the end.
This was summed up perfectly! Unfortunately, I never really gave CASH much credence until after his death and the movie, "Walk The Line." I had never heard the NIN version of HURT until after hearing Cash's version and learning it was Reznor's. I absolutely love it when music transcends lines, crosses boundaries, and breaks traditional molds. HURT is the perfect example of that.
When I first heard Cash's cover I actually thought, wait, did NIN cover Cash? Is Hurt actually originally written by Johnny Cash?? 😅 That's how good it is.
I immediately knew this was about Hurt before I clicked on it. Trent Reznor is such an incredible songwriter and composer, Johnny Cash, legendary, its no wonder this song is so good.
I adore you. Your dept of understanding of the human condition brings so much value to the discussions of the music of our lives.
I'm one of the kind of humans who has found motivation and inspiration, solace and comfort, and finally consciousness and awareness of the world around me thru the art of music. Most often, I listen thru my smiles and tears…since I was 5 years old with my little portable record player…moved beyond the chaotic swirl around my little self, my Mom would belt me into my little wooden rocking chair, and I would listen and sing the thru days of my youth. It all seemed terribly vital to me even back then.
What a treasure to find a channel that understands how terribly important the soundtrack of our lives really is. Just wanted to say great job, and thanks.
where are the heart likes? This song brings me to tears every single time!
nine inch nails sounds like noise noise noise
I loved the original. I heard Cash's cover for the first time on a show called Third Watch. The episode started with the music playing as it came into focus on a character that had possibly committed suicide the preceding episode. It added such poignancy to the scene. Amazing. It nearly moved me to tears. I've been fascinated ever since.
The professor is making grown men cry again.
the closing of the piano is where i loose it. my eyes just pour tears. loved the video, loved the sound of his vocals through the entire story of the song, just everything about it. your telling of the history of behind this particular point in Cash's life was beyond perfect. thank you.
Where did you get that JD shirt ?
Pretty much knew the song and the artist right away.
My vinyl copy of Downward Spiral survived a house fire. The record itself is ok, but the cover got some charring. The soot and minor damage just adds to art and look of the cover. Just a darkly beautiful record 🥰👍
Trent Reznor….. From Closer (the "fuck you like an animal" song), to working for Disney….. Go figure 🤣👍
I love Cash' version, but I'm attached to Reznor's version and to the depth of his catalog in general. It will always be my favorite.
680k … been here since 50k….LETS GO 1M!!!
I cry every time I watch Johnny's video…
So glad that you gave the Reznor version the proper respect that it deserves. Most videos on this heaps the praise on Johnny and his version, and rightfully so, but often ignore how powerful and personal the original version is. I hope this video might cause some folks only familiar with the Cash version to go back and listen to and appreciate the NIN version.
God, the way he closes the lid on the piano and gently strokes his hands across it like saying goodbye to a beloved friend gets me EVERY time.
Thank you Professor of Rock. I agree, this is one of the most personal song. Each of us has our own interpretation, memory and "hurt" that is associated with this song. For me: I had been listenting to NIN a lot, mostly the Broken EP. I got the Downward Spiral (on cassette) and remember playing it on long road trips by myself after my first break up. At that point I knew I had addictions, just no way to know how to deal with them. The roadtrips were accented with NIN and Tori Amos, even better when Past the Mission was both. When Johnny's version came out I was in the middle of that life where waking up still drunk and high was normal. Sevendust covered it soon after Johnny's passing. I woke up on the bathroom floor the morning after hearing it for the first time. I can't say I'm better, but I'm able to control things now…. but there are poignant moments in time that this song has a fundamental spike in the ground. Loved this. Thanks mate.
Hurt as a cover by Johnny Cash, is a very good cover. But what really sells it is the video clip for the song. It’s like an opus / goodbye by Cash…
The two songs are very different. Depends on how sings it.
Great job
Best Johnny Cash song by far! Love the video. His rendition of Hurt is my favorite.❤ I can relate to this big time.
It was the perfect cover for Logan that trailer with his voice is awesome.
So, I know you aren’t a “reaction channel”. But, I would truly LOVE to hear your take on “Hey Ren”.
A beautiful episode!
Haunting, sad and beautiful at the same time. Never a dry eye when listening to this masterpiece. Rest in peace Man in Black. You are missed. Always and forever.
I never heard Cash’s version until I saw the music video in the Johnny Cash Museum. It was an absolutely life changing moment as I watched it all the way through multiple times, unable to fully process what I had seen. This video makes me curious what other songs blur the line between country and rock that you could enlighten us with. Heck I’d even watch a series where you highlight other legendary country songs. Great video Adam!
Adam, I agree 100%, this is one of the few vblogs of yours which I have watched in it's entirety and to the end. When I first heard this song, I was primarily listing to KBER or X96 (and maybe internet DJ's by that point), I'm at first thinking, why are they playing Cash on this station, the all of a sudden I realize this is the cover of NiN's Hurt from the CD I'm sure I played to death before it was stolen. It was deeply moving and like Trent indicated, Cash did it better and made it his own song.
Also, noticed the Triumph album in your rack, is that foreshadowing to more Triumph beyond the one Rik Emmett blog you did?
Was also the perfect song for the trailer for the movie Logan
It hits me hard every time I think of that song (johnnys version)
Listening to it… it makes me hurt
Incredible peace of art
I heard this tune from 9 inch nails. Unbearable at times , but so appreciated.
But Johnny cash made the perfect cover that was on my phone and recorded on my 3 head cassette deck
Although 'Hurt' is the one that brought me to Johnny Cash's covers, my particular favorites of them are the Gordon Lightfoot 'If You Could Read My Mind', and Will Oldham's 'I See A Darkness'.
For about a decade I stopped watching music videos after this. There seemed no point.
The lyrics are bloody awful…. but the end product? Incredible.
The American Recordings albums are amazing. Thanks for bringing attention to this great musician and the amazing song covers Cash did. The originals are great, too! Awesome stuff. "Hurt" and "I See A Darkness" are basically stories from Cash's life, scarily on point in depicting his struggles. Cash picked out the cover songs with Rick Rubin. Incredible.