About the song
In 2002, the legendary Johnny Cash recorded a haunting cover of Nine Inch Nails’ song “Hurt” for his final album, American IV: The Man Comes Around. The song’s accompanying music video, directed by Mark Romanek, would go on to win numerous awards, including the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and the Country Music Association award for Single of the Year. The video, featuring images from Cash’s life, was named the best video of the year by the Grammy Awards and CMA Awards, and the best video of all time by NME in 2011.
Trent Reznor, the original writer of the song, was initially hesitant about Cash covering “Hurt,” but was blown away by the music video, which brought tears to his eyes. The song’s powerful reinterpretation by Cash, featuring Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Smokey Hormel on guitar, would go on to sell over 2 million downloads in the United States alone.
The music video, shot in February 2003, just seven months before Cash’s passing, is a poignant and introspective look at the musician’s life, featuring images of his early years, as well as his later years, when his health was declining. The video’s use of vanitas paintings and imagery of decay and futility adds to the song’s themes of mortality and the passing nature of human achievements.
The song’s impact has been felt far beyond the music world, with its use in various films, documentaries, and TV shows, including Colombiana, Criminal Minds, and Person of Interest. It has also been featured in sports montages, including ITV Sport’s coverage of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and in tribute shows, such as WWE’s tribute to Eddie Guerrero. “Hurt” is widely regarded as one of Johnny Cash’s best works, and its enduring popularity is a testament to the power of music to transcend generations and genres.
Video
Lyrics
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar’s chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I’m still right here
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way