@@nathanpapp432that's... Debatable. Don't get me wrong, I too think NIN's version hit harder as a song. But my reaction was EXACTLY the same as Reznor's: I heard the song without seeing the video and thought it was bland and lacked the depth NIN's version had. Then I watched the video and went "now I can see why it came out like this".
I’m m sick with leukemia and chemo, and won’t die but am losing all I love. This long slow slide down the next 20 or 20 years, 5 to 8 of chemo and dialysis for the kidneys the chemo has destroy , and I don’t understand the point. I’m 62 a nd V already .wArehoused.
that is exactly what he was doing. June dies a couple of months later and Johnny not long after. His daughter watched this and said, dad, It’s like you are saying goodbye. He answered, I am.
@@shaunm2691 But those are two completely different songs, the lyrics have a completely different meaning! And yet not a word is different. Quite a lesson in how spoken language heavily relies on context and words =/= message.
@@adamkozakiewicz6766 One word is different. NIN's version says 'crown of shit' which Cash replaced with 'crown of thorns' on account of his religious beliefs I guess. Apart from that, everything is the same. Both great versions in my view but two completely different songs as you say in the vibes they give off.
To see his wife June in this, knowing she died 3 months after filming, in the scene where he sings, “everyone I know goes away in the end”…you can’t be ready for that.
I saw the very last live performance made by Johnny after June died. Every single person in that room could see this was a man at his end. Yet he promised June to keep making music and singing until he died no matter what, and he kept his promise to her despite the pain of loosing the one person he loved most. I've o ly been married 23yrs and the idea of trying to still live without my soulmate, life mate, best friend, father of my son...my everything is beyond what my soul can handle.
The fact that this song can be interpreted as both an incredible powerful song about the pain and struggle of addiction AND a heartbreaking song about an older person reflecting on his life depending on the artist makes this a candidate for greatest song ever written.
I wonder if he really saw himself and his life within the lyrics. I've watched some stuff on Cash and if I remember correctly he wasn't the nicest guy to be around. Maybe the guilt of his past, all that he sacrificed and neglected had come full circle and he wished he could go back and keep himself. Basically he changed for the worse despite his success and he would give it all away to not go that same path, to maintain who he was for the ones he loved.
Everyone needs to look in the mirror, admit all the shortcomings, failings, and triumphs. Realizing that lost is the only constant. Seeing the faraway look in a Veterans eyes. Feeling the sadness of an elder who have outlived their contemporaries. Yes nothing takes that pain away. The same people that cheered His entrance, throwing palm leaves, flowers, even cloaks and garments down on His path. The same people that jeered and called for His execution. Checkout Seal it in My Heart and Mind, Over The Next Hill, and Thanksgiving Prayer.
@@howardwest2707 Johnny was very familiar with the pain off addiction and what it did to those around him. He understood every word that Trent wrote in this song as both an addict and a man looking back on a hard-fought life.
The most heartwrenching story about this song, to me, is that when he showed the video to his family before it was released, his daughter said "Daddy, it sounds like you're saying goodbye.", to which he replied "I am."
Johnny Cash was the last performer my late father considered to be his favorite; Probably from the mid 80s up until his death in 2019. (We got to see him perform live at a country music festival in 86 or 87.) Incidentally my father didn't get a chance to hear this song/see this video until soon after my mother passed on September 12th, 2013. Once he had it in his music library on his laptop I'd hear it playing, hauntingly, from his room, late at night over & over again. Thus when I hear this song now it hits me on just one more level than most. In some ways I can relate to his daughter. Her father was expressing his feelings in the days, weeks & months before his death. My father listened to this song to express his heartfelt desire to leave behind the crumbling ruin of his world remaining in the wake of my mother's passing. His son, his daughter, his grandchildren, his books, his fishing, everything was just a fragmented remnant left behind constantly stabbing into his heart & mind. Worse still was his repeated request for me to provide him with a handgun. As a diabetic he could easily have ended his life at any point with a large dose of insulin. I often wonder, even til this day, whether he made those requests in pure spite?
@@trmp9923 yeah my biological father is a piece of shit as well. He was a meth head woman beater. The only legacy he left me was ptsd from witnessing the beatings. I have no fight response, only flight. When confrontation happens I get an overwhelming urge to run
The original is from a young man’s perspective battling drug addiction. When Johnny sings it, the song takes on a new life where he is at the end of his life full of regret. This was one of the last things he did before he died. His daughter said that the song sounded like he was saying goodbye to them and he said “that is because I was”. The cover was Rick Ruben’s idea and he produced it. Trent Reznor (original artist) said the song now belongs to Johnny Cash. Beautiful.
Some clarity on one detail, he didn't say it belonged to cash now. He said it was like watching someone violate his girlfriend in front of him. Someone got it confused with the response to the reaction to the sound of silence cover by disturbed and it spread like wildfire. There are tons of sources for the interview with Treant.
@@ianfitzgerald6286 But then he talked about listening to it a few weeks later & feeling that; "I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine anymore.". So, while not an exact quote, it's still basically what he said.
No one is ever ready for this version of "Hurt". I rarely listen to this version cause I break down into tears every time. He brought a whole deeper layer to the song it hits hard. I love Johnny.
I feel your pain 😢. When I hurt, which is often, this song speaks for me 😭. I'm 61 years of age and have lost so many people in my life 💔. This causes me pause, but, also, cries out my pain. I'm sorry we lost this precious person,who, truly felt like this ❤
My father works at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He provided all the background archival footage for this video. Anyway- we were talking about this song just the other day and he told me when Johnny showed this video to his daughter, Roseanne- she said "It looks like you are saying goodbye", and he replied "Well, I am". Always gives me the chills.
thats amazing. i remember both releases of this song and Cash took this to another level of emotion. Trent is amazing for writing this song and he legit did an amazing job, i love NIN but Cash tied 2 maybe 3 generations together with this cover
@@robertbattle6179 100% agree. NIN was amazing. But Johnny makes me cry every time I hear it, the video legit makes me ugly cry (snot bubbles included).
This song still gets me. I have actually carried this man’s groceries to his car. Where I’m from , he was a staple to see him in Kroger’s. I talked with this man so many times with him and June. So yes… this song is definitely deep! I was 15. I’m 49 now. He always wore his black. He always tipped me $5. Back then it was no big deal. Now I’m so glad I got to experience the little conversations I had with them.
Im the same age as you and have lived in Mississippi and Tennessee all my life I always wanted to meet him. for me though the reason I wanted to meet him was because my dad look like Johnny just 10 to 15 years younger. This song came out about a year after my dad died and when I first seen this vid all I seen was my dad because in my dads last days he aged quickly and looked just like Johnny did in that vid. Im sorry Im rambling but in a weird way for me this song keeps both Johnny and my Dad alive in my heart.
From IMDB: "His frailty is evident in the video. He died seven months later, on September 12. His wife, June Carter Cash, who participated in the video (shown gazing at her husband in several sequences), died three months after filming, on May 15, closely preceding him in death." This one rips me apart every time I hear it. I'm well past the half-way point, and this hits hard.
Trent Resner wrote this song about addiction, he didn't see it as a song for those who have reached the pinnacle or end of their life, Johnny gave even further meaning to the song which weighs so much on the human soul. That's why this song means so much to you.
Johnny cash was also an addict and was arrested for drug possession. He was a rock star in the day, not a saint. This was his goodbye, as both he and his wife were diagnosed terminal with illnesses. She died in March of 03, and he died in September.
His cover of this song is perfect imperfection. It has always haunted me. The shaking in his voice, the sadness and the way he sounds almost like he's begging. The crescendo of the piano from a steady, calm beat to a desperate pounding...this man sang this song how it was meant to be sung. I get emotional everytime I hear it. But well worth the emotional roller coaster ride for sure!
I think you nailed it, it's "perfect imperfection". He sings this song with such unmistakable emotion and depth, and the production beautifully accompanies and ultimately amplifies the impact of his vocals. There's something intangible and truly special about the finished product, it hits me every time.
Hard part is watching June watching him singing. She passed away 6 months later. He joined her 6 months after that. Heaven needed a new bass for heaven's choir.
She was dying and he didn't know how he could live without her. Turns out he couldn't. By her face I reckon she knew that. That piano that he closes the lid of hasn't been played since.
Those who were at that filming said that John was having a particularly bad day and June knew he was feeling badly. She was not one to ever go to the set when filming was going on and intentionally was staying upstairs. She never intended to be filmed or be there, but she was so concerned that he wouldn’t get through the day, she came down to check on him. The worry on her face was not staged, it was indeed real life happening.
4 months. She died in May 15th, he died in September 12th. I didn't have that memorized, I just looked it up. But not to answer this question, believe it or not. I knew they'd died very close together, and checked the dates. I'm not sure if this is still true, but it was a real statistic in the 90s. Demographically, if the wife dies first, the husband is usually dead within the year. But when the husband dies first, it doesn't seem to impact the wife's longevity at all.
@@bulldoggery My great grandparents were married for sixty some years. When my grandmother passed my grandfather went a few weeks later. It's definitely a thing.
@@bulldoggery I think its to do with the fact women are naturally more sociable and talk to their girlfriends about deep feelings. I think most men still bottle theirs up.
I'm 66, and the oldest living member of my family. I'm a recovering drug addict (28 years clean and sober) and this makes me cry EVERY time I hear it. So powerful. I have yet to meet anyone who hears this who hasn't reacted much the same as you have. I appreciate your reaction.
You the oldest person on you family at 66? What the heck do you live. My nan is alive, a teen in the second world war. 1 year older than the written at 96. You need to show the toner greens in your family to live a different way. The average life is 83
Trent was asked by one of Cash’s associates what he would think if Cash did a cover of his song. He said that it was gimmicky, but that it would be cool. When he received the CD a couple months later, he said it ‘was like somebody else kissing your girlfriend’. Later on, he received a copy of the video when he was in the studio. They played it, and by the end, Trent was on the verge of crying. He said that the song was no longer his, and that it felt like a warm hug after Cash had passed away. Heartbreaking story.
What a lovel;y way to reemeber an artist like Johnny Cash. Good for you Trent Reznor for not only allowing this to be recorded but in your generosity of spirit in comments after the fact.
When he starts pouring the wine over the table, hands shaking, I always burst into tears. This song is too hard to listen to. Especially knowing that his wife, who is in the video, ended up passing away before he did. I hope wherever he ended up, he is at peace. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for the kind words my friend. Yes, this was a hard song to listen to but it is a masterpiece. I’m sorry to hear about the cancer and I wish I could help. Whatever you need from me just reach out. I’m truly here for everyone 24/7 🙏
Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (KJV) When it comes down to it, all that matters is where you send eternity. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)
It says something when the band that wrote and performed this song says, “this song is no longer our song, it’s Johnny’s”. That is the ultimate compliment, and reverence to a legend!!!
It's funny to hear someone say "the band that wrote and performed this" in casual reference to Nine Inch Nails (NIN) because in my world they're also legends. I mean, they're in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
@@whitewalker57 Absolutely. Watching reactions to an Untouchable Song when I got to see it evolve from an Iconic Song is awesome. It's like sharing an ice cream sundae with someone who never had ice cream before.
The first time I heard this version I was driving home from work at night. I had been a NIN fan for many years and was really surprised that it was being covered by Cash of all people. After the first verse I had to pull over and just cry for a while. I still cry when I hear it. I'm crying right now.
Me too. Me too. Except I first heard it with the video clip and it added an extra layer of emotions. Sobbing uncontrollably, on a first date, and still cry every time. And at the time I was telling myself I didn't like NIN anymore, that they'd broken my heart in the 90s and I had ended our relationship. Then Johnny came along and convinced me to try again all this years later.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails said that Cash's cover of this song is so much better then his very own. Rick Ruben produced the last 4 Johnny Cash albums before he passed away, and he said that this song had him in tears in the studio as Cash was singing it.
HERE is The Savior YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF” From the Ancient Semitic: "Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3) Ancient Semitic Direct Translation Yad - "Behold The Hand" He - "Behold the Breath" Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
When Trent Wrote this song, it was about a mans struggle with Addiction. Johnny Transformed it into a man at the end of his life, grappling with his mortality.
My ex-husband was killed in 2015. He had suffered from addiction for many years. It had cost him everything. We put this song on his memorial CD. To me, these words said it all. You're right- an absolute masterpiece ❤
bless you Dawn. I'm so sorry to hear part of your story. I hope this song helps you heal. Know that Johnny was saved through the grace of Jesus and his forever home is in Heaven, as is mine. Please join us if you haven't already. Cry out to Jesus for salvation! The world is dirt!
@@lorenrobertson8039 Thank you for your kind words. Yes, Ma'am our Lord & Savior Jesus has gotten me through so many dark days. Knowing that all of this is temporary & one day I will go home to my Father's house is what gives me strength through the good days AND the bad. 💗
Miss Dawn, I unfortunately have a similar story. My late husband actually sent me this song. I will say the only thing I child imagine more painful than loving an addict is being one, and I could see that on his face when he had me listen to this for the first time.
@HollerMa71 I can somewhat sympathize. My brother questionably died over six years ago. I will never have an answer. His 40th birthday is the 10th of this month
"hurt" by johnny cash is the reflection of his own life. he struggled throughout his life with addiction to drugs and alcohol. the picture of the older lady is his mother. the lady standing behind him was his wife june. the song is about looking for forgiveness from those he hurt and realizing that life is not about collecting possessions but relationships and not taking them for granted.... complex visions of his crumbling museum, his childhood home, cracked dusty awards mixed family images and the crucifixion of Christ show a simple man searching for salvation as he is nearing death. the piano does appear to represent a coffin and he supposedly never opened it again after the last take. its one of the most powerful videos ever done and can bring the most ruthless of men to tears. his wife died shortly after the video and he died 8 months later... even the museum burnt down to the ground a few years later during a renovation project...
keep in mind that this is also a cover of a song by trent reznor/nine inch nails from the 90s. johnny cash owns it, and even trent said that the song is his now, but he only made a few changes.
The sad part is, when he says "I would keep myself, I would find a way" he's admitting he'd end up the same person, with the same vices and mistakes. So starting over wouldn't help.
This is a powerful video. When he closes the piano at the end, the sense of finality is so undeniable. This was a man who was saying his final goodbye and it's haunting.
Johnny singing this cuts straight to your soul. I can only listen to this once in a while because it carries so much weight. Trent wrote it, but has said it's no longer his song. True Artists.
Proud of you man. I am a Heavy Rocker. And yet, No one can sing like this except Johnny Cash. Singers like him, Do not come around often. We are blessed to have had him in all of our Generations. And that is the gift that will never quit giving.
They are truly separate songs. At the time Trent wrote it he was where Johnny was at the beginning section of is career. If you look into the two artists they are actually very similar. Look at Johnny Cash in his late 20s and early 30s and look at Trent Reznor around the same time. I think Johnny Cash was able to look at the original song and know it wasn’t over if you listen to them back to back it’s almost as if the song itself tells a story though it feels like a portion is missing
I don't know about that. I like both the NiN version and this version. Although the lyrics are almost the same (Johnny changed like 2 words), they are two different songs with two different meanings.
Even Trent Reznor (of nine inch nails) who wrote the song about his own depression and insecurities said after seeing the video for the first time said "its not my song anymore!". to this day it still brings me to tears every time i hear it.. and you had the same visceral reaction to it that every feeling person had..
The story behind Johnny singing Hurt is actually really interesting. Originally Johnny didn't want to do it, but was eventually talked into reading a transcript of the lyrics of Hurt. Then when Trent heard that Hurt was covered (originally without his permission) he was furious that someone dared take a song so personal to him and try to make it their own. After his initial anger, Trent was convinced to listen to the cover and reportedly broke into tears. That's when we got the quote from him that Trent wrote the song, but "That song wasn't mine anymore."
The NIN song is about a young man who wonders if life is worth living. Johnny's version is about an old man who wishes who wishes he could live it again.
Totally agree. Most people I've met it's the "everyone I know goes away in the end" that has such an impact, and it certainly does, but THIS line is the one that makes the tears stop just threatening and start to flow.
As someone who struggled with addiction, the nin original was a massive help. Now as a older man, this version makes me cry every time. This song transcends from country to metal and everyone feel
Johnny's interpretation of this song is so very true. Life is so short. I can guarantee you young man that some day you will find yourself here. I was once a successful musician in Hollywood. I never made much money but I played with the best of the best studio musicians of the time. I recorded for the major record companies. Memories never die. I'm 74 now and letting go of all of my records and mementos to my daughter. Nothing I've earned means anything to me anymore. I once had it all and I lost it all. Life changes when you're old. The things that once mattered don't anymore. It's OK though. It's the passing of life. Young man, please never forget this song and how Johnny presented it. Keep this video close to your heart. It's Johnny's song of truth. Enjoy life but don't let it over take you. Always keep your focus. Bless you.
HERE is The Savior YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF” From the Ancient Semitic: "Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3) Ancient Semitic Direct Translation Yad - "Behold The Hand" He - "Behold the Breath" Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
what a beautiful and wise thing to say Mr... I'm sure you brought up a lovely young lady in your daughter... there's a lot of wisdom here in what you said that i wish i'd heard at 17!
This is coming from a old lady who happens to appreciate all genres of music - you, and your reactions are genuine. I made a presumption I shouldn't have. That you would only react to music of "your" generation. You have my sincere apology. I watched your reaction to Home Free's cover of Brothers In Arms and realized you have an amazing ability to relate to any music that reaches in you and touches something. So far, you're 2 for 2 - so I subbed. I'm going to see what else has touched you that I've missed by not subbing earlier. Thanks for your honesty and sincere desire to help others going through whatever it is life is throwing them. It isn't always pretty but it makes it more bearable to know that someone (even a stranger) is there willing to lend an ear. My life has been lived (and saved a couple of times, too) through music. It has something that reaches places inside you that can't be reached otherwise. Some would say that's spiritual - I just say - that's music. Peace be with you always and keep up the good work.
You’re so sweet! Thank you for your loving message! I’m glad that you decided to subscribe and follow me on this journey. It means a lot to me. I’m still a fairly new channel and learning the ropes but it will only get better from here. And I’m here for you and the entire community 24/7. Thank you again for your message 🙏
He knew he was dying. His wife June, the woman on the stairs, died a few months after this video was made, and he died several months after her. The song was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails about his addiction. It is also very moving.
I believe Trent said that Hurt was no longer a NiN song, but rather a Johnny Cash song after this. Simply because of how well done it was, and the sheer raw emotion in it.
yeah Trent wasn't sold on Cash's version of the song when he first heard it, but when he saw the video meshing the imagery with the vocals that it fully hit him just how much emotion was behind it
I've seen this at least 30 times and cry every time. 74 yrs old tomorrow, 25 yrs recovering and this always gets me. AJ is my therapy. I am grateful every single day, for her. First EP this summer and I just hope I am around to see at least one more after the first.
Masterpiece is the only way to describe hurt. Like you I am not a big Johnny Cash fan, but I believe this is the saddest song of all time, the best video of all time, and the best cover of all time. It is the most emotionally impactful song I have ever experienced. I have been watching reactions. I feel what you all feel. It hurts, but is so beautiful, vulnerable and profound.
That's why this song from Johnny Cash is so impactful and amazing. He encapsulated the entirety of birth to death perfectly. I've been listening to the song for probably a decade and every time every single time I listen it raises goosebumps and my hairs go up. I understand what you're going through.
The fact that he did this so close to his death, makes it hit home. It's like you can tell he knew it was his time and this was a look back + farewell.
His wife died a 3 months after this came out and he followed 4 months after her. 😞 He had a hard time finishing this album because his voice started to go. He knew it wouldn't be too much longer before he'd be gone. He was saying goodbye to everyone and the video reflects that. His life flashed before our eyes in a music video. RIP Mr. Cash 😇 The Man in Black 😎 This album went Platinum and won Best Album of the Year at the CMA Awards 2003! The house you see.. he bought and made into the Cash Museum! At the time of this video the museum had been closed for a while & was in disrepair. Basically showing us the beginning and the end.
Yo bro,ups to you for giving Johnny his flowers,check out his Variety T.V. program he hand picked the musical guests,there are seminal t.v. moments.A treasure trove really❤❤❤😊
This isn't a song you prepare for, it's one that you let take you away to the Well of Understanding. It doesn't matter what kind of music you always knew, this one fits every genre. It fits because it's the truth. Only the good die young. It's true, though not how most people see it. If you live long enough, you look back and regret your years of destruction, and you know yourself for what you are, and the sum of all you've been. My 70th year is in the rear view mirror, and the past is what it is. The good with the bad, they shaped me surer than the potters hand, I'll leave with the scars I've earned and face that further shore with all the courage I can muster. There's naught else we mortals can do. Thanks for the memories, Johnny. Rest easy, your run is over and it's time to ease your weary soul.
The most powerful part of the entire video to me was when he closed the cover on the piano, with music being his life and legacy it was like he was closing the cover of his own casket
He sits there with that guitar playing, staring away into forever, and closing his eyes. The video seems to be showing us what he is seeing, the words are so perfect for that kind of regretful reflection. His voice is strong, but it isn't perfect at all, it is old and tired at times. All the elements just put me in his head and feel everything he is trying to convey.... and everytime I hear it I cry a little.
I wasnt ready for it when I first heard it either. Came out the blue and smashed like a sledgehammer in that ego we all have called immortality and the self belief we will live forever. Damn... still gets me even now.
This song has 146 MILLION VIEWS on UA-cam. Johnny Cash is one of my all time favourites - despite his imperfections and the horrible life choices he lived to regret. But the one thing he did right was sing with his natural voice. It's why he was still singing and recording in his final years, sickly, and dying. He died prematurely of old age at only 71-years-old; a warning that not caring for one's body and health is sometimes irreversible. Take care.
That entire album destroys me, knowing that was his last recorded album, knowing that his wife June passed during the filming of this video, and knowing that he did everything to record this album despite just having a stroke. Inspiring human being.
This song is a pure dose of 100% "Hurt", just like the title says. Johnny was a great man, but he fought his demons for years, and this song is both about that and also about the pain of dealing with the end of life. I can't watch this without shedding tears. Probably the most moving song I have ever heard.
It was johnny and Justin Timberlake (Whos from Memphis) nominated at the MTV VIdeo Music awards. Justin won and when he got on stage Justin said "This is a travesty, I grew up listening to Johnny cash" Trent Reznor (NIN) wrote about an angry young man entering the world, Johnny took it and made it about an old man saying goodbye real recognizes real, Hip Hop, rock, jazz, what have you. All put respect on Johnny's name
This is the first video of yours I've ever seen, and I am in awe, not just of your vulnerability here, which is beautiful, but at your kindness, which is also beautiful. Making yourself available to your viewers like this is an incredible - and difficult - thing. I listen to every genre, but not hiphop as often, but I'm definitely subscribing.
Man you could just see your whole expression change when the song started, right from word go, love your reactions mostly for the 'realness' (sorry don't know how to better describe it) Not a big Johnny Cash fan personally but this song gives me chills every time, it is powerful. Much love to you, keep well x
My late husband Jacob loved Johnny Cash and this song meant a lot to him. He had once told me it was such a profound version that made him feel real. The first time I heard this song, I could not stop crying. I felt EVERYTHING. All the pain that Jacob had ever felt, was coming from this one song. Jacob had been addicted to opiates as well as an alcoholic most of his adult life. He had an extremely difficult childhood and found solace in listening to Johnny's music. At Jacob's memorial we had played this song and there was not one dry eye in the place.
I am so sorry that you lost your love - this song is amazing at expressing the lonely, stuck, lifetime thing we all go thru- but, remember always, ur hubby loved you- even when he couldn't love himself - we all kinda go thru the moments this song expresses
I was in high school when NiN released Hurt, and it felt deep then. When Johnny Cash did his cover, I was a decade plus older, and had lost some friends and family, and it really hit a lot harder hearing it.
No shame for the emotion you expressed in this, man. It’s more than fine, it is good and proper to feel because of this. It is a song tailored to wring you out and MAKE you feel. And sometimes we all need that lesson about mortality and legacy. I am grateful to Nine Inch Nails for creating the song, and to Johnny Cash for taking it to another level. I’m glad you know about it now.
Johnny Cash turned this song into something really great. The video is amazing!! You see all his regrets. It will choke you up and feel his pain in his voice.
I know you posted this two years ago, but I just watched it for the first time. When he talks about the needle tear a hole he’s not talking about steel. He’s talking about allowing the memories to have their way with him. I am 70 years old now and I cannot stand to remember the asshole I was. The bad things I did in fact everything I remember is bad. I can’t look back anymore. I love this song. It’s the most poignant acid of truth. I can imagine. I’m glad it had a profound effect on you. By His Grace
They actually used this song in a story I once read, and I cried so long and hard honestly. Hell, even just watching this reaction made me tear up a bit. Johnny's cover just hits hard man. I actually have an older brother that was an addict. He's finally started getting clean bout almost a year back I wanna say by now, and every single time I see him I tell how damn proud I am of him. How it's nice to finally have him back. He wasn't always the best brother when we was younger but... He is still family. And it really has been great to have him back.
I remember listening to this in an intro psychology class back in high school. Our teacher would dive into all sorts of music and tie it into what we were learning. For Hurt, we listened to the original and the Johnny Cash version to see how the same song could mean something completely different for two different people (also the slight lyric changes and imagery). I would highly recommend checking out the original by Nine Inch Nails, the Downward Spiral is a great album that follow someone through a downward spiral all the way through their suicide (ending with Hurt). When I was suicidal and other times I've been in depressive spirals I would listen to the album straight through, it's powerful.
Thats exactly it.... when all your loved ones have passed on, when the friends are all gone, when all thats left is you and your memories of everything.... nothing matters anymore.... wealth, power, status... its meaningless without people to give it life. Time waits for no one, and will continue to press forward... all you can do is make the most of every day.
@Lincoln Morris I can only tell you that I'm 40 now... I have no grand parents..my parents are in their 70s only 2 aunts left and 1 uncle... lost a cousin... Time allows the pain to receed to manageable levels but it never truly goes away completely. I miss them all. I can still remember family reunions from when I was young... soo many people... and soo many are gone now.
This song hits people because the older you get, the clearer you see the things in your past. What should have mattered most vs what you gave your energy to. And it hurts. It hurts because your only choice is to grieve the passing of those moments that you’d give anything to go back to and redirect your focus to what you now know should have been an unquestionable priority. But you can’t, you’ll never have those moments back. Everyone, no matter who you are, has a past partially constructed of moments in life that will have never been done right.
Thank you for respecting the music and let it play through that is the most powerful piece I have ever witnessed. The man had a ton of regret he knew he was dying, his wife just died weeks before the release of this. It’s why it’s also considered the greatest cover ever. It hits like a fucking bomb every time. It’s just brutal but beautiful
Trent Reznor had said in an interview after hearing Cash's rendition of this song.... "this is his song now" This song was and still is very personal for Reznor but Cash showed the world how important music is by telling us a completely different story with the same song. Regret and self loathing are powerful emotions but throughout all of the pits and depths, despite losing everyone and everything, hope is still present. He said this at the beginning of the song by trying to see if he was still capable of feeling... as sad as it is, it is still hope. He said it again in the closing line... "I will find a way". For anyone that has had thoughts of just ending it... don't give up. You have something to offer, you are valuable to those around you even when you feel invisible. You can start again, so find a way.
This song is beyond classic. Literally this song is perfect. Just perfect for him. How you reacted to this just means you have a soul and a beautiful heart.
No one’s ready. He took a great Nine Inch Nails song and made it extraordinary. I cry every single time he closes that piano 🖤
How old was Johnny Cash when he passed on customized does anybody know.
@@miaclaudio5428 he was 71.
The NIN version is much better. Rick Rubin's arrangement and instrumentation is so bland compared to the original.
@@nathanpapp432that's... Debatable. Don't get me wrong, I too think NIN's version hit harder as a song. But my reaction was EXACTLY the same as Reznor's: I heard the song without seeing the video and thought it was bland and lacked the depth NIN's version had. Then I watched the video and went "now I can see why it came out like this".
@@KlebinDaBoca We are talking about the song though. The video is irrelevant.
The older you get, the more powerful the song gets. As for me, it burns.
💗
Yep
we burn together friend, you wont be alone.
When considering such things, we're all the same. Hope your time remaining is full of life and love.
I’m m sick with leukemia and chemo, and won’t die but am losing all I love. This long slow slide down the next 20 or 20 years, 5 to 8 of chemo and dialysis for the kidneys the chemo has destroy , and I don’t understand the point. I’m 62 a nd V already .wArehoused.
His closing of the piano at the end, as if to say: "That's it. I'm done." is like a punch in the gut.
To me, it was like he was saying goodbye to an old friend.
it was beautiful and gut wrenching
that is exactly what he was doing. June dies a couple of months later and Johnny not long after. His daughter watched this and said, dad, It’s like you are saying goodbye. He answered, I am.
Even more, he closed it slowly like a long goodbye.
His children report that he never played that piano again. He was indeed saying goodby to it.
After Trent heard this he said "It's your song now."
I can't imagine higher praise than that.
Someone said. “Trent was born to write ‘Hurt’ and Johnny was born to sing it.”
@@shaunm2691 But those are two completely different songs, the lyrics have a completely different meaning!
And yet not a word is different. Quite a lesson in how spoken language heavily relies on context and words =/= message.
I did not know that but it makes sense.
@@shaunm2691 It was Bono from U2 who said that in this Vid ua-cam.com/video/gg8xYSWOFR8/v-deo.html " Johnny Cash - Hurt Behind The Scenes"
@@adamkozakiewicz6766 One word is different. NIN's version says 'crown of shit' which Cash replaced with 'crown of thorns' on account of his religious beliefs I guess. Apart from that, everything is the same. Both great versions in my view but two completely different songs as you say in the vibes they give off.
To see his wife June in this, knowing she died 3 months after filming, in the scene where he sings, “everyone I know goes away in the end”…you can’t be ready for that.
F-... and now I'm crying again.
I saw the very last live performance made by Johnny after June died.
Every single person in that room could see this was a man at his end. Yet he promised June to keep making music and singing until he died no matter what, and he kept his promise to her despite the pain of loosing the one person he loved most.
I've o ly been married 23yrs and the idea of trying to still live without my soulmate, life mate, best friend, father of my son...my everything is beyond what my soul can handle.
I remember seeing this video back when it first came out. And as soon as I saw her I lost it
@@clownsoftheearth You're not alone
As soon as she went, everybody knew - Johnny’s gone, too. She was Johnny’s world. Without her….there was no him. Legendary love.
The fact that this song can be interpreted as both an incredible powerful song about the pain and struggle of addiction AND a heartbreaking song about an older person reflecting on his life depending on the artist makes this a candidate for greatest song ever written.
I wonder if he really saw himself and his life within the lyrics. I've watched some stuff on Cash and if I remember correctly he wasn't the nicest guy to be around. Maybe the guilt of his past, all that he sacrificed and neglected had come full circle and he wished he could go back and keep himself. Basically he changed for the worse despite his success and he would give it all away to not go that same path, to maintain who he was for the ones he loved.
Everyone needs to look in the mirror, admit all the shortcomings, failings, and triumphs. Realizing that lost is the only constant. Seeing the faraway look in a Veterans eyes. Feeling the sadness of an elder who have outlived their contemporaries. Yes nothing takes that pain away. The same people that cheered His entrance, throwing palm leaves, flowers, even cloaks and garments down on His path. The same people that jeered and called for His execution. Checkout Seal it in My Heart and Mind, Over The Next Hill, and Thanksgiving Prayer.
@@howardwest2707 Johnny was very familiar with the pain off addiction and what it did to those around him. He understood every word that Trent wrote in this song as both an addict and a man looking back on a hard-fought life.
Cash was also an addict.
@@howardwest2707hit the nail on the head
The most heartwrenching story about this song, to me, is that when he showed the video to his family before it was released, his daughter said "Daddy, it sounds like you're saying goodbye.", to which he replied "I am."
Johnny Cash was the last performer my late father considered to be his favorite; Probably from the mid 80s up until his death in 2019. (We got to see him perform live at a country music festival in 86 or 87.) Incidentally my father didn't get a chance to hear this song/see this video until soon after my mother passed on September 12th, 2013. Once he had it in his music library on his laptop I'd hear it playing, hauntingly, from his room, late at night over & over again.
Thus when I hear this song now it hits me on just one more level than most. In some ways I can relate to his daughter. Her father was expressing his feelings in the days, weeks & months before his death. My father listened to this song to express his heartfelt desire to leave behind the crumbling ruin of his world remaining in the wake of my mother's passing. His son, his daughter, his grandchildren, his books, his fishing, everything was just a fragmented remnant left behind constantly stabbing into his heart & mind.
Worse still was his repeated request for me to provide him with a handgun. As a diabetic he could easily have ended his life at any point with a large dose of insulin. I often wonder, even til this day, whether he made those requests in pure spite?
That is more closure than my father left me, I suppose. He didn't mention me in his suicide letter, but made sure I was the one to find his body.
@@Random-ot7me Wow, I'm sorry man!
@@Random-ot7me that's heavy. My father is a psychopath.
@@trmp9923 yeah my biological father is a piece of shit as well. He was a meth head woman beater. The only legacy he left me was ptsd from witnessing the beatings. I have no fight response, only flight. When confrontation happens I get an overwhelming urge to run
The original is from a young man’s perspective battling drug addiction. When Johnny sings it, the song takes on a new life where he is at the end of his life full of regret. This was one of the last things he did before he died. His daughter said that the song sounded like he was saying goodbye to them and he said “that is because I was”. The cover was Rick Ruben’s idea and he produced it. Trent Reznor (original artist) said the song now belongs to Johnny Cash. Beautiful.
Some clarity on one detail, he didn't say it belonged to cash now. He said it was like watching someone violate his girlfriend in front of him. Someone got it confused with the response to the reaction to the sound of silence cover by disturbed and it spread like wildfire. There are tons of sources for the interview with Treant.
@@ianfitzgerald6286 But then he talked about listening to it a few weeks later & feeling that; "I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine anymore.". So, while not an exact quote, it's still basically what he said.
Well, Cash was also addicted . So, both fit him.
Couldn't have said it better, sir.....
Johnny made it his own. It kills me every time I hear it.
No one is ever ready for this version of "Hurt". I rarely listen to this version cause I break down into tears every time. He brought a whole deeper layer to the song it hits hard. I love Johnny.
He drew out the core of the song - pain - in a completely different but all-encompassing way. Absolutely soul-rending.
Yep. There's a reason Trent Reznor said that this was "Johnny's song" after hearing this cover. Powerful stuff
I cry almost every time but this is the only version I listen to.Playing NIN's version is deadnaming this song.
I feel your pain 😢. When I hurt, which is often, this song speaks for me 😭. I'm 61 years of age and have lost so many people in my life 💔. This causes me pause, but, also, cries out my pain. I'm sorry we lost this precious person,who, truly felt like this ❤
My father works at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. He provided all the background archival footage for this video. Anyway- we were talking about this song just the other day and he told me when Johnny showed this video to his daughter, Roseanne- she said "It looks like you are saying goodbye", and he replied "Well, I am". Always gives me the chills.
thats amazing. i remember both releases of this song and Cash took this to another level of emotion. Trent is amazing for writing this song and he legit did an amazing job, i love NIN but Cash tied 2 maybe 3 generations together with this cover
@@robertbattle6179 100% agree. NIN was amazing. But Johnny makes me cry every time I hear it, the video legit makes me ugly cry (snot bubbles included).
Jesus this comment made me actually choke up a bit. Imagine hearing uour own parent say that they're saying goodbye
I believe that this was that last time he played/ touched his piano in this video...
A lot of those lyrics probably relayed back to his and rosannes relationship after his divorce from her mom.
This song still gets me. I have actually carried this man’s groceries to his car. Where I’m from , he was a staple to see him in Kroger’s. I talked with this man so many times with him and June. So yes… this song is definitely deep! I was 15. I’m 49 now. He always wore his black. He always tipped me $5. Back then it was no big deal. Now I’m so glad I got to experience the little conversations I had with them.
Oh my. That is amazing! What memories to have.
Im the same age as you and have lived in Mississippi and Tennessee all my life I always wanted to meet him. for me though the reason I wanted to meet him was because my dad look like Johnny just 10 to 15 years younger. This song came out about a year after my dad died and when I first seen this vid all I seen was my dad because in my dads last days he aged quickly and looked just like Johnny did in that vid. Im sorry Im rambling but in a weird way for me this song keeps both Johnny and my Dad alive in my heart.
Lucky man
@@scottlang7564 Oh man, that's tough to read
My condolences
That's awesome, I'm glad you have these memories
From IMDB: "His frailty is evident in the video. He died seven months later, on September 12. His wife, June Carter Cash, who participated in the video (shown gazing at her husband in several sequences), died three months after filming, on May 15, closely preceding him in death."
This one rips me apart every time I hear it. I'm well past the half-way point, and this hits hard.
The part in the video where his wife is looking at him with such love and sadness - that's the part where I always break.
The moment Mr. Cash opened his mouth, that song became his.
No one can touch his version.
As a huge NIN fan, i definitely disagree. This is still an awesome track though.
I never even knew til now there was another version
Actually, even Trent Reznor said: “That song isn’t mine any more.”
@@luiscesarvianagomes970 true
@@TheMissinLink Trent himself said that its now johnny Cash‘s song
The more you know about Johnny Cash, the more heartbreaking this song is.
Yes. That's a fact.
Truth. You can see all the pain of his life on display. Then his wife in the video dies like 3 months later. They all go away.
Trent Resner wrote this song about addiction, he didn't see it as a song for those who have reached the pinnacle or end of their life, Johnny gave even further meaning to the song which weighs so much on the human soul. That's why this song means so much to you.
Johnny cash was also an addict and was arrested for drug possession. He was a rock star in the day, not a saint. This was his goodbye, as both he and his wife were diagnosed terminal with illnesses. She died in March of 03, and he died in September.
His cover of this song is perfect imperfection. It has always haunted me. The shaking in his voice, the sadness and the way he sounds almost like he's begging. The crescendo of the piano from a steady, calm beat to a desperate pounding...this man sang this song how it was meant to be sung. I get emotional everytime I hear it. But well worth the emotional roller coaster ride for sure!
I think you nailed it, it's "perfect imperfection". He sings this song with such unmistakable emotion and depth, and the production beautifully accompanies and ultimately amplifies the impact of his vocals. There's something intangible and truly special about the finished product, it hits me every time.
@@somniumrabidum I truly agree! It is actually part of my daily affirmations.
The crescendo is one of the ways in which, although Cash definitely owned the song, it still somewhat has that Trent Reznor feel too.
@@fnjesusfreak Yes, I have always felt they slightly distorted the end crescendo as a hat tip to Trent.
Hard part is watching June watching him singing. She passed away 6 months later. He joined her 6 months after that. Heaven needed a new bass for heaven's choir.
She was dying and he didn't know how he could live without her. Turns out he couldn't. By her face I reckon she knew that. That piano that he closes the lid of hasn't been played since.
Those who were at that filming said that John was having a particularly bad day and June knew he was feeling badly. She was not one to ever go to the set when filming was going on and intentionally was staying upstairs. She never intended to be filmed or be there, but she was so concerned that he wouldn’t get through the day, she came down to check on him. The worry on her face was not staged, it was indeed real life happening.
4 months. She died in May 15th, he died in September 12th. I didn't have that memorized, I just looked it up. But not to answer this question, believe it or not. I knew they'd died very close together, and checked the dates.
I'm not sure if this is still true, but it was a real statistic in the 90s. Demographically, if the wife dies first, the husband is usually dead within the year. But when the husband dies first, it doesn't seem to impact the wife's longevity at all.
@@bulldoggery My great grandparents were married for sixty some years. When my grandmother passed my grandfather went a few weeks later. It's definitely a thing.
@@bulldoggery I think its to do with the fact women are naturally more sociable and talk to their girlfriends about deep feelings. I think most men still bottle theirs up.
You can be a legend, gold records, death still comes for us in the end. Nothing will change it.
100% correct. Just enjoy your time while you’re here and do what you love
I'm 66, and the oldest living member of my family. I'm a recovering drug addict (28 years clean and sober) and this makes me cry EVERY time I hear it. So powerful. I have yet to meet anyone who hears this who hasn't reacted much the same as you have. I appreciate your reaction.
Do you want to live forever? Assuming in good health, enough money and plenty of meaningful things to do for a long time?
You the oldest person on you family at 66? What the heck do you live. My nan is alive, a teen in the second world war. 1 year older than the written at 96. You need to show the toner greens in your family to live a different way. The average life is 83
I'm 60 and the oldest member of my family that is left. Recovering addict. I have two sons but no grandchildren yet. I hope to meet them before I go.
im happy you're hear to tell your story!
Its the depth, and tired richness in his voice hes experienced and had access to it all but when the time comes……
Trent was asked by one of Cash’s associates what he would think if Cash did a cover of his song. He said that it was gimmicky, but that it would be cool. When he received the CD a couple months later, he said it ‘was like somebody else kissing your girlfriend’. Later on, he received a copy of the video when he was in the studio. They played it, and by the end, Trent was on the verge of crying. He said that the song was no longer his, and that it felt like a warm hug after Cash had passed away.
Heartbreaking story.
What a lovel;y way to reemeber an artist like Johnny Cash. Good for you Trent Reznor for not only allowing this to be recorded but in your generosity of spirit in comments after the fact.
Johnny Cash was a firm believer in the old saying “Only one life, it will soon be passed, only what’s done for Christ will last.“
Amen!!
When he starts pouring the wine over the table, hands shaking, I always burst into tears. This song is too hard to listen to. Especially knowing that his wife, who is in the video, ended up passing away before he did. I hope wherever he ended up, he is at peace. Thanks for the video.
Right. It's so real. It does hurt.
Her face was so haunting.
@@LaniefjThat's part of the hurt. She was dying and they both knew it. She was the only thing keeping him alive, at that point.
June was a lot older than him too.
@@ChristinaFromUA-cam I thought the opposite. I thought she was still under age when they met. He was married to another woman.
Young man, your reaction was perfect. As a 46 year old man with cancer and no kids. Your reaction is perfect. Be the change we need.
Thank you for the kind words my friend. Yes, this was a hard song to listen to but it is a masterpiece. I’m sorry to hear about the cancer and I wish I could help. Whatever you need from me just reach out. I’m truly here for everyone 24/7 🙏
Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (KJV)
When it comes down to it, all that matters is where you send eternity.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV)
@@eagle12687 amen ♥️
I hope youre still going strong my brother.
How are you doing? Praying for you!
It says something when the band that wrote and performed this song says, “this song is no longer our song, it’s Johnny’s”. That is the ultimate compliment, and reverence to a legend!!!
It's funny to hear someone say "the band that wrote and performed this" in casual reference to Nine Inch Nails (NIN) because in my world they're also legends. I mean, they're in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.
@@ShamelessFox “ultimate compliment” is reverence. Incredible song.
@@whitewalker57 Absolutely. Watching reactions to an Untouchable Song when I got to see it evolve from an Iconic Song is awesome. It's like sharing an ice cream sundae with someone who never had ice cream before.
Not just one of their songs, but Trent's most personal song.
The first time I heard this version I was driving home from work at night. I had been a NIN fan for many years and was really surprised that it was being covered by Cash of all people. After the first verse I had to pull over and just cry for a while. I still cry when I hear it. I'm crying right now.
Me too. Me too. Except I first heard it with the video clip and it added an extra layer of emotions. Sobbing uncontrollably, on a first date, and still cry every time. And at the time I was telling myself I didn't like NIN anymore, that they'd broken my heart in the 90s and I had ended our relationship. Then Johnny came along and convinced me to try again all this years later.
I was driving to work and Nick Carter, the disc jockey in Boston WARNED us before he played the song that this song will hit you hard.
Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails said that Cash's cover of this song is so much better then his very own. Rick Ruben produced the last 4 Johnny Cash albums before he passed away, and he said that this song had him in tears in the studio as Cash was singing it.
HERE is The Savior
YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF”
From the Ancient Semitic:
"Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3)
Ancient Semitic Direct Translation
Yad - "Behold The Hand"
He - "Behold the Breath"
Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
Respect the Man in Black.
When Trent Wrote this song, it was about a mans struggle with Addiction. Johnny Transformed it into a man at the end of his life, grappling with his mortality.
Cash battled addiction for a long time as well. The video shows the loss. But knowing his story makes it even harder to listen too. 😭
My ex-husband was killed in 2015. He had suffered from addiction for many years. It had cost him everything. We put this song on his memorial CD. To me, these words said it all.
You're right- an absolute masterpiece ❤
bless you Dawn. I'm so sorry to hear part of your story. I hope this song helps you heal. Know that Johnny was saved through the grace of Jesus and his forever home is in Heaven, as is mine. Please join us if you haven't already. Cry out to Jesus for salvation! The world is dirt!
@@lorenrobertson8039 Thank you for your kind words. Yes, Ma'am our Lord & Savior Jesus has gotten me through so many dark days. Knowing that all of this is temporary & one day I will go home to my Father's house is what gives me strength through the good days AND the bad. 💗
Miss Dawn, I unfortunately have a similar story. My late husband actually sent me this song. I will say the only thing I child imagine more painful than loving an addict is being one, and I could see that on his face when he had me listen to this for the first time.
@HollerMa71 I can somewhat sympathize. My brother questionably died over six years ago. I will never have an answer. His 40th birthday is the 10th of this month
This song will get deeper the older you get, until it becomes a bottomless well, a dark mirror in its depths.
The last scene when he closes the piano is the one that gets me. Knowing this was his last performance you feel like he knew it too.
And that piano has not been open since. God Bless him and all those in a similar state of affairs.
He did he told his daughter he was saying good bye
I love to see people that don't normally listen to the same genre and come together to appreciate a fantastic song.
"hurt" by johnny cash is the reflection of his own life. he struggled throughout his life with addiction to drugs and alcohol. the picture of the older lady is his mother. the lady standing behind him was his wife june. the song is about looking for forgiveness from those he hurt and realizing that life is not about collecting possessions but relationships and not taking them for granted.... complex visions of his crumbling museum, his childhood home, cracked dusty awards mixed family images and the crucifixion of Christ show a simple man searching for salvation as he is nearing death. the piano does appear to represent a coffin and he supposedly never opened it again after the last take. its one of the most powerful videos ever done and can bring the most ruthless of men to tears. his wife died shortly after the video and he died 8 months later... even the museum burnt down to the ground a few years later during a renovation project...
Just to add some dates; The Hurt vid was filmed Feb. 2003. Released March 2003. June died May 15, 2003 & Johnny died Sept. 12, 2003.
@@wnsafford1854 Huh ... interesting. My mother passed on the same date just ten years later.
keep in mind that this is also a cover of a song by trent reznor/nine inch nails from the 90s. johnny cash owns it, and even trent said that the song is his now, but he only made a few changes.
@@wnsafford1854 Johnny Cash died of a broken heart. He loved her so much.
"If I could start again".....that part with his voice overpowering the instruments is beautiful and I couldn't hold back the tears, music is a gift
The sad part is, when he says "I would keep myself, I would find a way" he's admitting he'd end up the same person, with the same vices and mistakes. So starting over wouldn't help.
@@AtariBornare you sure? Maybe he lost himself in fame...
@@colettespencer3357 This is according to Trent Reznor, the writer of the song. I'm sure Johnny Cash understood that line.
@@AtariBorn ah yes. That makes sense. Ty
To me, personally,the most powerful cover ever done.When he was walking around his childhood house I fell apart bro.I loved and miss Johnny Cash 😞🙏
This song just strikes you straight in the heart. Every time.
The last minute is a emotional battering ram if you're not in right head
Every. Fucking. Time.
Every fkn time
This is a powerful video. When he closes the piano at the end, the sense of finality is so undeniable. This was a man who was saying his final goodbye and it's haunting.
To actually know that he passed away shortly after this song 😭
Johnny singing this cuts straight to your soul. I can only listen to this once in a while because it carries so much weight. Trent wrote it, but has said it's no longer his song. True Artists.
“This shoulda came with a warning. No it shouldn’t. It was beautiful.” Well said, brother.
Proud of you man. I am a Heavy Rocker. And yet, No one can sing like this except Johnny Cash. Singers like him, Do not come around often. We are blessed to have had him in all of our Generations. And that is the gift that will never quit giving.
I’m a big time metalhead and I couldn’t agree more. This version of Hurt hits you in the feels every damn time. Johnny Cash is a legend for sure.
No one can sing it like Johnny Cash, except for Trent Reznor.
The guy who wrote it.
it's a brutally emotional song and this version always hits me like a 2x4
He may not have written those lyrics, but he gave them a meaning that even Trent couldn't deliver.
After Trent heard this he said "It's your song now."
I can't imagine higher praise than that.
100% the delivery by Cash is genuine.
They are truly separate songs. At the time Trent wrote it he was where Johnny was at the beginning section of is career. If you look into the two artists they are actually very similar. Look at Johnny Cash in his late 20s and early 30s and look at Trent Reznor around the same time. I think Johnny Cash was able to look at the original song and know it wasn’t over if you listen to them back to back it’s almost as if the song itself tells a story though it feels like a portion is missing
@@trashpanda8437 That's a great perspective, I'm gonna look at it like that!
I don't know about that. I like both the NiN version and this version. Although the lyrics are almost the same (Johnny changed like 2 words), they are two different songs with two different meanings.
A warning wouldn't help all that much. I've heard this song a thousand times and it still brings me to tears.
This.
if it doesn't make you cry, you're not human.
Even Trent Reznor (of nine inch nails) who wrote the song about his own depression and insecurities said after seeing the video for the first time said "its not my song anymore!". to this day it still brings me to tears every time i hear it.. and you had the same visceral reaction to it that every feeling person had..
The story behind Johnny singing Hurt is actually really interesting.
Originally Johnny didn't want to do it, but was eventually talked into reading a transcript of the lyrics of Hurt.
Then when Trent heard that Hurt was covered (originally without his permission) he was furious that someone dared take a song so personal to him and try to make it their own.
After his initial anger, Trent was convinced to listen to the cover and reportedly broke into tears. That's when we got the quote from him that Trent wrote the song, but "That song wasn't mine anymore."
The NIN song is about a young man who wonders if life is worth living. Johnny's version is about an old man who wishes who wishes he could live it again.
Yeah brother. No one is ever ready for this song. Even after the hundredth listen, I get the same reaction. Appreciate your thoughts. 🙏🏽
The overpowering feeling of 'finality' throughout this song... it hits home every time.
Johnny Cash died 7 months after this song. Him closing the piano at the end was very symbolic as he never opened it again
“You are someone else
I am still right here”
Always gets me. People move on and lose touch and even die and that shit hurts dude.
Totally agree. Most people I've met it's the "everyone I know goes away in the end" that has such an impact, and it certainly does, but THIS line is the one that makes the tears stop just threatening and start to flow.
As someone who struggled with addiction, the nin original was a massive help. Now as a older man, this version makes me cry every time. This song transcends from country to metal and everyone feel
Johnny's interpretation of this song is so very true. Life is so short. I can guarantee you young man that some day you will find yourself here. I was once a successful musician in Hollywood. I never made much money but I played with the best of the best studio musicians of the time. I recorded for the major record companies. Memories never die. I'm 74 now and letting go of all of my records and mementos to my daughter. Nothing I've earned means anything to me anymore. I once had it all and I lost it all. Life changes when you're old. The things that once mattered don't anymore. It's OK though. It's the passing of life. Young man, please never forget this song and how Johnny presented it. Keep this video close to your heart. It's Johnny's song of truth. Enjoy life but don't let it over take you. Always keep your focus. Bless you.
I will...I promise.🌹✌
Thank you so very much, sir. Your kind and wise words in this late hour, after the song... "I wasn't ready." God bless you.
HERE is The Savior
YaH The Heavenly FATHER HIMSELF was Who they Crucified/Pierced for our sins and “HERE IS THE PROOF”
From the Ancient Semitic:
"Yad He Vav He" is what Moshe (Moses) wrote, when Moses asked YaH His Name (Exodus 3)
Ancient Semitic Direct Translation
Yad - "Behold The Hand"
He - "Behold the Breath"
Vav - "Behold The NAIL"
what a beautiful and wise thing to say Mr... I'm sure you brought up a lovely young lady in your daughter... there's a lot of wisdom here in what you said that i wish i'd heard at 17!
This is coming from a old lady who happens to appreciate all genres of music - you, and your reactions are genuine. I made a presumption I shouldn't have. That you would only react to music of "your" generation. You have my sincere apology. I watched your reaction to Home Free's cover of Brothers In Arms and realized you have an amazing ability to relate to any music that reaches in you and touches something. So far, you're 2 for 2 - so I subbed. I'm going to see what else has touched you that I've missed by not subbing earlier. Thanks for your honesty and sincere desire to help others going through whatever it is life is throwing them. It isn't always pretty but it makes it more bearable to know that someone (even a stranger) is there willing to lend an ear. My life has been lived (and saved a couple of times, too) through music. It has something that reaches places inside you that can't be reached otherwise. Some would say that's spiritual - I just say - that's music. Peace be with you always and keep up the good work.
You’re so sweet! Thank you for your loving message! I’m glad that you decided to subscribe and follow me on this journey. It means a lot to me. I’m still a fairly new channel and learning the ropes but it will only get better from here. And I’m here for you and the entire community 24/7. Thank you again for your message 🙏
This interaction made me subscribe, lol, I mean I really enjoyed the video, too
Love how expressive your face is. Can really see how things affect you in an honest way.
Johnny's version of Hurt changes you. It is a testament to the power of music and the wisdom of age.
I don't care how many times I hear this song, it rips my heart out every time and always will.
An old lion sensing his end. This man was an amazing artist. amazing artists, draw those feelings out.
You can just feel the regret for the pain that he must’ve caused people that he loved to have
He knew he was dying. His wife June, the woman on the stairs, died a few months after this video was made, and he died several months after her. The song was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails about his addiction. It is also very moving.
I believe Trent said that Hurt was no longer a NiN song, but rather a Johnny Cash song after this. Simply because of how well done it was, and the sheer raw emotion in it.
yeah Trent wasn't sold on Cash's version of the song when he first heard it, but when he saw the video meshing the imagery with the vocals that it fully hit him just how much emotion was behind it
Cried first time. Cry every time. Powerful.
I've seen this at least 30 times and cry every time. 74 yrs old tomorrow, 25 yrs recovering and this always gets me. AJ is my therapy. I am grateful every single day, for her. First EP this summer and I just hope I am around to see at least one more after the first.
Wishing only the best for you
Rick Rubin deserves alot of credit, for basically helping to bring a legend back into the public eye.
Masterpiece is the only way to describe hurt. Like you I am not a big Johnny Cash fan, but I believe this is the saddest song of all time, the best video of all time, and the best cover of all time. It is the most emotionally impactful song I have ever experienced. I have been watching reactions. I feel what you all feel. It hurts, but is so beautiful, vulnerable and profound.
This wasn't written by him but it was so close to his life he made it his.
Nobody is ready for this song, and we all need it. Gets me every time
That's why this song from Johnny Cash is so impactful and amazing. He encapsulated the entirety of birth to death perfectly. I've been listening to the song for probably a decade and every time every single time I listen it raises goosebumps and my hairs go up. I understand what you're going through.
Its a nine inch nails song. =)
The fact that he did this so close to his death, makes it hit home.
It's like you can tell he knew it was his time and this was a look back + farewell.
His wife died a 3 months after this came out and he followed 4 months after her. 😞 He had a hard time finishing this album because his voice started to go. He knew it wouldn't be too much longer before he'd be gone. He was saying goodbye to everyone and the video reflects that. His life flashed before our eyes in a music video. RIP Mr. Cash 😇 The Man in Black 😎 This album went Platinum and won Best Album of the Year at the CMA Awards 2003! The house you see.. he bought and made into the Cash Museum! At the time of this video the museum had been closed for a while & was in disrepair. Basically showing us the beginning and the end.
Yo bro,ups to you for giving Johnny his flowers,check out his Variety T.V. program he hand picked the musical guests,there are seminal t.v. moments.A treasure trove really❤❤❤😊
Nine Inch Nails wrote it but Cash lived it from beginning to end. That’s what makes the difference here you can hear the life experience in his voice.
He also totally owned his cover version of U2`s "One"...he definitely left us all stunned with his last work...he went out on his shield!
On his shield. Yes.
Mmmm! Music as his shield! 🤯😭
This isn't a song you prepare for, it's one that you let take you away to the Well of Understanding. It doesn't matter what kind of music you always knew, this one fits every genre. It fits because it's the truth.
Only the good die young. It's true, though not how most people see it. If you live long enough, you look back and regret your years of destruction, and you know yourself for what you are, and the sum of all you've been.
My 70th year is in the rear view mirror, and the past is what it is. The good with the bad, they shaped me surer than the potters hand, I'll leave with the scars I've earned and face that further shore with all the courage I can muster. There's naught else we mortals can do.
Thanks for the memories, Johnny. Rest easy, your run is over and it's time to ease your weary soul.
The most powerful part of the entire video to me was when he closed the cover on the piano, with music being his life and legacy it was like he was closing the cover of his own casket
He sits there with that guitar playing, staring away into forever, and closing his eyes. The video seems to be showing us what he is seeing, the words are so perfect for that kind of regretful reflection. His voice is strong, but it isn't perfect at all, it is old and tired at times. All the elements just put me in his head and feel everything he is trying to convey.... and everytime I hear it I cry a little.
His heart and passion and honesty in this song is amazing. 🔥
I wasnt ready for it when I first heard it either. Came out the blue and smashed like a sledgehammer in that ego we all have called immortality and the self belief we will live forever. Damn... still gets me even now.
This song has 146 MILLION VIEWS on UA-cam. Johnny Cash is one of my all time favourites - despite his imperfections and the horrible life choices he lived to regret. But the one thing he did right was sing with his natural voice. It's why he was still singing and recording in his final years, sickly, and dying. He died prematurely of old age at only 71-years-old; a warning that not caring for one's body and health is sometimes irreversible. Take care.
That entire album destroys me, knowing that was his last recorded album, knowing that his wife June passed during the filming of this video, and knowing that he did everything to record this album despite just having a stroke. Inspiring human being.
I’ve heard this at least 100 times and I still get goosebumps
I got to this comment just as he started the chorus and the goosebumps popped up. Yeah 100 times every time.
This song is a pure dose of 100% "Hurt", just like the title says. Johnny was a great man, but he fought his demons for years, and this song is both about that and also about the pain of dealing with the end of life. I can't watch this without shedding tears. Probably the most moving song I have ever heard.
It was johnny and Justin Timberlake (Whos from Memphis) nominated at the MTV VIdeo Music awards. Justin won and when he got on stage Justin said
"This is a travesty, I grew up listening to Johnny cash"
Trent Reznor (NIN) wrote about an angry young man entering the world, Johnny took it and made it about an old man saying goodbye
real recognizes real, Hip Hop, rock, jazz, what have you. All put respect on Johnny's name
There is no artist more capable of reaching down into my gut than Johnny. This man is not merely great; he is beloved.
This is the first video of yours I've ever seen, and I am in awe, not just of your vulnerability here, which is beautiful, but at your kindness, which is also beautiful. Making yourself available to your viewers like this is an incredible - and difficult - thing. I listen to every genre, but not hiphop as often, but I'm definitely subscribing.
BEST genuine reaction I’ve ever seen. Such a gut-wrenching song with an insanely valid life message
Man you could just see your whole expression change when the song started, right from word go, love your reactions mostly for the 'realness' (sorry don't know how to better describe it)
Not a big Johnny Cash fan personally but this song gives me chills every time, it is powerful.
Much love to you, keep well x
My late husband Jacob loved Johnny Cash and this song meant a lot to him. He had once told me it was such a profound version that made him feel real. The first time I heard this song, I could not stop crying. I felt EVERYTHING. All the pain that Jacob had ever felt, was coming from this one song. Jacob had been addicted to opiates as well as an alcoholic most of his adult life. He had an extremely difficult childhood and found solace in listening to Johnny's music. At Jacob's memorial we had played this song and there was not one dry eye in the place.
I am so sorry that you lost your love - this song is amazing at expressing the lonely, stuck, lifetime thing we all go thru- but, remember always, ur hubby loved you- even when he couldn't love himself - we all kinda go thru the moments this song expresses
I was in high school when NiN released Hurt, and it felt deep then. When Johnny Cash did his cover, I was a decade plus older, and had lost some friends and family, and it really hit a lot harder hearing it.
It's probably the most powerful song recorded. It hits you from the JUMP and doesn't let up. If this doesn't affect you, you're not human.
No shame for the emotion you expressed in this, man. It’s more than fine, it is good and proper to feel because of this. It is a song tailored to wring you out and MAKE you feel. And sometimes we all need that lesson about mortality and legacy. I am grateful to Nine Inch Nails for creating the song, and to Johnny Cash for taking it to another level. I’m glad you know about it now.
Has Putin listened to this song?
Johnny Cash turned this song into something really great. The video is amazing!! You see all his regrets. It will choke you up and feel his pain in his voice.
He sings about things everyone feels but doesn’t talk about. And he does it with such conviction, because he knows. Gets my heart every time ❤️
Essentially the last performance of a giant of music, saying goodbye. Rick Rubin was a great producer on this one.
I know you posted this two years ago, but I just watched it for the first time. When he talks about the needle tear a hole he’s not talking about steel. He’s talking about allowing the memories to have their way with him.
I am 70 years old now and I cannot stand to remember the asshole I was. The bad things I did in fact everything I remember is bad. I can’t look back anymore.
I love this song. It’s the most poignant acid of truth. I can imagine. I’m glad it had a profound effect on you.
By His Grace
They actually used this song in a story I once read, and I cried so long and hard honestly. Hell, even just watching this reaction made me tear up a bit. Johnny's cover just hits hard man. I actually have an older brother that was an addict. He's finally started getting clean bout almost a year back I wanna say by now, and every single time I see him I tell how damn proud I am of him. How it's nice to finally have him back. He wasn't always the best brother when we was younger but... He is still family. And it really has been great to have him back.
I remember listening to this in an intro psychology class back in high school. Our teacher would dive into all sorts of music and tie it into what we were learning. For Hurt, we listened to the original and the Johnny Cash version to see how the same song could mean something completely different for two different people (also the slight lyric changes and imagery). I would highly recommend checking out the original by Nine Inch Nails, the Downward Spiral is a great album that follow someone through a downward spiral all the way through their suicide (ending with Hurt). When I was suicidal and other times I've been in depressive spirals I would listen to the album straight through, it's powerful.
Sounds like you had a really good psych teacher.
Thats exactly it.... when all your loved ones have passed on, when the friends are all gone, when all thats left is you and your memories of everything.... nothing matters anymore.... wealth, power, status... its meaningless without people to give it life.
Time waits for no one, and will continue to press forward... all you can do is make the most of every day.
no one knows this but aging or time is what scares me the most. it terrifies me when i start thinking about it.
@Lincoln Morris I can only tell you that I'm 40 now... I have no grand parents..my parents are in their 70s only 2 aunts left and 1 uncle... lost a cousin...
Time allows the pain to receed to manageable levels but it never truly goes away completely. I miss them all. I can still remember family reunions from when I was young... soo many people... and soo many are gone now.
I've watched several reactions to this song and almost everyone sits there speechless and shocked at the end. It's a profound experience
This song hits people because the older you get, the clearer you see the things in your past. What should have mattered most vs what you gave your energy to. And it hurts. It hurts because your only choice is to grieve the passing of those moments that you’d give anything to go back to and redirect your focus to what you now know should have been an unquestionable priority. But you can’t, you’ll never have those moments back. Everyone, no matter who you are, has a past partially constructed of moments in life that will have never been done right.
Your reaction nailed it… I hope my kids see in my life what you saw in that video
Thank you for respecting the music and let it play through that is the most powerful piece I have ever witnessed. The man had a ton of regret he knew he was dying, his wife just died weeks before the release of this. It’s why it’s also considered the greatest cover ever. It hits like a fucking bomb every time. It’s just brutal but beautiful
One of the greatest covers ever , He does an amazing job on cover of Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus.
Trent Reznor had said in an interview after hearing Cash's rendition of this song....
"this is his song now"
This song was and still is very personal for Reznor but Cash showed the world how important music is by telling us a completely different story with the same song.
Regret and self loathing are powerful emotions but throughout all of the pits and depths, despite losing everyone and everything, hope is still present. He said this at the beginning of the song by trying to see if he was still capable of feeling... as sad as it is, it is still hope. He said it again in the closing line... "I will find a way".
For anyone that has had thoughts of just ending it... don't give up. You have something to offer, you are valuable to those around you even when you feel invisible. You can start again, so find a way.
This song is beyond classic. Literally this song is perfect. Just perfect for him. How you reacted to this just means you have a soul and a beautiful heart.