If you'd like to explore more of country's legends.a quick view of The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristoferson, and Waylon Jennings (grandfather of Struggle Jennings)) Johnny ' s song Man In Black is amazing, as is God's Gonna Cut You Down (the video is awesome especially since he had passed by then. Some major celebrities lipsync the video in tribute... half the fun is recognizing them all. Glenn Campbell's song I'm Not Going To Miss You is another you should check out. Heartbreaking in that it isn't what you might think it is. Sounds likes like a breakup song, but it's about his battle with Dementia.
What makes this song even more poignant is that scene where he closes the piano. That's actually the last time Johnny played ANY music. This video was a very deliberate and calculated message. From the choice of the song, to the visuals, to the tone of his voice. Johnny was telling a story with this video. He was looking back at his life, measuring its worth, then saying goodbye. It hits me every time I hear it.
Indeed, the way he actually closes it damn near almost brings me to tears...He's closing the casket of his lifelong friend, music. The way he is using his hands to rub the lid a few more times, almost trying to absorb that last moment of closeness with his departed friend, but in the end coming to rest together in front of him, almost like a lock on a box or how we look after closing the trunk of a car...like he is accepting the end of his career and that soon he will be the one in the casket being caressed by others...
in my opinion the only way to enjoy this song as much as you were listening to it the first time is to listen to it at different ages. i remember hearing it when i was like 13-14 and it did make me cry a bit. now, 10 years later, it hits... differently. not only because i know more context about it but because of my own experience. off to listen to it in another 5-10 years and see if i still feel though i'm not from US (thus don't have a personal connection to Cash's history), i fully agree. he was a legend. RIP.
His wife June was alive when he made this video. She died 3 months after it was finished. The woman in the picture was his mother and that is June standing behind him when he was playing the guitar. Johnny Cash died not long after June did. Honestly it was the perfect ending to their love story. Johnny worshipped the ground she walked on.
The broken frame is painful. Columbia records was JC's label for sixty years. They dropped him flat because they thought he had become irrelevant. John never forgave them for it. The smashed record shows he still, near his death, that he still hadn't forgotten. Rick Rubin is a genius taking John for those brilliant American Recordings sessions and stripping everything down so you can hear John's flats and sharps but feel the power and charisma and huge talent the man possessed.
I knew Johnny. I handled his advertising whenever he came to Maine. The last time I saw him, we were at a lobster feast in a back room at the Augusta Civic Center, and he was really angry that older country stars were taking gigs as opening acts for new entertainment. He was really heated up as he spoke to my dad about it. I was mesmerized by his ring. It looked like a class ring with a super-charged yellow, gleaming gem in the middle of it. When things were a little quiet, I asked him about it. His mood turned right around. He took the ring off and plopped it in my hand. The thing was hefty. He started telling me about how June bought him the yellow diamond, and all about how she did it. I'll be honest. I don't remember all of what he said. I could fit two of my fingers in that ring. His fingers were ENORMOUS. I guess fingers can get muscle-bound when you're such a prolific guitarist. I loved that man, and June, too. Thank you for being a youngster who appreciates Johnny. He lived a complicated life, and was a beautiful, REAL person.
This was the last track Johnny laid down. He left this earth shortly after, September 2003. This was his swan song where he laid it all out about his life in a way that Reznor hadn't intended in the original. He wasn't all that keen on the idea of Cash recording it, he thought it might be "gimmicky" But when he heard the finished product all he could say was "This is Johnny's song now". I love the last few seconds of the video when he closes the piano cover an gently caresses it. His music is finished...
This reminds me of a time I saw a woman in her fifties sing "Hit Me Baby". What you get out of hearing a young thing like Britney Spears singing it and compare an older woman with miles under her sing it is remarkable.
@@jgw5491 Right on brother, there's no substitute for experience, especially "life experience". For a good song that the lyrics illustrate this perfectly, look up "the la la song". That's not the real title but what it has come to be known by. It's by the Faces, the first band Rod Stewart was in, around '68 I believe. I thought only old farts like me (76) remember it, but for some strange reason a line or two from it has started showing up in some COMMERCIALS! I think you'll dig it and it will get stuck in your head because of the truth in the lyrics and the music as well, plus Rod's vocals, so distinctive. The song makes even more sense now over 50 years later because I didn't have then that life experience that I have now. It really makes me feel good when people way younger than me hear music from my time and go "wow! this is great! why/how did I miss this?" God bless you!
@@charlesdoyle3630 I knew that and included it in another reply to another reactor. Thanks anyway! Another cover that Johnny did a bang up job of interpreting in his final sprint is "Your own personal Jesus" written by Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore. It's stripped down to it's most basic elements, Johnny's voice an guitar. It's message is the truth man!
@@Murderbits Close Jack Cash was almost cut in two by an unguarded table saw at work. He died a week later in the hospital. Johnny was either 12 or 13 years old
I don't want to take away from Cash's performance on this cover, it really is a 10/10. That said, the talent that constructed and directed this video deserves praise. It is so well done. From the flashbacks, to the tainted luxury at his dinner table, to the "closed to the public" at the House of Cash. It is all on point and impactful, it really hits me. There's a goldmine of moments where the videography accentuates the music. My personal favorite is @1:19. I don't know what it is but when he looks into the camera I get chills every time. The quick closeup of the broken record and the reveal of his wife are up there too. Ugh.. It's too good.
I agree. Dudes a legend. Mark Romanek. He also directed music videos for NIN among a list of other stars. Truly one of those behind the scenes magic makers that go under appreciated too often.
Johnny as an artist.. Was so unique.. He pushed alot of boundaries.. He went through so much.. He conquered so much.. He fucked up , but was able to right his wrongs and marry the love of his life . its said he passed of a broken and lonely heart.. Without June.. He was done.. And i believe that.. This song perfectly portrays it all and i think that's why he chose it.
Reznor said that after hearing he was mixed between feeling gratefull and invaded. He said 'it was like someone kissing your girlfriend' and 'it really then, wasn't my song anymore'. Kind of birthing the phrase 'Once Johnny Cash covers your song, its not your song anymore'.
I think my favorite thing about the history of this song is that Trent Reznor even came out in interviews after Johnny Cash did this and said "It's not our song anymore. It's his," because of how emotionally charged it felt to Trent hearing Johnny sing it.
Well, that plus reflecting on who cash really was. Johnny had a drug addiction, he was in prison and what not this song really spoke to cash in a way like he actually wrote this, if i never knew thus song was from nine inch nails, i would probably think johnny wrote this song.
That’s the way I interpret his version. It’s not about drug addiction, it’s about a old man reflecting on his life, as it’s coming to an end, and how he’d trade everything he has to have more time with the people he loves.
Cash made thisd only a couple months after his wife June died, and not long before he died as well. I cry every time I see him close that piano at the end. This was his goodbye. To the point that when NIN saw this, they basically said "Nah, that song is his now. "
the fact that you knew this was a cover of NiN hurt is amazing. Not many people know that their first time seeing this. This is one of those rare occasions where the cover is more popular than the original. This was his fair well song. it wasn't close relations but my grandfather was like 5th or 6th cousins to Johny Cash. Please check out gods gonna cut you down by Johny Cash
I third that request. What gets me is how many stars they got for that video, it's like its showing that Johny Cash reached people from all walks of life.
Trent Reznor himself reacted to this cover, stating “I wasn't prepared for what I saw, and it really then, wasn't my song anymore.” That's the biggest compliment you can get when making a cover. Then again, it's Cash.
This song will always make me emotional. This cover has such an impact on music itself and has so much of a powerful message behind it. It's true that Trent Reznor has acknowledged this is now Johny Cash's song and that's how you know he's respected in music for all of time let alone all his other accolades from his career. But this was his goodbye to the world and I will never hear anything else when I listen to it. Fun fact: June watching him on the staircase was never planned. While they were filming she just came downstairs and saw Johny playing there. The director thought it was touching and a very emotional shot so they kept all of it in. Hats off to them. They helped make Johny a star one last time.
for me, the song told from cash's perspective as an aged person reflecting on his life, whereas reznor was young and dealing with his demons as best he could, is soul-crushing. hits me in the feelz every time
I first experienced this song in the Logan movie, it was legendary, fitting so much because such a character which is an old man who has lived so many years and can't die by normal means, but then finds himself dying at long last
The best cover of a song, ever. It never fails to bring me to tears and choke up. And I hate pretty much any country music, but Cash has always been an exception
I really only listen to Metal and Classical/Opera, but there are artists in other genres that I do follow. To me it's more about the song than the genre.
Watching reaction videos on this today. When it's over most just sit there with their mouths open wondering what just happened to them. I'm happy to see this transcend generations. I challenge anyone to give us an emotional battering ram like THIS again. The bar was set in 2003. Thanks To Trent and Johnny for making ART
The original was my favorite NIN song for a long time (Ghosts IV 28 now, but I digress). I wasn't sure what to expect when I first heard Johnny's interpretation, but I was blown away. It's amazing how much difference the context affected the meaning of the song, despite having the same lyrics (apart from "crown of shit/thorns"). The video pushes it to masterpiece territory. 15/10.
The Quiet version of NIN is still my favorite version of the song but Johnny's definitely a close 2nd I think being younger I can relate more to still having plenty of time left on Earth but being so bogged down that it feels as though it is the end, and less so being at the end of life and reflecting on what you've done
I’m sure you heard this. I haven’t read all the comments. Trent Rezner of NIN after listening too Johnny’s version and how it was accepted said, “Hurt isn’t my song anymore, it’s Johnny’s”. What an ultimate compliment and reverence for a legend!❤️ Love you branching out into another genre.
This was an amazing surprise to see Johnny's cover of Hurt having this amazing breakdown. And the respect and the appreciation of the music and video is just to awesome as well.
The first time I saw this version of this song, I was in tears. Everything about this video... the imagery, messages, lyrics, vocals, and especially the timing was so emotional. Amazing on all levels. Another great video Knox!
This is the most respectful and thoughtful analysis I have viewed on this song. When you reach about the age of 60 go back and listen again. You will understand it even better. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and time.
This was his last song More poignantly though, the shot where Johnny closes the piano was supposedly the last time he played ANY music at all Edit: I was wrong
One of the greatest of all times. One of the most real artists ever. The haunting voice and haunting melodies of Johnny Cash. You picked a legend deserving of every accolade ever given to him. Never ever another.👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏Do more. Never hid or held back any part of hisself, (Just like my BTS bias. SUGA). He has a great life story that makes this man what he was and represents. They just don't make em like this anymore.
Well put. Beautiful & haunting at the same time. It would have hit someone born 1,000yrs just about the same as it hits us now. The humanity of his vocals transformed Trent Reznor’s lyrics into a timeless work of art. Nobody will ever be able to infuse the emotion Johnny did into this song.
That was his mum. JC was married long time to his wife June Carter-Cash (herself a singer songwriter). When they were filming this, she came downstairs because she was worried that he was working too hard. They had to convince her to be in the video. She died a few months before Johnny himself. This is a song that was written about one thing, but recreated to be a hard look at life when you know you are at the end.
This version of Hurt is Johnny Cash's 'Ozymandius': "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.” Johnny Cash's most famous recordings are 'Live from Folsom Prison' and 'Johnny Cash at San Quentin', where he was actually allowed to perform live for the prisoners in person. His breakout song was 'Folsom Prison Blues', which would be an excellent place to go next (now that you've heard his swan song).
As the piano lid closes my heart skips a beat every time. It’s like he closes the book on his life. What an amazing way to say goodbye. R.I.P. (Thank you Rick Rubin for being the mastermind behind it all! Bravo!!!)
He said his goodbye ans closed his own coffin at the end... no one ever opened the piano again since he closed it, I hope it survived the fire there that destroyed most of it in 2007. He was a man full of regrets, felt alone, and was ready for the next chapter in life... I cry every time I see his music video. One of the simplest yet most powerful songs I've ever heard, and his aged voice just adds that much more emotion too the lyrics. I'm so glad they left it raw and didn't mix his voice to make it sound perfect and in tune like the younger Johnny, one of the only times singing off tune makes it even better. He may be gone, but legends never die.
I remember our grade 7 English teacher played this for us and we all wrote essays based off of the word play, different meanings and overall theme of the song. So glad we had that project because this song truly is a piece of art. 19 years later and it still gives me chills. Thank you for taking the time to break this down as I haven’t heard this in quite some time
His version has always made me cry but also comforted me, I found his song pretty early into having a battle with mental health & it's one of the few songs I'll listen to when I'm thinking "Have I lived a worthwhile life? Have I spent enough time with my loved ones that I won't be torn to shreds when they pass? Am I going the right way about everything?" His song makes you think & reminisce especially with the video. Honestly I know it's a cover but he basically owns the song in my heart 💙
The woman in the picture, wearing red, was his mother. The other woman was his wife, June. He said several times that she saved his life, and they started as friends when they started touring together as they were married to other people. She was his best friend before they were a couple. I remember the first time I heard this song. The place where you first paused it is where the tears started. I grew up with Johnny Cash, we all knew he wasn't going to be with us much longer. This was him saying good bye to his fans and everyone he'd worked with.
I’ve never been able to finish this song and not tear up. I’m kinda young, only 34. So I know him after his prime. But learning his history, his story and life. It’s haunting. It hurts man.
Trent Reznor wrote this about his dark side, he struggled with depression, substance and sex addictions..Well, it turned out that there was also a dark side of Johnny Cash who also suffered from mental instability as well as substance and sex addictions , like Trent. which led to Johnny hurting those closest to him , like his partner, she endured his cycles of relapses and recovery as well as the affairs along the way... this song for him is about redemption.. but also atonement for the pain he caused to those that loved him the most. Johnny is a legend and has cut out his place in history.. I believe you nailed it about the last supper~ he passed 7 months after he finished recording. I hope he was able to release the guilt and regret, so his journey will be much lighter!! Btw, I accidently hit this videos link .. glad i didi, your reactions and your ability to quickly convey your thoughts and feelings .. was just brilliant to watch.... so yeah, i am a new subscriber, bro!!
I think that in Johnny's interpretation this song has nothing to do with drug addiction (it was what Trent intended to express, not Jonny) - it's more about old man's regrets and realization that material thing are nothing ("empire of dirt") compared to close people, whom he may have hurt during his life.
@@Mr.AimToMisbehave Yeah, Johnny's Parkinson's (you see it when he pours out the wine) was a direct result of his heroin addiction. Adds a layer to the song seeing him say and do that in this video
@@sorvoe5513 Johnny Cash was addicted to heroine??? I dont know much of his history but I do know that Ive never heard that before. I thought he was an alcoholic, but had no idea about drugs.
@@honeybadgerusa5689 -He Also Became Addicted to Prescription Medications, Initially Used To Stay Awake For The Long, Hard Days & Nights on The Road. That Combined With The Alcohol, Really Took It's Toll, BOTH Physically and Mentally! Also, This Potentially Lethal Combination, is A Tremendously, Torturous Nightmare To Stop, AND STAY STOPPED. (Unfortunately, I Speak From Experience)
im a giant NiN fan, and seeing this song live was just one of my favorite moments, but Johnny Cash really took this song and made it his own, the emotion in his voice combined with the music video is just legendary
@@JK42069 he is still a legend, he is still one of the most known artists and made alot of great songs, so He still “IS” a legend not “WAS” he is legendary
#1) The picture it shows (5:22) that's Johnny's mother. #2) Johnny Cash was arrested yes. #3) Yes behind Johnny was his wife June Carter Cash. (this was filmed just a few months before June passed) #RIPJohnnyandJune Loved your reaction! Ps: You should watch the movie Walk The Line (its based on Johnny Cash's life) Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon portray the characters of Johnny and June :)
It's hard for me to listen to this song, and yet I do over and over. His pain is so palpable, the regrets so intense, the loneliness so deep. I think of this song as a wake up call to all of us - to be wise enough to realize every day what is valuable, and to treasure those things in every moment, because we truly don't know what tomorrow will bring. No regrets.
Nice to see you giving props to Johnny Cash. Enjoyed the breakdown and analysis. I think the first picture was his mother. The second woman was his second wife June Carter Cash. They were married from 1968-2003. He died a few months after making this video. Trent Reznor said the song belongs to Johnny now.
The woman in all the images and standing behind him is his late wife, June Carter Cash. This song was, in a way, a goodbye to her as she passed a bit before he released his version of it, as well as a goodbye to his fans, as he died shortly after. The way i take this song is more of a feeling of an old man who is tired of being alone and missing his wife. If we are going to continue this Johnny Cash train, i highly recommend God's Gonna Cut You Down, as the video perfectly demonstrates how beloved he was by all walks of life, and im curious to see how many people you recognize in the video
The picture at 5:22 is Johnny's mother. The Hurt video was filmed Feb. 2003, released in March (& an immediate hit) & June died May 15. In his final interview, Johnny said of June; “She loved the Hurt video & I’m so glad she lived long enough to see it do what it did & get the attention that it got.” Johnny died Sept. 12, 2003.
Astoundingly good reaction, mate ! .. You picked up on so many things in this song, including a few that have not been mentioned by any of the reactors I've watched so far ( and I've seen LOTS of them ) .. Excellent analysis and emotional connection to this masterpiece of a record and video by the late and great Johnny Cash .. Thanks heaps for this ! .. Wayne
The woman in the picture is his mother. His wife, June Carter, is the one on the staircases behind him. She died a couple of months after the video, and Cash followed not long after.
Yes he was arrested before. Have you ever seen the movie walked the line ? Tells you about Johnny cash’s life. Great movie! It’s with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
Thanks for this review Knox. I've been a fan of his my whole life (I'm nearly 50 now), and hearing this song/seeing this video the first time , a few years back, was like losing an old friend. I cannot stress enough how much you would enjoy the rest of his catalog. I highly recommend him for breakdowns. Man in Black Boy Named Sue Folsom Prison Blues And on and on and on. The man never sang a bad song, ever. EDIT: Yep, Johnny went to prison. It's the inspiration for his song Folsom Prison Blues (there was a movie as well). The man's life story is absolutely fascinating. Also, his wife, June Carter Cash, was alive during filming (she passed a few months later). You can see her standing on the stairs watching him at 9:14. The picture of the older lady with white hair towards the beginning was his mom. His daughter was also watching this during filming. As others have said, there's a story that's gone round that when he closed the piano at the end, she said "Dad, it's sounds like you're saying goodbye." His purported answer was "I am." I like to think it was Johnny's way of putting the capstone on a long and storied life. If ever there was a man who deserved the title 'Legend', it's Johnny Cash.
You're the 1st person that I've seen react to this song that actually knew the original song and artist and credited them. I really also enjoyed your representation and your interpretation of the your interpretation of the song. It was more in tune or align with what I had always felt when I 1st heard the song so many years ago when it came out or when he redid it. I absolutely loved this song of the song with 9" nails but oh my God Johnny Cash just did something with this song that I've never seen any other artist Remake a song as exquisitely as he did! This gave me Goosebumps 20 years ago when I heard it or even more than 20 years ago when I heard it and it gave me Goosebumps just now!! Absolutely love it!
Guessing the picture on the wall was his mother. The lady on the stairs was his wife. I want to say she died 3 months after this video was created and Johnny died about 4 months after her. It is said that when he played the video for his daughter, she cried and said that it sounded like he was saying good-bye, to which he replied, I am. I believe he sang the song with that feeling more than anything specific to past drug use. Seems old age and failing health were the "drugs" from his point of view in this video. It is said that when he closes the piano at the end, that was the last note of music ever played by the Legendary Johnny Cash.
Rick Rubin helped produce that album I think he really brought out Cash’s pain and suffering. You may or my not know this but the reason Cash / The man in black wore black all the time was to identify with the poor. No matter how big he got he never forgot what it was like to be poor. To me that’s one of the many reasons he is a legend. Thank you Knox for checking this one out. 💯
The poor, the downtrodden, the mistreated, the abandoned, those who died for a cause, for a lie, for someone else's profit. His song Man in Black explains it.
That picture was his momma. at that sweetest friend part. So powerful a song. And yes, he spent some time in jail. I grew up in the 80s as a small kid listening to him and loving his song. I was 8 singing his songs. This is my favorite song he did. Trent even gave this song to him. Trent even said, "I wrote it, Johnny owned it" He literally gave Johnny the rights to it. Love when artists do things like that. Its beautiful. You get this song man, I will check out your rap. I love rap and while I'm 45, I rap daily myself....just for fun. Rock on man. You are a smart young man, and you will be big if you keep working hard. Dont ever stop. Oh and yeah, that was June, the woman that he always loved. He was married before June, but that was her in this video. He left his wife and chased her. He finally won her.
When Johnny closes the piano in this video was very symbolic. He never opened it again and he passed away 7 months later. His wife June Carter died 4 months before him. Johnny did a lot of covers late in his career, but this one hits differently as he truly made it feel like every line he had personally experiences with. Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails actually said that this song now belonged to Johnny Cash after hearing his version
Your reactions and comments are very very perceptive. He is communicating his pain so effectively. The imagery of the hammer driving in the spike on each downbeat is incredible. My heart breaks with each hit.
To hear you listen watch and appreciate Johnny's version of this is amazing. Once you realized it was NIN's song and never tried to hold the song to the same standard. Perfect. You took in what and how the song was being portrayed. Seeing the doubles that could have been. The visuals of the Last Supper, Wine, with the comment of the last great feast. Spot on sir. Wonderful reaction to a culmination of an iconic troubled (at times) legend. May both Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash rest in peace together. 🙏
The perfect hero. So flawed and loved at the same time. My hero for sure. Johnny Cash was and is the most glorious and tortured legend. Angry yet loving. So strong and weak at the same time.
As a recovering addict this song has always hit a chord with me, although I dont believe this song had anything to do with addiction. I think this was him saying goodbye. I think it was like his last song? I could be wrong but, Just the emotion in his voice is so meaningful to me. He's truly a legend, the man in black
It was his goodbye, it was about life, regrets, addiction, all of that. And if he had it to do it all over again, he would keep himself, he would find a way. The woman in the photo is his mother. The woman behind him was his wife, who passed a few months later. Johnny himself died four months after June. This was Johnny's last song. It was likely the last time he ever played. It was a fitting goodbye.
I’m sure I’m not the first to say but, I saw an article about this cover after it came out that when Trent herd this version his reply was “it’s your song now”
Johnny Cash had a hell of a story. You really should familiarize yourself with everything that he went through. Lots of lessons can be learned from studying his life.
Another fact about Johnny is that after his death 3 days passed one of his iconic museums was burnt down, also his house in a tropical area (I don't remember where) nothing has been moved out of respect
fun music video fact. June came down during recording and Johnny had no idea she was there. the scenes with her looking at him was a candid moment, and I have to admit the way she looks at him is so emotive.
The man who wrote this was a recovered heroin addict. But Johnny OWNS this song because he lived it. He spent time in jail as a young man, reflected in several of his early songs. He found fame and fortune but he also found alcohol and drugs. He lost many friends to "fame". The smashed picture frames he kept after a rant in which he trashed his home. He wanted never to forget what he had done. The one who stood by him was June, shown in the video, his wife. She passed away shortly before he recorded this. She stood by him through everything, the good, the bad and the horrible. They were married for decades, right up until the end. Both ladies are June. The photo on the wall shortly before she passed. The lady standing is a clip of her as a younger woman. Johnny passed away shortly after recording this.
This song means something to the older generation when Jonny sings cause of the sht he been through . But if you don't know his story then it won't hit the same
This was probably the best reaction I have seen you do. You allowed yourself to be vulnerable, and I could see the words were relateable for you. Good job.
Man, dude...I found you on a Harry Mack reaction and then lit up as much as I could on your site. This was remarkable. For us who look to experience songs and interpret songs that we love with someone else...the job you did here was unstoppable. I hope you do a lot more of these along with the rap...you are excellent at it!
![*First Listen* [Industry Ghostwriter][Hiphop Head] Reacts to: Johnny Cash - Hurt (This was hard)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bpryMvMXjCs/mqdefault.jpg)
What else should we react to? 🤔 Comment below! Also if you want to support the channel grab your signed merch and music now at www.knoxhillmusic.com
Nova Rockefeller, Did Your Best, Gang Gang and Problem
mirror mirror by MILLI x F.HERO featuring stray kids changbin, amazing song with unique rap flows
If you'd like to explore more of country's legends.a quick view of The Highwaymen (Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristoferson, and Waylon Jennings (grandfather of Struggle Jennings)) Johnny ' s song Man In Black is amazing, as is God's Gonna Cut You Down (the video is awesome especially since he had passed by then. Some major celebrities lipsync the video in tribute... half the fun is recognizing them all. Glenn Campbell's song I'm Not Going To Miss You is another you should check out. Heartbreaking in that it isn't what you might think it is. Sounds likes like a breakup song, but it's about his battle with Dementia.
If you ever want to react to another song that will make you cry I would recommend Whisky Lullaby By Brad Paisley and Allison Krause.
React to Highwayman by The Highway men (Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Waylor Jennings and Willie Nelson).
What makes this song even more poignant is that scene where he closes the piano. That's actually the last time Johnny played ANY music. This video was a very deliberate and calculated message. From the choice of the song, to the visuals, to the tone of his voice. Johnny was telling a story with this video. He was looking back at his life, measuring its worth, then saying goodbye. It hits me every time I hear it.
Indeed, the way he actually closes it damn near almost brings me to tears...He's closing the casket of his lifelong friend, music. The way he is using his hands to rub the lid a few more times, almost trying to absorb that last moment of closeness with his departed friend, but in the end coming to rest together in front of him, almost like a lock on a box or how we look after closing the trunk of a car...like he is accepting the end of his career and that soon he will be the one in the casket being caressed by others...
How you know what he did after this.
He performed and wrote songs after this... The last song written by him was LIKE THE 309
He died, I think 4 months after he covered this song. It is truly heartbreaking.
he died not long afterwards. when johnny was done making music; he died.
Hes not only talking about drug addiction. The last couple of years He was still alive, he was also dealing with severe Diabetes.
Johnny's daughter infamously heard this and said "Daddy, it sounds like you're saying goodbye". And Johnny allegedly said "I am."
So sad
@@jamesenglebert9149 it’s actually quite beautiful he went out on his own terms essentially
@@kdizzle901 Pretty much the same way he lived his life. Johnny rarely let anyone (other than June) tell him what to do.
... allegedly.
Infamous is really the wrong word. That impugns her and what she said. It was famous. Not infamous. Look them up.
It doesn’t matter how old you are, this song will hit your soul like a truck. What a legend. RIP Johnny Cash.
Very well said and very true
I was about 10 the first time I heard this song... I cried for about 15 minutes
in my opinion the only way to enjoy this song as much as you were listening to it the first time is to listen to it at different ages. i remember hearing it when i was like 13-14 and it did make me cry a bit. now, 10 years later, it hits... differently. not only because i know more context about it but because of my own experience. off to listen to it in another 5-10 years and see if i still feel
though i'm not from US (thus don't have a personal connection to Cash's history), i fully agree. he was a legend. RIP.
300th even, lol, still...;-)
@kurokamikage_official Johnny has a catalog 50± years deep. Similar to his wife June's! 🙌👍👆
His wife June was alive when he made this video. She died 3 months after it was finished. The woman in the picture was his mother and that is June standing behind him when he was playing the guitar. Johnny Cash died not long after June did. Honestly it was the perfect ending to their love story. Johnny worshipped the ground she walked on.
Johnny always said he couldnt live without June, and he was right.
@@memnarch129 Literally died of a broken heart.
Shannon, the woman IS indeed June Carter Cash. The photo on the wall you see is his mother.
Dead right
The broken frame is painful. Columbia records was JC's label for sixty years. They dropped him flat because they thought he had become irrelevant. John never forgave them for it. The smashed record shows he still, near his death, that he still hadn't forgotten. Rick Rubin is a genius taking John for those brilliant American Recordings sessions and stripping everything down so you can hear John's flats and sharps but feel the power and charisma and huge talent the man possessed.
No loyalty for the $ that was made
I knew Johnny. I handled his advertising whenever he came to Maine. The last time I saw him, we were at a lobster feast in a back room at the Augusta Civic Center, and he was really angry that older country stars were taking gigs as opening acts for new entertainment. He was really heated up as he spoke to my dad about it. I was mesmerized by his ring. It looked like a class ring with a super-charged yellow, gleaming gem in the middle of it. When things were a little quiet, I asked him about it. His mood turned right around. He took the ring off and plopped it in my hand. The thing was hefty. He started telling me about how June bought him the yellow diamond, and all about how she did it. I'll be honest. I don't remember all of what he said. I could fit two of my fingers in that ring. His fingers were ENORMOUS. I guess fingers can get muscle-bound when you're such a prolific guitarist. I loved that man, and June, too. Thank you for being a youngster who appreciates Johnny. He lived a complicated life, and was a beautiful, REAL person.
I'm from Belgrade! How long ago was this?
Thank you for sharing this ❤
Strange he said He said something like that. When the last time a saw him live he opened for Tim McGraw.
Gonna call bs unless you back this up with proof
@@pvp2death That may have been quite some time after I saw him. He was touring with the Highwaymen at the time.
This was the last track Johnny laid down. He left this earth shortly after, September 2003. This was his swan song where he laid it all out about his life in a way that Reznor hadn't intended in the original. He wasn't all that keen on the idea of Cash recording it, he thought it might be "gimmicky" But when he heard the finished product all he could say was "This is Johnny's song now". I love the last few seconds of the video when he closes the piano cover an gently caresses it. His music is finished...
@lextek It was only after seeing the video where Reznor loved what Cash did with.
This reminds me of a time I saw a woman in her fifties sing "Hit Me Baby". What you get out of hearing a young thing like Britney Spears singing it and compare an older woman with miles under her sing it is remarkable.
@@jgw5491 Right on brother, there's no substitute for experience, especially "life experience". For a good song that the lyrics illustrate this perfectly, look up "the la la song". That's not the real title but what it has come to be known by. It's by the Faces, the first band Rod Stewart was in, around '68 I believe. I thought only old farts like me (76) remember it, but for some strange reason a line or two from it has started showing up in some COMMERCIALS! I think you'll dig it and it will get stuck in your head because of the truth in the lyrics and the music as well, plus Rod's vocals, so distinctive. The song makes even more sense now over 50 years later because I didn't have then that life experience that I have now. It really makes me feel good when people way younger than me hear music from my time and go "wow! this is great! why/how did I miss this?" God bless you!
@@charlesdoyle3630 I knew that and included it in another reply to another reactor. Thanks anyway! Another cover that Johnny did a bang up job of interpreting in his final sprint is "Your own personal Jesus" written by Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore. It's stripped down to it's most basic elements, Johnny's voice an guitar. It's message is the truth man!
"Was Johnny Cash arrested"
So many times. So many. Including once in my hometown while drunk in a random flower bed.
@@Murderbits If that wasn't bad enough, his father said it should have been him, rather than his brother.
@@Murderbits
Close
Jack Cash was almost cut in two by an unguarded table saw at work.
He died a week later in the hospital.
Johnny was either 12 or 13 years old
I don't want to take away from Cash's performance on this cover, it really is a 10/10. That said, the talent that constructed and directed this video deserves praise. It is so well done. From the flashbacks, to the tainted luxury at his dinner table, to the "closed to the public" at the House of Cash. It is all on point and impactful, it really hits me. There's a goldmine of moments where the videography accentuates the music. My personal favorite is @1:19. I don't know what it is but when he looks into the camera I get chills every time. The quick closeup of the broken record and the reveal of his wife are up there too. Ugh.. It's too good.
I agree. Dudes a legend. Mark Romanek. He also directed music videos for NIN among a list of other stars. Truly one of those behind the scenes magic makers that go under appreciated too often.
This might be the greatest cover ever. When you know Johnny Cash’s life history this song hits hard from beginning to end. There’s nothing like it.
So many music critics say this IS the greatest cover ever. Of course, the music video definitely helps with that.
😂😅
Johnny as an artist.. Was so unique.. He pushed alot of boundaries.. He went through so much.. He conquered so much.. He fucked up , but was able to right his wrongs and marry the love of his life . its said he passed of a broken and lonely heart.. Without June.. He was done.. And i believe that..
This song perfectly portrays it all and i think that's why he chose it.
Reznor said that after hearing he was mixed between feeling gratefull and invaded. He said 'it was like someone kissing your girlfriend' and 'it really then, wasn't my song anymore'. Kind of birthing the phrase 'Once Johnny Cash covers your song, its not your song anymore'.
Yea imagine someone makes a better version of your song lol
@@kdizzle901 Pentatonix does that fairly routinely.
@@kdizzle901 Anyone can remake a better song., What gets me is when he won an award for it and no mention about trent.
@@kdizzle901 I'd hesitate to say it's "better". Just looking at the same lyrics from different points in life, and have drastically different tones.
@@travishouser5290 Johnny Cash's version is so much better
I think my favorite thing about the history of this song is that Trent Reznor even came out in interviews after Johnny Cash did this and said "It's not our song anymore. It's his," because of how emotionally charged it felt to Trent hearing Johnny sing it.
Cash's version is all about a man seeing his life coming to an end
Well, that plus reflecting on who cash really was. Johnny had a drug addiction, he was in prison and what not this song really spoke to cash in a way like he actually wrote this, if i never knew thus song was from nine inch nails, i would probably think johnny wrote this song.
@GamerKat'71 wait thats right, i thinkni was thinking ablut somwbody else
@GamerKat'71 he went to prison a few times to give concerts I think
That’s the way I interpret his version. It’s not about drug addiction, it’s about a old man reflecting on his life, as it’s coming to an end, and how he’d trade everything he has to have more time with the people he loves.
I broke down in tears seeing johnny cash cry
Rip February 26 1932 - september 12 2003
Cash made thisd only a couple months after his wife June died, and not long before he died as well. I cry every time I see him close that piano at the end. This was his goodbye. To the point that when NIN saw this, they basically said "Nah, that song is his now. "
A couple of months before June died. That was June watching him on the stair case. The picture Knox was talking about is Johnnys mom.
Your comment made me sad in a good way
Upon seeing the recording and him closing the piano, one of his daughters commented apparently that it sounded like he was saying goodbye.
"I Am."
It's almost like Trent Reznor wrote this song for Johnny 20 years early without realizing it.
She was alive when he made this. She died 3 months after it was completed.
Thank you so much for paying respect to the legend John R. Cash. God bless you.
the fact that you knew this was a cover of NiN hurt is amazing. Not many people know that their first time seeing this. This is one of those rare occasions where the cover is more popular than the original. This was his fair well song.
it wasn't close relations but my grandfather was like 5th or 6th cousins to Johny Cash.
Please check out gods gonna cut you down by Johny Cash
I second that request
I third that request. What gets me is how many stars they got for that video, it's like its showing that Johny Cash reached people from all walks of life.
Absolutely!
I wish the cover wasn't more popular since it isn't better.
@@bones6896 It definitely is better.
Trent Reznor himself reacted to this cover, stating “I wasn't prepared for what I saw, and it really then, wasn't my song anymore.” That's the biggest compliment you can get when making a cover. Then again, it's Cash.
This song will always make me emotional. This cover has such an impact on music itself and has so much of a powerful message behind it. It's true that Trent Reznor has acknowledged this is now Johny Cash's song and that's how you know he's respected in music for all of time let alone all his other accolades from his career. But this was his goodbye to the world and I will never hear anything else when I listen to it.
Fun fact: June watching him on the staircase was never planned. While they were filming she just came downstairs and saw Johny playing there. The director thought it was touching and a very emotional shot so they kept all of it in. Hats off to them. They helped make Johny a star one last time.
for me, the song told from cash's perspective as an aged person reflecting on his life, whereas reznor was young and dealing with his demons as best he could, is soul-crushing. hits me in the feelz every time
I saw a comment about it once that Trent was writing his suicide note, Johnny was singing his eulogy.
@@TheRealSelana That is the most accurate statement I've seen on the two songs. I am also prone to agree.
If somebody watches this song Cash did, and feels nothing, I'm sorry for whatever has happened their life. This is moving.
You can hear the emotion in his voice. You can tell this is his goodbye. Rip to a legend.
It's cool you have the appreciation for music as a whole, Knox. You one of the realest. This is why I follow you, man. Peace and love, brother! 🙏
Brilliantly said👍
I first experienced this song in the Logan movie, it was legendary, fitting so much because such a character which is an old man who has lived so many years and can't die by normal means, but then finds himself dying at long last
The best cover of a song, ever. It never fails to bring me to tears and choke up. And I hate pretty much any country music, but Cash has always been an exception
facts, despise Country music but Johnny Cash is an exception, he's an entirely different animal.
Cash is all music. I've even seen some people drop beats to some of his songs. He even works in rap
Nine Inch Nails has basically said
"Yeah.... that's his song now"
I really only listen to Metal and Classical/Opera, but there are artists in other genres that I do follow. To me it's more about the song than the genre.
Mostly listen to Rock and Metal, but Johnny Cash holds a special place in my heart
Loved cash for a long time .
His voice still gives me chills
I cry every time I hear this 😞 Trent Reznor said this was Johnny’s song after he heard it, and I can’t disagree 🖤
After he watched the music video but yes
Watching reaction videos on this today. When it's over most just sit there with their mouths open wondering what just happened to them. I'm happy to see this transcend generations. I challenge anyone to give us an emotional battering ram like THIS again.
The bar was set in 2003.
Thanks To Trent and Johnny for making ART
The original was my favorite NIN song for a long time (Ghosts IV 28 now, but I digress). I wasn't sure what to expect when I first heard Johnny's interpretation, but I was blown away. It's amazing how much difference the context affected the meaning of the song, despite having the same lyrics (apart from "crown of shit/thorns"). The video pushes it to masterpiece territory. 15/10.
The Quiet version of NIN is still my favorite version of the song but Johnny's definitely a close 2nd I think being younger I can relate more to still having plenty of time left on Earth but being so bogged down that it feels as though it is the end, and less so being at the end of life and reflecting on what you've done
Johnny cash is the original writer and singer of this song
@michaelpalmer2263 you'd be wrong
@@michaelpalmer2263no, this is a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt.
I’m sure you heard this. I haven’t read all the comments. Trent Rezner of NIN after listening too Johnny’s version and how it was accepted said, “Hurt isn’t my song anymore, it’s Johnny’s”. What an ultimate compliment and reverence for a legend!❤️ Love you branching out into another genre.
What is often overlooked is that JC was jamming out to NIN to hear the song to begin with
This was an amazing surprise to see Johnny's cover of Hurt having this amazing breakdown. And the respect and the appreciation of the music and video is just to awesome as well.
Pretty sure this is Johnny song and nine inch nails did a cover
@@smokedale2 😂 Oh my goodness. How did I forget on that part. lol
@@smokedale2 Johnny Cash did the cover.
NiN said that after they heard Johnny sing their song that way, they said it was his song now.
Both versions are fantastic, in my opinion.
Both men poured their souls into this song.
The first time I saw this version of this song, I was in tears. Everything about this video... the imagery, messages, lyrics, vocals, and especially the timing was so emotional. Amazing on all levels. Another great video Knox!
This is the most respectful and thoughtful analysis I have viewed on this song. When you reach about the age of 60 go back and listen again. You will understand it even better. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and time.
I hear this was his last song he made before he passed. If it’s true it even more sad. He truly is a legend.
I think it is true, but I do know that Hurt was the last time he was ever on camera.
It was his last ever single.
He had other songs released post humously but this was his last video.
Yeah, the last shot of closing the piano was closing the lid on his career.
This was his last song
More poignantly though, the shot where Johnny closes the piano was supposedly the last time he played ANY music at all
Edit: I was wrong
This song is in my top 10 songs of all time. I've never seen a presentation like this of a person facing the end of their life. It's so powerful.
One of the greatest of all times. One of the most real artists ever. The haunting voice and haunting melodies of Johnny Cash. You picked a legend deserving of every accolade ever given to him. Never ever another.👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏Do more. Never hid or held back any part of hisself, (Just like my BTS bias. SUGA). He has a great life story that makes this man what he was and represents. They just don't make em like this anymore.
Exactly, fellow ARMY
Well put. Beautiful & haunting at the same time. It would have hit someone born 1,000yrs just about the same as it hits us now. The humanity of his vocals transformed Trent Reznor’s lyrics into a timeless work of art. Nobody will ever be able to infuse the emotion Johnny did into this song.
That was his mum. JC was married long time to his wife June Carter-Cash (herself a singer songwriter). When they were filming this, she came downstairs because she was worried that he was working too hard. They had to convince her to be in the video. She died a few months before Johnny himself. This is a song that was written about one thing, but recreated to be a hard look at life when you know you are at the end.
This version of Hurt is Johnny Cash's 'Ozymandius': "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
Johnny Cash's most famous recordings are 'Live from Folsom Prison' and 'Johnny Cash at San Quentin', where he was actually allowed to perform live for the prisoners in person. His breakout song was 'Folsom Prison Blues', which would be an excellent place to go next (now that you've heard his swan song).
Ozymandias
@@kdizzle901 aka Ramses II . He would be the son of the Pharoh from the 10 Commandments movie with Charles Heston.
Another capstone like this one for Knox to review would be Kenny Rogers' The Gambler.
As the piano lid closes my heart skips a beat every time. It’s like he closes the book on his life. What an amazing way to say goodbye. R.I.P. (Thank you Rick Rubin for being the mastermind behind it all! Bravo!!!)
I think I heard somewhere that the singer for Nine Inch Nails actually said that this was Cash's song after hearing his version
Ya I believe they said they were meant to write the song but Johnny was meant to sing it.
@@MovieFan13 no, nine inch nails wrote it and released it and Johnny Cash covered it and they said that he owns it now because he did amazing
@@leftnut1055 They're saying that God made the song for NIN to write, and then for Johnny Cash to sing. We know it was NIN's song originally..
He said his goodbye ans closed his own coffin at the end... no one ever opened the piano again since he closed it, I hope it survived the fire there that destroyed most of it in 2007. He was a man full of regrets, felt alone, and was ready for the next chapter in life... I cry every time I see his music video. One of the simplest yet most powerful songs I've ever heard, and his aged voice just adds that much more emotion too the lyrics. I'm so glad they left it raw and didn't mix his voice to make it sound perfect and in tune like the younger Johnny, one of the only times singing off tune makes it even better. He may be gone, but legends never die.
I remember our grade 7 English teacher played this for us and we all wrote essays based off of the word play, different meanings and overall theme of the song. So glad we had that project because this song truly is a piece of art. 19 years later and it still gives me chills. Thank you for taking the time to break this down as I haven’t heard this in quite some time
That's The Way A Legendary Music Icon Says Goodbye..R.I.P. Johnny 🙏
His version has always made me cry but also comforted me, I found his song pretty early into having a battle with mental health & it's one of the few songs I'll listen to when I'm thinking "Have I lived a worthwhile life? Have I spent enough time with my loved ones that I won't be torn to shreds when they pass? Am I going the right way about everything?" His song makes you think & reminisce especially with the video. Honestly I know it's a cover but he basically owns the song in my heart 💙
The guy who wrote it, Trent Reznor of NIN, agrees with you on that assessment.
@@copocopocopocopo yes I saw someone else had commented that as well, I love both versions too but Cash told a story so long in such a short time.
The woman in the picture, wearing red, was his mother. The other woman was his wife, June. He said several times that she saved his life, and they started as friends when they started touring together as they were married to other people. She was his best friend before they were a couple.
I remember the first time I heard this song. The place where you first paused it is where the tears started. I grew up with Johnny Cash, we all knew he wasn't going to be with us much longer. This was him saying good bye to his fans and everyone he'd worked with.
I’ve never been able to finish this song and not tear up.
I’m kinda young, only 34. So I know him after his prime. But learning his history, his story and life. It’s haunting. It hurts man.
Trent Reznor wrote this about his dark side, he struggled with depression, substance and sex addictions..Well, it turned out that there was also a dark side of Johnny Cash who also suffered from mental instability as well as substance and sex addictions , like Trent. which led to Johnny hurting those closest to him , like his partner, she endured his cycles of relapses and recovery as well as the affairs along the way... this song for him is about redemption.. but also atonement for the pain he caused to those that loved him the most. Johnny is a legend and has cut out his place in history.. I believe you nailed it about the last supper~ he passed 7 months after he finished recording. I hope he was able to release the guilt and regret, so his journey will be much lighter!!
Btw, I accidently hit this videos link .. glad i didi, your reactions and your ability to quickly convey your thoughts and feelings .. was just brilliant to watch.... so yeah, i am a new subscriber, bro!!
I think that in Johnny's interpretation this song has nothing to do with drug addiction (it was what Trent intended to express, not Jonny) - it's more about old man's regrets and realization that material thing are nothing ("empire of dirt") compared to close people, whom he may have hurt during his life.
It's both as in his younger years he did suffer serious drug addiction. His wife june helped him overcome it...she basically saved his life
@@Mr.AimToMisbehave Yeah, Johnny's Parkinson's (you see it when he pours out the wine) was a direct result of his heroin addiction. Adds a layer to the song seeing him say and do that in this video
@@sorvoe5513 Johnny Cash was addicted to heroine??? I dont know much of his history but I do know that Ive never heard that before. I thought he was an alcoholic, but had no idea about drugs.
@@honeybadgerusa5689 Alcahol was just another drug. There was very little he didn't do.
@@honeybadgerusa5689 -He Also Became Addicted to Prescription Medications, Initially Used To Stay Awake For The Long, Hard Days & Nights on The Road. That Combined With The Alcohol, Really Took It's Toll, BOTH Physically and Mentally! Also, This Potentially Lethal Combination, is A Tremendously, Torturous Nightmare To Stop, AND STAY STOPPED. (Unfortunately, I Speak From Experience)
im a giant NiN fan, and seeing this song live was just one of my favorite moments, but Johnny Cash really took this song and made it his own, the emotion in his voice combined with the music video is just legendary
To be honest didn't expect to see it here 😂 Jonhy is a legend though
He was a legend beacuse he is dead #GoodEnglish
@@JK42069 IS a legend because he has passed. If he were around, he would still be a Living Legend.
@@JK42069 he is still a legend, he is still one of the most known artists and made alot of great songs, so He still “IS” a legend not “WAS” he is legendary
@@JK42069 take it somewhere else, kid.😐
"Heroes get remembered, legends never die"
Absolutely haunting. Best ever Johnny Cash. Thank Knox. 🙏❤️
#1) The picture it shows (5:22) that's Johnny's mother.
#2) Johnny Cash was arrested yes.
#3) Yes behind Johnny was his wife June Carter Cash. (this was filmed just a few months before June passed) #RIPJohnnyandJune
Loved your reaction!
Ps: You should watch the movie Walk The Line (its based on Johnny Cash's life) Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon portray the characters of Johnny and June :)
I was about to comment it
Very good movie that. I'll echo the recommendation.
Me three!
It's hard for me to listen to this song, and yet I do over and over. His pain is so palpable, the regrets so intense, the loneliness so deep. I think of this song as a wake up call to all of us - to be wise enough to realize every day what is valuable, and to treasure those things in every moment, because we truly don't know what tomorrow will bring. No regrets.
Nice to see you giving props to Johnny Cash. Enjoyed the breakdown and analysis. I think the first picture was his mother. The second woman was his second wife June Carter Cash. They were married from 1968-2003. He died a few months after making this video. Trent Reznor said the song belongs to Johnny now.
Phenomenal reaction. You are one of a few who appreciates the entire piece of art. Such a painful reminiscinence
The woman in all the images and standing behind him is his late wife, June Carter Cash. This song was, in a way, a goodbye to her as she passed a bit before he released his version of it, as well as a goodbye to his fans, as he died shortly after. The way i take this song is more of a feeling of an old man who is tired of being alone and missing his wife. If we are going to continue this Johnny Cash train, i highly recommend God's Gonna Cut You Down, as the video perfectly demonstrates how beloved he was by all walks of life, and im curious to see how many people you recognize in the video
The picture at 5:22 is Johnny's mother. The Hurt video was filmed Feb. 2003, released in March (& an immediate hit) & June died May 15. In his final interview, Johnny said of June; “She loved the Hurt video & I’m so glad she lived long enough to see it do what it did & get the attention that it got.” Johnny died Sept. 12, 2003.
The “God” vid is amazing. Especially considering that a Iggy and Keef were bad boys as well.
Astoundingly good reaction, mate ! .. You picked up on so many things in this song, including a few that have not been mentioned by any of the reactors I've watched so far ( and I've seen LOTS of them ) .. Excellent analysis and emotional connection to this masterpiece of a record and video by the late and great Johnny Cash .. Thanks heaps for this ! .. Wayne
One of my ALL TIME favorite songs.
Edit: Just had to thank you for the powerful reaction. RIP Man in Black Mr Cash 🙏
The woman in the picture is his mother. His wife, June Carter, is the one on the staircases behind him. She died a couple of months after the video, and Cash followed not long after.
I'm not a country music fan, per se, but I love Johnny Cash. He's a certified legend. 💯💕 TY for your detailed breakdown of this song. 💜
Yes he was arrested before. Have you ever seen the movie walked the line ? Tells you about Johnny cash’s life. Great movie! It’s with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
Thanks for this review Knox. I've been a fan of his my whole life (I'm nearly 50 now), and hearing this song/seeing this video the first time , a few years back, was like losing an old friend.
I cannot stress enough how much you would enjoy the rest of his catalog. I highly recommend him for breakdowns.
Man in Black
Boy Named Sue
Folsom Prison Blues
And on and on and on. The man never sang a bad song, ever.
EDIT: Yep, Johnny went to prison. It's the inspiration for his song Folsom Prison Blues (there was a movie as well). The man's life story is absolutely fascinating.
Also, his wife, June Carter Cash, was alive during filming (she passed a few months later). You can see her standing on the stairs watching him at 9:14. The picture of the older lady with white hair towards the beginning was his mom. His daughter was also watching this during filming. As others have said, there's a story that's gone round that when he closed the piano at the end, she said "Dad, it's sounds like you're saying goodbye." His purported answer was "I am." I like to think it was Johnny's way of putting the capstone on a long and storied life.
If ever there was a man who deserved the title 'Legend', it's Johnny Cash.
You're the 1st person that I've seen react to this song that actually knew the original song and artist and credited them. I really also enjoyed your representation and your interpretation of the your interpretation of the song. It was more in tune or align with what I had always felt when I 1st heard the song so many years ago when it came out or when he redid it. I absolutely loved this song of the song with 9" nails but oh my God Johnny Cash just did something with this song that I've never seen any other artist Remake a song as exquisitely as he did! This gave me Goosebumps 20 years ago when I heard it or even more than 20 years ago when I heard it and it gave me Goosebumps just now!! Absolutely love it!
Every time I hear this I can't help but cry.
This song hits so hard with that simple, haunting sound. Beautiful
This song is incredible! I never expected to see this but I’m so happy you’ve done it 💜
Guessing the picture on the wall was his mother. The lady on the stairs was his wife. I want to say she died 3 months after this video was created and Johnny died about 4 months after her. It is said that when he played the video for his daughter, she cried and said that it sounded like he was saying good-bye, to which he replied, I am. I believe he sang the song with that feeling more than anything specific to past drug use. Seems old age and failing health were the "drugs" from his point of view in this video. It is said that when he closes the piano at the end, that was the last note of music ever played by the Legendary Johnny Cash.
Rick Rubin helped produce that album
I think he really brought out Cash’s pain and suffering. You may or my not know this but the reason Cash / The man in black wore black all the time was to identify with the poor. No matter how big he got he never forgot what it was like to be poor. To me that’s one of the many reasons he is a legend. Thank you Knox for checking this one out. 💯
according to Cash himself the reason he always wore black is because that was the way he felt on the inside
The poor, the downtrodden, the mistreated, the abandoned, those who died for a cause, for a lie, for someone else's profit. His song Man in Black explains it.
That picture was his momma. at that sweetest friend part. So powerful a song. And yes, he spent some time in jail. I grew up in the 80s as a small kid listening to him and loving his song. I was 8 singing his songs. This is my favorite song he did. Trent even gave this song to him. Trent even said, "I wrote it, Johnny owned it" He literally gave Johnny the rights to it. Love when artists do things like that. Its beautiful. You get this song man, I will check out your rap. I love rap and while I'm 45, I rap daily myself....just for fun. Rock on man. You are a smart young man, and you will be big if you keep working hard. Dont ever stop. Oh and yeah, that was June, the woman that he always loved. He was married before June, but that was her in this video. He left his wife and chased her. He finally won her.
This in my opinion is his best song recorded, it's like he's letting us she the true Johny Cash.
Amazing review. You hit on the emotional, the musical and the spiritual, and you did it from your heart. Wonderful, keep up the great work!
When Johnny closes the piano in this video was very symbolic. He never opened it again and he passed away 7 months later. His wife June Carter died 4 months before him.
Johnny did a lot of covers late in his career, but this one hits differently as he truly made it feel like every line he had personally experiences with. Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails actually said that this song now belonged to Johnny Cash after hearing his version
Gut wrenchingly poignant. One of the most power covers I have ever heard. I tear up every time I hear this song.
Johnny's daughter said that it felt like he was saying goodbye...
His reply,
"I am"
3:11 Knox describes years of my life better than I ever could.
Your reactions and comments are very very perceptive. He is communicating his pain so effectively. The imagery of the hammer driving in the spike on each downbeat is incredible. My heart breaks with each hit.
I love this song, This version especially
To hear you listen watch and appreciate Johnny's version of this is amazing. Once you realized it was NIN's song and never tried to hold the song to the same standard. Perfect. You took in what and how the song was being portrayed. Seeing the doubles that could have been. The visuals of the Last Supper, Wine, with the comment of the last great feast. Spot on sir. Wonderful reaction to a culmination of an iconic troubled (at times) legend. May both Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash rest in peace together. 🙏
His wife June Carter, she died in 2003 and he shortly followed with a broken heart
The perfect hero. So flawed and loved at the same time. My hero for sure. Johnny Cash was and is the most glorious and tortured legend. Angry yet loving. So strong and weak at the same time.
As a recovering addict this song has always hit a chord with me, although I dont believe this song had anything to do with addiction. I think this was him saying goodbye. I think it was like his last song? I could be wrong but, Just the emotion in his voice is so meaningful to me. He's truly a legend, the man in black
The Author sure meant it about drugs. And Cash had his own battles.
It was his goodbye, it was about life, regrets, addiction, all of that. And if he had it to do it all over again, he would keep himself, he would find a way.
The woman in the photo is his mother. The woman behind him was his wife, who passed a few months later. Johnny himself died four months after June.
This was Johnny's last song. It was likely the last time he ever played.
It was a fitting goodbye.
@@jonathanstein1783 he recorded a few more songs over his last few months which were posthumously released as American V and VI.
I’m sure I’m not the first to say but, I saw an article about this cover after it came out that when Trent herd this version his reply was “it’s your song now”
Johnny Cash had a hell of a story. You really should familiarize yourself with everything that he went through. Lots of lessons can be learned from studying his life.
Buzzing notes, strings not corrected in mixing!
Makes it more authentic!
Brilliant!!!!
Such an amazing song I love it and no doubt you will kill this review love all your work man keep it up
Wow dude, what a great viewpoint! I’ve watched SO MANY reactions to his hurt video, yours is def one of my favs. Great job! Keep at your grind.
Another fact about Johnny is that after his death 3 days passed one of his iconic museums was burnt down, also his house in a tropical area (I don't remember where) nothing has been moved out of respect
I believe you're referring to Jamaica. His house is in Jamaica.
the museum had been flooded years before, its what was shown in the video. The house he had with June in Tenn burned down not long after their deaths.
@@rolkflameraven1483 oh I wasn't aware of that
fun music video fact. June came down during recording and Johnny had no idea she was there. the scenes with her looking at him was a candid moment, and I have to admit the way she looks at him is so emotive.
Holy shit, I never slowed down and actually watched the video. This is heartbreaking
Yes it is
Right? If somebody watches this and feels nothing, I'm sorry for whatever has happened in their life. This is moving.
I never even paid attention to the lyrics, damn
The man who wrote this was a recovered heroin addict. But Johnny OWNS this song because he lived it. He spent time in jail as a young man, reflected in several of his early songs. He found fame and fortune but he also found alcohol and drugs. He lost many friends to "fame". The smashed picture frames he kept after a rant in which he trashed his home. He wanted never to forget what he had done. The one who stood by him was June, shown in the video, his wife. She passed away shortly before he recorded this. She stood by him through everything, the good, the bad and the horrible. They were married for decades, right up until the end. Both ladies are June. The photo on the wall shortly before she passed. The lady standing is a clip of her as a younger woman. Johnny passed away shortly after recording this.
Cash was actually arrested 7 different times over his career, most of them drug related.
Johnny Cash was arrested in Starkville MS one night after a show not far from where I live. He was picking flowers in someone’s garden
This song means something to the older generation when Jonny sings cause of the sht he been through . But if you don't know his story then it won't hit the same
I grew up on cash I had heard about his life in the 60s and 70s. Man... like how can one man compress a lifetime into one song.
This was probably the best reaction I have seen you do. You allowed yourself to be vulnerable, and I could see the words were relateable for you. Good job.
If you’re going to do more songs then I highly highly recommend Charles Bradley covering Black Sabbath’s - Changes.
Yes. Very much yes.
Man, dude...I found you on a Harry Mack reaction and then lit up as much as I could on your site. This was remarkable. For us who look to experience songs and interpret songs that we love with someone else...the job you did here was unstoppable. I hope you do a lot more of these along with the rap...you are excellent at it!