The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World: No. 4
- Posted by Spinner Staff
- Comments (190)
'Hurt'Johnny Cash (2002)
The Breakdown: In failing health, the great American singer tolls a death knell for the rest of us with this brutal Nine Inch Nails song about addiction and self-destruction.
The Waterworks: "And you could have it all/My empire of dirt/I will let you down/I will make you hurt."
Casualty Count: Everyone he knows ("goes away in the end").
Listen to 'Hurt'
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Reader Comments(1 of 10)
analyzethis07at 7-20-2009
To K.T.: It's in the synopsis (labeled "The Breakdown").
***I remember when this song came out. It was the first time I heard of Johnny Cash or any of his songs (I was only about 13 when it came out). Being the age I was, I wondered who the old guy was and why he would sing a song that was so depressing. Since then I've heard some songs by him and they really do sound great. And from what I've learned, he's a country legend. It's too bad though, that the song came out a year before his death. R.I.P. Johnny Cash...You will always be remembered.
Aaron Truebloodat 7-31-2009
I remember reading about this song in a song countdown: The 500 Greastest Songs Since You Were Born, and Hurt was #50. It said that Trent Reznor claimed to never have listened the original NIN version of this song after listening to Johnny Cash's cover of it.
DDogat 8-19-2009
NIN may have wrote it, but Cash bought it with his life experiences.... RIP
lexyfayeat 8-19-2009
This song is oh so sad! I can relate! I understand his pain the feelings a BITCH!!!
Sandraat 10-08-2009
Mr. Cash made this song memorable. This version is better than the original. I can listen to this song for hours.
bryonat 10-26-2009
Trent Reznor has confessed that originally he was angry that Johnny Cash had covered this, as it was such a personal song to him. However, once he heard Cash's heart-wrenching version and saw the poignant video, he changed his tune.
Reznor recalled to The Sun Newspaper August 1st 2008: "The Cash thing was a couple of years into being clean I was very unsure of myself. Did I have anything to say? Could I still write music? Did anyone still care? I'd been out of the limelight for a while. I'd put the brakes on everything to try to get my life in order, to try to get healthy and stay alive. I'd been friends with Rick Rubin for several years. He called me to ask how I'd feel if Johnny Cash covered Hurt. I said I'd be very flattered but was given no indication it would actually be recorded. Two weeks went by. Then I got a CD in the post. I listened to it and it was very strange. It was this other person inhabiting my most personal song. I'd known where I was when I wrote it. I know what I was thinking about. I know how I felt. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive."
It was when Reznor finally saw the video that his attitude changed. He continued: "It really, really made sense and I thought what a powerful piece of art. I never got to meet Johnny but I'm happy I contributed the way I did. It felt like a warm hug. For anyone who hasn't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out. I have goose bumps right now thinking about it."
Rickat 11-27-2009
What makes this song so sad when Johnny Cash does it. Is when you watch the Video of him doing it you can see he knew he wasn't going to be with us much longer and was going to join his wife, June Carter Cash. Who died only 4 months before Johnny Died on September 12, 2003
Alexat 11-28-2009
Great songwriting by Trent Reznor and powerful cover
by Johnny Cash! One of the few songs that actually
belong in this catagory '25 Most Exquisitely Sad
Songs In The World'. So far no mention from one of the
best songwriters alive, Nick Cave (Johnny Cash covered
his song 'The Mercy Seat' and ups the ante again)!
joshuaat 5-05-2007
thay playd this at my dad was dead =(
joshuaat 5-05-2007
sad thay playd this when my dad was dead
Paulat 5-05-2007
Great Tune
Branat 5-05-2007
This is a nine inch nail song! Love it!
George W Jenningsat 5-05-2007
Johnny Cash Is Was & Always Will Be The Man.
pawat 8-17-2009
That is the truth
K. T.at 5-05-2007
This song is original by Nine Inch Nails. Where's the credit?
lisaat 8-25-2009
the description credits NIN, I don't think that is the point, the way that Johnny Cash sings this song brings a whole new level of sadness, even Trent Reznor admits this
Kechat 5-05-2007
This song by Johnny cash is very true to What life is. In my opinion, cash is saying how all the success doesn't matter because it can all Hurt and fall apart in the end. In the 3 minutes or so of this song he talks about the main points of his life and his mistakes. Johnny cash is the greatest!
Ron Jenningsat 5-05-2007
Makes you think about all the lost and wasted lives.
Wayneat 5-05-2007
This song should be number one on the list, period. Johnny cash is the man, and he hit this song so much harder then even the original artists nine inch nails could have wished. Amazing song, and an amazing artist! RIP JOHNNY CASH!
Smokin Joeat 5-05-2007
The Man in Black Lives Forever .