YOUNG RAP FAN REACTS TO | Johnny Cash - Hurt *ALMOST GOT ME*

It’s not so much that you have to be wiser or older or have gone through something. It’s more that, to understand this song, you have to have regrets and loss.

Johnny Cash was a legend in country music. Strike that. He was a legend in music, period. Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) wrote the song. When he heard Cash’s cover, he said “this is Johnny Cash’s song now.”

This is the sound of a man giving the eulogy to his own funeral. The original by Nine Inch Nails is a young man raging at the world around him. Johnny's version is an old man looking back upon his life and making peace with his regrets. This came out not long before he passed away in 2003.

7:53 - - Yes, that was his wife, June Carter Cash. She passed away not long after this video was released. Johnny passed away later in the same year as her.

Johnny Cash was inducted into hall of fame for country music, hall of fame of rock AND hall of fame of GOSPEL !! That is how big he was.

That is June Carter Cash, Johnny’s second wife and the love of his life. She belonged to the legendary Carter family, and was a star in her own right. John did not live for long after June died. The closing of the piano lid at the end of this song seems like closing the casket of a coffin to me. He was saying good-bye.

I know this is a old post, but I didn’t see too many comments on the feel. As someone who is currently listening to this song and stumbled across this video, I wanted to write this down. What makes this song work so damn well is the personal meaning shifts. In 1995, it was just a well written song of someone sharing their pain. In 1999, it was 20,000 people with their cigarette lighters in the air, singing, crying, allowing themselves to be their most vulnerable in one of the most beautiful moments I’ve been a part of. 2002 I blew my uncle’s mind when I sang along to this new Johnny Cash song. He didn’t realize it was a cover. The song felt the same, but different. Cash was reflecting on his life. Trent didn’t think there would be much of a past to reflect on. I turn 42 in May. If you don’t have regrets by now, your lying to yourself. I’ll save you money on therapy. When the weight of all your loss and regrets becomes soul crushing, put this on and just let go. There is catharsis in releasing this pain you don’t want to share because it feels selfish to burden others with your own personal baggage. Which of course is not true. If you ugly cry, it’s working. And FFS, as a man, we cry. You don’t have to let people watch you, but you can’t hold on to it forever. It will kill you. The local news is full of proof of how literal that is.

Johnny Cash was an artist who struggled early in his career with drug addiction and so forth. When he met his future wife, June Carter, it seems to turn his life around. Johnny goes way back to your grandparents days. He broke many barriers in his career. He was one of the first old-school white artists who performed on stage with artists of color. Johnny truly respected the talents of others. He spoke for the downtrodden, the prisoners, those who were cheated in life. His sound is iconic and unique to him. This song was uncharacteristic but SO powerful!

NIN’s songwriter, Trent Reznor prolifically responded to Cash’s “Hurt” cover with: “I wasn’t prepared for what I saw, and it really then, wasn’t my song anymore.” There was no warning that Cash would be covering “Hurt.” Reznor said, “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. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive.” Reznor respectfully added in an NME interview that the cover meant more to him than winning something like a Grammy. The cover and video were recorded and filmed shortly before Cash’s death. Popular opinion across almost every genre of music is that “Hurt” by Cash, is the best cover of all time.

Johnny Cash was a veteran, musician, had a successful variety show series, was a movie actor. He started in the 1950s alongside Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis at the dawn of Rock and Roll; literally doing live shows with them. He was an activist for Civil Rights, in spite (or maybe because) of his experiences growing up poor in Arkansas and would unflinchingly risk it all to feature black and Native American artists in his performance projects. If there is a word to describe him, I would choose 'uncompromising'. He was very clear on his personal values and would rather suffer consequences than dishonor or others himself by compromising his values. Johnny loved music, every kind. His musical catalog includes gospel, country, bluegrass, rock and roll, rockabilly, folk, and humous. He is listed in the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Johnny also struggled with addiction: alcohol, heroin, amphetamines, barbiturates. He liked a little grass, which is mild, but the pressures of touring and working so many concerts (plus the bad company he toured with and the demons from his childhood) pushed him into serious self-medication with the hardest stuff around. It cost him opportunities, it cost him his freedom (he was jailed), but it also meant he remembered the fellows locked in jails, so did a live recording at Folsom Prison. As a young child, he could never get the approval of his cruel father, who preferred Johnny's older brother. While the two as elementary school kids were cutting logs in their makeshift sawmill (because when you're dirt-poor, even kids worked to bring in money), Johnny's brother was killed in an industrial accident. Their father blamed Johnny. At one point, as Johnny was battling another episode of addiction, Johnny's father told him the wrong son died. This was the last song Johnny recorded. It's a miracle the video was ever made. Yes, the woman on the stairs is Johnny's 2nd wife, who he could not live without. "Hurt" was recorded in 2002, released in March 2003. June Carter Cash, his wife, died in May 2003. Johnny Cash followed her in death in September 2003. I don't think Johnny would have ever considered himself as 'wise'; he experienced quite a bit in life, but he was well aware of his flaws and would more likely considered himself as a flawed man, someone who has made horrible mistakes, who could have done more for others, who could have lived a Christian life. He was intensely spiritual, but definitely prone to earthly failings, which gave him empathy for others. He was a complicated man, even to himself. And he had regrets. I don't believe he ever forgave himself for any mistakes, and may not have ever felt peace.

He loved June so much. His wife and musical partner during most of his career. Don't let anyone diss you for having the feelings, you are growing and in a good direction. You're a lot further on the path than a lot of 20 years olds. HUGS

I still remember the first time I heard this. It was just about a week before Cash passed away. I was out driving and this song came up on the radio. When I heard it I had to pull over since I was tearing up so much. I never listen to JC much but his death really hit like a ton of bricks for some reason. This song was truly a legend saying goodbye.😢

Trent Reznor may have written this song, but Johnny lived every single lyric.

I speak as a man nearly 3 times your age. You have the superpower of introspection. If you don't think that's a superpower look around at how many people are terrified to even think about it. You, young man, are one of the reasons that humanity has a chance of being OK.

Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails is extremely emotionally touching. You will discover, if you look at some of the interviews of Johnny and his family, that this song was covered not very long after he lost his wife, June Carter of 35 years. June first and foremost was Johnny Cash's best friend. She stood beside him through his alcoholism and drug addiction. June also stood beside him during his divorce. In typical Johnny Cash style, he proposed to her on stage while singing a duet with her. Prior to June Carter, it was well known that Johnny Cash had a problem with alcoholism, drugs, and infidelity. When he married her, he turned a new leaf. Having watched documentaries and autobiographies about Johnny Cash, I have been given a feeling that he essentially worshipped June. In addition to the loss of his wife, Johnny Cash was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He was virtually blind from diabetes and was in a wheelchair. In an interview, one of his children said that this was not only his goodbye to his wife, but also to his fans. Knowing the backstory really makes this song stand out more. You should take the chance and listen to some of his earlier works.

Trent wrote this song about depression, the darker side of life, while Johnny covered it and brought to it life, It's beautiful how music can be! Love that Trent was happy and very grateful for having his song covered by the legend Johnny Cash

To my knowledge, as soon as Trent Reznor heard this cover of his song, he not only proclaimed it now belonged to Johnny Cash, but he never performed it again. Trent's original is about combatting drug addiction. Johnny's version is about life decisions.

If this song doesn't tear your heart out when you first hear it, it's because you don't have one. Cash's daughter, when she first heard it, said "it sounds like you're saying goodbye". Cash replied "I am".

Young people appreciate this song. Us old folks feel it in our bones. As you head towards the sunset, you look back on your life wondering what might have been.

This was his goodbye to us and music and life, feeling the end and regrets. When he closed the piano at the end, it was the last time he played music. His wife came down to check he wasn't overdoing it and they filmed her. His wife died 3 months after this was filmed, and he died 4 or 5 months after her. This song is relatable to every human who lives long enough to get to a certain age. If we don't die young, we will all have mortality and regrets.