I want to tell you a good thing about this song. It was written by Trent Reznor when he was young and truly lost, as lost as Jonny. Trent had time and the desire to”keep himself. …he found a way.” I saw him at least twenty years after he wrote Hurt. He was on tour, with a beautiful wife, a couple of kids and two Academy awards for best score. His voice was wrecked from the touring and he was sick. When he began to sing Hurt, he was struggling and his loyal fans sang the entire song with him; on key, on tempo, perfectly. When it came time to sing the last stanza, the crowd picked up tempo and the lines ended on an upbeat. The band followed us. “ If I could start again, a million miles away.” The crowd raised their hand up and apart like ‘here we are a million miles away’ Then, with a joyful sound we sang, “I would keep myself, I would find away.” We immediately broke into a roar. Trent stepped forward and croaked into the mic, “ You don’t know how much that means to me.” He had changed his life and together we gave the song a different meaning at the end.
I'm a NIN fan. Though the lyrics are the same, Trent's version had a very different meaning for him and therefore his fans. I loved hearing your story. I bet it was a very moving experience. I'm so glad that he was able to overcome his earlier issues and find love and happiness. He's a very creative and talented man.
I see this as a perfect poetry, 2 different person showing a very different perspective of the same words. Similar emotions conveyed and two completely different stories.
The picture highlighted was his mother. His wife June is watching him play piano. She died two months after the video was released. He died 4 months later. They were married for 35 years. Johnny Cash was honest about his own drug addiction and mental health struggles. He always fought for a spoke for the underdog.
hard to believe my wife and I were married for 42 yrs before she passed. I remember them being married when I was a kid. But when I think about it we were kids when we got married too. but we made it work until the end.
When he was hooked on Amphetamine Jude and their children had to fight really hard to both get him clean and also hiding the drugs even though it made Johnny really upset.
Johnny’s wife, June Carter Cash (standing on the stairs behind Johnny) died 3 months after the release of this video, and Johnny died 4 months after her. Johnny’s daughter, Roseanne Cash, when she heard this song, told Johnny that it sounded like he was saying goodbye.. he responded, ‘I am’. The NIN version is much more like youthful angst; this version is more like regretful acceptance (IMO). Rick Ruben did a phenomenal job getting Johnny to sing this.. and then producing it in the way he did.. such a lasting gift from a HUGE musical talent.
Actually it was one of his other daughters that made the comment to Johnny, either Kathy, Cindy or Tara (I can't remember for sure exactly which one, but I lean towards it being Cindy). She had just watched the video for the first time alongside Johnny. When he saw that she looked troubled, he asked her what was wrong. She told him it felt like he was saying goodbye. He answered like you mentioned. (It might have been, "Well, ... I am." It's been a while since I saw the interview.)
The prison imagery isn't just poetical, it's a reference to one of Cash's most famous songs, "Folsom Prison Blues." He famously performed it and recorded an entire live album for the inmates of Folsom State Prison, in California. He was a lifelong champion for the downtrodden and had sympathy for those men whose lives had gone so wrong. For that recording, the cheers of the audience were added in post-production because the inmates actually remained silent, in fear of reprisal from prison guards for any show of agreement with the lyrics' overt criticisms of the carceral state. A powerful message, and a great song from a legendary artist.
@@bookwermofthefandoms the visual reference that was placed in the Cash cover video referred to times he spent in jail, and also when he performed for inmates in prison
The producer of the video was toold he had to travel to Johnny to film, in his home. He was also given access to the the Cash museum for filming. But they were also given access to his film vault. Which I think helped make the video feel.
It hurts especially for us who grew up watching his history happen. In real time right in front of us. The good and the bad. His son’s book is so good.
I never knew him. Heard a song or two, liked them... looked more songs up, came across the movie with Joaquin Phoenix... Am glad he met June and that he had June in his life. Really seems she had a great positive impact on him and in his life. We all need a June in our lives. Seems they were a great couple. Despite the errors and wrongdoings, I think he had a pure heart and was a good person.
I live about 4 miles from that House of Cash museum; I passed it hundreds of times before Johnny died and they moved the building away. We saw him and talked with him a few times in stores in town. He was one of a kind.
That's an autographed Gene Autrey guitar he was playing. I was absolutely gobsmacked when I first saw this a few years ago. I first heard Johnny when I was around 8 years old on my dad's car radio. I'm 74 now, so I'm familiar with most of Johnny's catalog. And as others have said, when he closed the cover on the piano keys, that was it. I still get very emotional hearing and seeing this.
One of the most powerful videos and covers ever made. A great song covered by a great artist applying his life to the lyrics and making it his own heart-breaking song.
Rick Rubin came to Johnny and Rick Ruben is the one that help shoot this video that’s why it’s so amazing. And of course the iconic Johnny Cash. My son literally just got back last weekend from going to look at that museum in this video, it’s still there, but it looks different everything around it has changed. He also went to John and June‘s gravesite and sent me some videos. Really cool! I think Johnny was saying in the end it’s all just stuff, and when you get to the point where Johnny was that stuff does nothing for you. At that point you realize the only thing that is important is your relationship with your friends, your family And your God. The rest is ashes to ashes and dust to dust.
June Carter Cash, Johnny's wife, stands behind him on the stairs. Her appearance wasn't scripted; she knew Johnny wasn't feeling well and was concerned that he was working too hard. She came to check on him, and the look of love and worry on her face was so poignant that they added her cameo to the video.
Because it was a cover some of the lyrics apply to Johnny Cash and this was appropriate. As someone who has suffered with demons himself and just as a man reaching the end of his life many lines hit home and in conjunction with the video it becomes his story and we see from the song from his perspective. To see such a strong heroic figure resigned to old age and the inevitable and it’s heartbreaking.
Johnny was raised during the Great Depression. When he was young, he and his brother worked. One day, Johnny went fishing and his brother worked and his brother died from an accident with a saw. Johnny always felt guilty that he wasn’t there and felt like he was the disappointing child and the wrong one died.
Thank you! I was looking for this. Johnny's life was defined by trauma and regret and self loathing. He got into drugs, cheated on and ultimately divorced his first wife - I always felt that he never thought he deserved the praise he got, or his fame. This video, the way he stares directly into the camera, doesn't blink, doesn't shy away from his sins - he's feeling all of it, all the time, and dares you to even THINK about forgiving him.
After Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails watched this video he said that this song that Trent had originally written was now Johnny Cash's song. You should listen or react to the Nine Inch Nail version to see the way that Trent takes this song. Also, Johnny died shortly after this video was made.
A recommendation if you do, maybe react to an old recording and then the modern performance from Trent. Both are on TH-cam. Then modern performance has a lot less anger and you can tell he's in a better place from the old recording.@@Connection_through_Reaction
That’s not the context Trent Reznor said that in. What he said was this: “It sounded... weird to me. That song in particular was straight from my soul, and it felt very strange hearing the highly identifiable voice of Johnny Cash singing it. It was a good version, and I certainly wasn't cringing or anything, but it felt like I was watching my girlfriend fuck somebody else….” After receiving the finished video: “I pop the video in, and... wow. Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps... Wow. I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine any more.”
Not sure who or what copied and pasted or why on earth that matters but I guess people must find something to pick at. I love this version as everyone knows youll face death, no matter who you are. The best line is the last about if he had it to do over again hed find a way to keep himself. Johnny felt he had to sell his soul to become as famous as he was. But at the end of life, our soul is all we can take with us, wherever that is, so don't give it up for anyone or anything.
Cash's daughter: "It sounds like you're saying goodbye." Cash: "I am." Cash had an interesting life. He had a family with kids. He divorced her and left them. He then started getting famous and got into drugs. He then met and married his wife, who you see in the video. He made a lot of bad decisions and undoubtedly had a lot of regrets.
Water works from my eyes when I first heard this I did know the NIN version then heard this by Johnny cash and water works fell. Such a great song. Much love happy new years to you and family ❤❤❤
It's Johnny's legacy, and his confession, and it becomes a message to us humans. This track will stand the test of time. RIP Johnny and thank you for this song that makes us think.
This song is so painful and reminiscent of thoughts I’m dealing with… thank you for your reaction… I feel such heartbreak with this… the words you read are well known to me…🥺🥺🥺
Enjoyed many of your reaction videos sir, for enjoyment and also you provide an excellent insight into the therapy / emotional aspects of these videos. You seem like a very good therapist (I have had therapy myself for depression, anxiety and addiction). Now (because I valued the help I got) I am trying to train as a counselling therapist so I can hopefully help others one day - so your videos and explanations are very helpful and informative to someone learning the trade. Thank you kindly.
by the time they were going to film this video, Johnny was too ill to travel so they shot the indoor scenes in his house. They lady in the photo is his mother. I find it amazing how songs can travel across the ages. For Trent, a young man coming out of addiction; for Johnny, the old man looking back on his life. Johnny did have his battles with alcohol and prescription drugs. He credits his wife, her family (the Carter Family singers) and God for helping him out of his addicitions. He battled with depression all his life as well. His wife, June Carter Cash, was a HUGE influence his life. Steadfast through the highs and the lows. He has 5 children. One of his daughters, Roseanne Cash, when he shared the song with her, she said, "Daddy, it sounds like you're saying good-bye." He replied, "I am."
I believe when Trent heard the recording by itself, he said it felt weird and oddly invasive, like seeing someone hold your girlfriend’s hand. But then he was shown the video and that’s when he said “it’s his song now”
My youngest is 3. Every night before bed, he has certain songs that he has to hear and watch on TH-cam. This is one of them. I'm from Tennessee so have been listening to Johnny (and sometimes June too) Cash my whole life, so when first hearing this when it initially came out, I believe most of us knew he was saying goodbye. Johnny had a very hard life, even as a celebrity.
This song has been my go to when I am sad for many years. I can not listen to it without crying but afterwards I feel better most of the time. You should watch the Johnny cash movie ' walk the line'. It is one of my favourites. Thanks for the video. ❤
It's crazy how Reznor may have made the song, but at times this song feels like it was made for Cash. Luckily a lot of people have already said what more I wanted to say, but Cash really did make this song his own in a way that few covers can do so well. It's why I consider this and Disturbed's cover of Sound of Silence the best covers. They took great songs and made them great for different reasons, both sticking true to the original versions yet still owning them.
I cry when I hear this.... I followed his music all my life... Originally written by Trent Reznor and released by Nine Inch Nails on the 1994 album Downward Spiral.
You do realize Cash didn't write this song, he just sings it from a different perspective. It's his view from the end of life that swings the meaning of the song. A very convincing message, almost like the song was written for this interpretation.
There are 3 definitive versions of this song. The Original: Written by Trent Reznor and performed by him with Nine Inch Nails. It's a song about addiction and losing one's self to it. The Duet: My favorite version, is Nine Inch Nails with David Bowie as a co-singer. The song retains the original meaning, but Bowie's voice took it up a few notches over the original. Cash: Johnny Cash did this cover, but reimagined it as being about getting older rather than addiction. Interestingly, he changed only one word of the original lyric. Cash sings "I wear this crown of thorns, upon my liar's chair", invoking biblical imagery. Reznor had originally written "I wear this crown of shit..." implying the junkie with his head hung in a toilet. But that was the only change. So the new context offered by Cash's version is conveyed entirely by his tone. The songs could be identical, word for word, but sung in a softer tone by an older man, and the entire story still changes. I think that says a lot about the brilliance of both artists.
Absolutely every element in that video was created to illicit a particular response in the audience, Probably the most powerful piece of art ever created.
Even though the songs themselves couldn't be further apart, the line "I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real" always reminds me of a similar line from "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls - "When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive."
"Everything I love goes away in the end" hits very hard, because he had Alzheimer's disease. He was literally forgetting, and losing, everything: his family, his wife, his music, his own memories. Being away that you all losing everything must be the worst kind of torture.
I don’t know if anybody mentioned in your comments this song was not written by Johnny Cash. This song was not written for Johnny Cash. This song was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Once Trent Reznor heard Johnny Cash‘s version, he stated the song now belongs to Johnny Cash, but the song was originally written because Trent Reznor was dealing with a heroin addiction. Johnny Cash made it about God.
i suggest doing john prine's '"i remember everything" after this. last song he recorded. in his living room, by his daughter the night he wrote it with his best friend after coming home. after that "hello in there"
This song always makes me bawl. Worth watching the Nine Inch Nails version of this song as well. It was written by Trent Reznor about his addiction. Johnny Cash made it his own.
I forgot to thank you for including the Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware. At first I was thinking, What? Why aren’t you talking the song… but the connection and relevance was massive. I’m so thankful that you did. The five most common regrets were so powerful and compelling. I will share this with my hubby. Those five points and your words will be impactful. They actually brought tears for me, as did your obvious emotional response to the song, and crying was never something we were allowed to do. Not that we crave any “stuff” at this stage, but we could do with some more fun, authenticity and letting go of the outside world’s expectations of us. We’re both near the end of the line. I have wasted many years trying to outrun my early childhood trauma (ha, busted and outed for my avoidance behavior; as I’m currently scrolling reaction channels 🤦🏻♀️) what can I say, I am very self aware for someone with lifelong DID😉. Hubby has had his own childhood trauma and early losses, and he’s a Vietnam veteran. Lots of experiences, memories, and emotions have been stuffed down in both of our lives. He also loves Johnny Cash, so we can rewatch your reaction. Maybe discussing those regrets one by one will help. You are very much an Empath. This song hits hard. Your clients are very fortunate to have you in their lives helping to guide them out of the darkness. ☮️💛
Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor wrote this. It was part of Pretty Hate Machine but got bumped into The Downward Spiral. Out of context from the rest of his work it defines his work. Trent admitted after Johnny Cash covered his song..."It's not my song anymore"
This is an amazing song Johnny Cash sang. Originally by nine inch nails, but both have made this song unique. You should check out the nine inch nail version from a younger person.
The double meaning for Johnny is really wild in this version. He likely felt this way due to mental health issues in his younger years, he got help, pulled himself out of the hole, made a good life, and saw it all slowly taken away as the years went on. Talking to elderly people over the years it's wild to think about people in your life disappearing from living life and suddenly you realize you're one of the few left. We start to see it in our younger years, loved ones dying, but to be the last one left must be so lonely.
I heard Hozier “Cherry Wine” again today. It seems like it should be a beautiful song of love, when the song starts, but refers to a man being physically abused by his female lover. “The blood is rare and sweet like cherry wine.” He describes ill treatment and abuse and says it’s all worth it to be near her “some of the time”. Listen and react, please. The song makes quite the statement and people react strongly to it, and interestingly, isn’t Hozier’s first song about female on male physical abuse, which seems to stir an extra strong reaction in many people.
I think this song is a warning. Sometimes you lose who you are, while searching for who you want to be, And in the end the only thing you can take to the grave, is Regret. It's also a great example of how sometimes our Hearts can hear what our ears cannot.
I believe it's hard for someone as young as you are, to understand what we old people go through mentally, as we anticipate death. Most of the people who filled our lives, are gone, and we deal with regrets, for things we have done, and not done.
The song's title - 'Hurt'. Never has such a simple title encapsulated the essence of a song so well. SUGGESTION: You should look at doing a reaction to 'Coming Down' by Five Finger Death Punch. Would really love your thoughts on that one.
Good evaluation of Trent Reznor’s track, Stuart. I love how Johnny Cash delivers the lyrics, with a steadfastness in a controlled manner, yet emotive voice. He sounds thoughtful and like he has really considered what he’s singing. I think it’s interesting Stuart, that your thoughts when listening, moved towards ideas of materialism and the craving for ‘stuff’, especially given that the track highlights the fact ‘things’ all just turn to dust in the end; which obviously also includes people. In both instances of thought it comes down to the human craving for things we don’t have whether that be friends, family, relationships, physical stuff or emotions. As a Buddhist we understand that craving is ultimately the root of all suffering, and that learning to let go can be the road to healing and growth. I think Jonny Cash chose to cover this track deliberately because he knew that soon he would have to let go, not just of life’s trappings, but of life itself. He wanted to express regret and acknowledge his sense of shame and failure, pointing out that despite the successes he had achieved, they didn’t entirely make up for the losses he suffered.
A few notes about the history of this version. Whilst many have stated it was originally done by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, they get the rest a bit mixed up. Initially, Cash didn't really want to do the song and when he was finally convinced to do it, Trent flat out refused. It took months of asking and effort for Trent to finally allow Cash to do it. Upon first hearing the Cash version, Trent was originally upset and practically disguisted with it. He stated "It was like watching your girlfriend have sex with another man" The music video came out later, and it wasn't until he saw it, that he finally SAW it. It was after watching the video that Trent fully understood Cash's message with it. It was at that point that he stated it was now Cash's song. The tone, instrumentals, and singing are all very different, but all the lyrics are exactly the same, save for one word. Shit for thorns. It is incredible how without changing tge words, such a different message can be brought forth. You are correct about the piano. That is his piano and him closing it was his final time. He never opened it again.
Trust me when I tell you that the message comes across crystal clear to someone who just turned 79 years old......especially when you consider that Johnny was 71 when he made this video.
Not sure if anyone has pointed this out, but this was originally a Nine Inch Nails song. Johnny covered it and did it so well that Trent Reznor said that it's his song now.
The house he visits looking into the windows is his childhood home where he watched his brother die of injuries sustained in a farm accident. They were just children and Cash felt great guilt over it.
Haven’t seen the video before but loved the song and the contrast of Trent Reznor’s original version sung as a young man and Cash’s version as a man looking back on a long life. It’s like two different songs.
This song was done by Nine Inches Nails about a very dark time in his life. Johnny Cash has epic songs like A Man in Black, Talking Leaves, Wrinkled, Crinkled, Dollar Bill, One Piece at a Time. He has an album about Native American Indians.
The only video I've seen that is as , if not more , powerful than this one would be Hi Ren. RIP Mr. Cash your music was and will be enjoyed by generations of people 🙏💕
This was originally a NIN track off the "Downward Spiral Album" about Trent Reznor drug use When covered by Johnny Cash it became about a man looking towards the end of his life. This was on the American IV: The Man Comes Around album Which includes covers of Personal Jesus and We'll Meet Again which are fantastic covers, But the album overshadowed American V: A Hundred Highways Where he sounds weaker and a more intermate album About his impending death
You should check out "Rick Rubin on convincing Johnny Cash to cover Hurt | Lex Fridman Podcast (2022)" it touches on some of the real touching stuff about how this cover came to be. Also there is a few videos of Trent talking about his reaction to hearing it the first time, than seeing the music video thee first time.
This shows how a music video can actually enhance a song, and not distract from it. Too many videos, I think, are so unrelated to their songs that it becomes like trying to hear a friend talk in a crowded room. You want to pay attention to your friend, hear what they're saying, but the lady two tables over, or the man at the bar behind you, distract you entirely and drown out your friend.
This song cuts real deep not only for myself but especially thinking about my father's life, unlike him at least I had the opportunity to live my life my way well into my late thirties before being forced into doing things that doesn't work for me and eventually made me sick, the one thing I can say that not too many others in the western world can say is that I don't have regrets in life and I very much doubt I'll develop any in the 25-35 years probably that I have left based on family history, well, unless I inherited lifespan from my grandmother on my fathers side then I have another ten years, she was 95 when she passed. Yeah, this song really makes you think and put things into perspective, especially with the addition you made with the list of regrets people have at the end of their lives and your own thoughts about your life up until this point. My stance on work/life balance has always been that people should aim for professions that makes them happy and is meaningful to them and they should be given that opportunity instead of this insecent drive to have people chasing money and status or forcing them into taking any job available regardless of what it does to their health and wellbeing that we've seen for the last 30 years because of government interventions and labor union stupidity. As I see it at least for myself is that when I'm doing something I like or even love doing as a profession it becomes a meaningful lifestyle, it gives me energy, it makes me happy, every part of my life getts better, I learn faster, I tend to learn everything there is to know surrounding that specific profession, my work gets faster with maintained precision, so on and so on, now I have Asperger's so that plays into some of it but I've known plenty of normal people over the years that say similar things only it takes them longer to learn certain things than it takes me and they don't tend to go as deep into the learning while I want to learn everything although not obsessively so, I just like learning about my interest. The bad side for me is when I'm forced into jobs or environments I have no interest in, then I become severely ill a lot faster than normal people apparently as I've learned the hard way, while normal people tend to be able to continue working even after burnouts I never seem to get healthy enough to be able to work at all so I'm trying to get medically retired now. Working harder to get out of hard spots isn't a good option for anybody and for some of us it's not an option at all, chasing money status and power is a fools game and will end with regrets, a wise man chooses good relationships, good life experiences and work that gives him meaning and happiness throughout his life, it might be heavy or difficult work but if you love what you do it's never really hard work, hard work is a contradiction of terms in my opinion, it means doing something you hate instead of doing something you love just to make other people happy. Well, looks like I wrote a book again, lol. You sure get my thinking going with these ones.😁Thank you!
You have the best explanation for the meaning of the first verse. I always loved the original and was angry that Cash did a cover. It’s a very personal song. When the NIN song came out, it was the only way that explained how I felt at that time as a teenager. Now, all these years later I’ve been diagnosed with alexithymia, adhd, and autism. I LOVE Johnny Cash’s version now. It’s a completely different feeling and seems like a completely different song to me.
As some have noted, this song was actually written by a young man dealing with drug abuse and suicidal despair. This comes through more when you look at the lyrics alone. With Johnny Cash he was dealing with outliving his wife. But Reznor was dealing with alienating people rather than them dying. The entire album this came from, The Downward Spiral, is about suicidal despair, and could keep your channel busy for months. The big hit was closer which is about using sex as an escape from despair.
This is a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song. Trent Reznor, the leader of the group/project, had a brutal heroin addiction. That should explain "the needle tears a hole" lyric.
That Need to buy, is also psychological coping mechanism that take form if you have ever lived a life where you struggled or got bullied. Its' the fear of feeling you don't got enough, or that you are not enough. My mom has that exact behavior and i have talked with her so much about it and what it means and why it's happening, telling her that even if you could buy the entire world, it would not make you feel at ease or satisfied with who you are until you come to terms with yourself. I told her that you have to look into yourself, find what you truly resonate with and land in the fact that it is ok to have the beliefs and / or principles or whatever it may be, regardless of what other people may think about it. Be ok with what you believe in and be confident in yourself and know what you a re doing, that is the Only way to be truly at peace.
Yeah I know right. I uploaded this about 60 days ago and the copyright has just cleared. So close to my The Line reaction and I was like great, another one which brings a tear to my eye.
I've watched the video many times. It was wrtten by Trent Reznor of "Nine inch nails" as a young man dealing with addiction. Johhny recorded his version years later and transformed it into a reflection on the cost of fame. When he says "You are someone else, I am still right here" he's not talking to us, he's addressing himself. As in his real self opposed to his famous persona that has a cost.The picture on the wall is his Mom. Later his wife June is shown. By the way they both died months apart after the video was filmed. It's not so much about substace abuse as the addiction to fame and fortune.
3:06 thats what another "reaction" video series shows I dont remember the name of the channel but from what i can recall its a channel that shows music to tribesmen (idk if its the right word). They could almost understand the song before hearing the lyrics Edit: the channel is called TRYBALS
This was among the very last thing he did before he passed. Rick and Johnny discussed how they would record it but settled with doing it in Johnny's living room. Rick said what hear is what happened he did no overdubs but some adjustments afterwords in the studio. Johnny's children said they are forever grateful to Rick for letting their father do this. Over the years Johnny was forced by labels to record stuff he didn't like or quite wasn't his style. This became very popular and truly a worthy good bye. Johnny was struggling a lot in his life with drug addiction, mental health, his faith in Christ. I guess it's hard to stay unaffected when you sell millions of albums touring everywhere gets awarded with Grammy's. Everyone knows who you are and wants a piece of you.
I was raised Methodist and was taught that the crown of thorns was a symbol of hubris. The Romans gave it to Christ because they thought, by claiming to be the Son of God, he was showing the ultimate human hubris, not because they just wanted him to suffer the pain of such a crown. When singing that line, in my eyes, Johnny Cash is refering to that hubris as part of the truth of his life and celebrity. Everyone raising him up, when he knew he wasn't worthy and still to this day doesn't believe he is worthy. But the later imagery, of Christ being crucified, shows to me that he knows and recognises that he is self-crucifying himself. Maybe he is worth all the love and acclaim he was given, it's just his self-hatred that makes it hard to accept. As someone who lives with those evil little brain weasels everyday, I can relate to how he feels in those moments.
And this just goes to prove that fame and fortune isn't everything it's made out to be. Elvis did a song called 'Fame and Fortune'. It's only a short song, but when you think about just how famous he was, the lyrics are very insightful.
this song was originally written by Trent Reznor, performed by Nine Inch Nails. It was originally about Trent's struggles with heroin addiction (the needle), the people it hurt, and his belief that no matter what, he would only ever find his way back to addiction (I would keep myself, I would find a way). Johnny Cash also struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction.
Definitely a heavy song, both the original and this version have permanent places in my library. Might I suggest reacting to lyfjaberg by wardruna. It’s an excellent “recovery” song. It’s not in English so definitely do captions to get the most out of lyrics.
I want to tell you a good thing about this song. It was written by Trent Reznor when he was young and truly lost, as lost as Jonny. Trent had time and the desire to”keep himself. …he found a way.” I saw him at least twenty years after he wrote Hurt. He was on tour, with a beautiful wife, a couple of kids and two Academy awards for best score. His voice was wrecked from the touring and he was sick. When he began to sing Hurt, he was struggling and his loyal fans sang the entire song with him; on key, on tempo, perfectly. When it came time to sing the last stanza, the crowd picked up tempo and the lines ended on an upbeat. The band followed us. “ If I could start again, a million miles away.” The crowd raised their hand up and apart like ‘here we are a million miles away’ Then, with a joyful sound we sang, “I would keep myself, I would find away.” We immediately broke into a roar. Trent stepped forward and croaked into the mic, “ You don’t know how much that means to me.” He had changed his life and together we gave the song a different meaning at the end.
I'm a NIN fan. Though the lyrics are the same, Trent's version had a very different meaning for him and therefore his fans. I loved hearing your story. I bet it was a very moving experience. I'm so glad that he was able to overcome his earlier issues and find love and happiness. He's a very creative and talented man.
That's not how his first name is spelled... let's show more respect.
@@yogaphile7833 Let's not respect people who focus on small insignificant details...
I see this as a perfect poetry, 2 different person showing a very different perspective of the same words. Similar emotions conveyed and two completely different stories.
where could i find a recording of this ???
It is one hell of a farewell letter.
The moment he closes the piano kills me every time.
It's like closing a casket
And the way his fingers play across the closed piano. Every time.
The picture highlighted was his mother. His wife June is watching him play piano.
She died two months after the video was released.
He died 4 months later.
They were married for 35 years.
Johnny Cash was honest about his own drug addiction and mental health struggles.
He always fought for a spoke for the underdog.
hard to believe my wife and I were married for 42 yrs before she passed. I remember them being married when I was a kid. But when I think about it we were kids when we got married too. but we made it work until the end.
When he was hooked on Amphetamine Jude and their children had to fight really hard to both get him clean and also hiding the drugs even though it made Johnny really upset.
@@danielolson5378 June was a blessing in his life.
Johnny’s wife, June Carter Cash (standing on the stairs behind Johnny) died 3 months after the release of this video, and Johnny died 4 months after her. Johnny’s daughter, Roseanne Cash, when she heard this song, told Johnny that it sounded like he was saying goodbye.. he responded, ‘I am’. The NIN version is much more like youthful angst; this version is more like regretful acceptance (IMO). Rick Ruben did a phenomenal job getting Johnny to sing this.. and then producing it in the way he did.. such a lasting gift from a HUGE musical talent.
Actually it was one of his other daughters that made the comment to Johnny, either Kathy, Cindy or Tara (I can't remember for sure exactly which one, but I lean towards it being Cindy). She had just watched the video for the first time alongside Johnny. When he saw that she looked troubled, he asked her what was wrong. She told him it felt like he was saying goodbye. He answered like you mentioned. (It might have been, "Well, ... I am." It's been a while since I saw the interview.)
This video was such a great gift to give to everyone before the end. It gives me chills every time I hear it.
The prison imagery isn't just poetical, it's a reference to one of Cash's most famous songs, "Folsom Prison Blues." He famously performed it and recorded an entire live album for the inmates of Folsom State Prison, in California. He was a lifelong champion for the downtrodden and had sympathy for those men whose lives had gone so wrong. For that recording, the cheers of the audience were added in post-production because the inmates actually remained silent, in fear of reprisal from prison guards for any show of agreement with the lyrics' overt criticisms of the carceral state. A powerful message, and a great song from a legendary artist.
He did record a live performance at one the heaviest prisons in Sweden as well. Than he also did the San Quentin concert.
I mean it’s not a reference to that, he didn’t write the song, but it’s a pretty great coincidence that this fits his life so well
How would it be a reference? He didn't write the song Hurt
@@bookwermofthefandoms He did in fact own it(figuratively) . It did fit him, which is why he covered it.
@@bookwermofthefandoms the visual reference that was placed in the Cash cover video referred to times he spent in jail, and also when he performed for inmates in prison
I'm so glad you noticed the closing of the piano. Thanks for your genuine reaction. It is SO heartbreaking on many levels.
Some reviewers are unable to see the end because they're looking through tears.
The was the last time he ever played that piano. He never opened it again.
@@danielhomant2832 I heard that his family locked it so it will never be played again.
The producer of the video was toold he had to travel to Johnny to film, in his home. He was also given access to the the Cash museum for filming. But they were also given access to his film vault. Which I think helped make the video feel.
It hurts especially for us who grew up watching his history happen. In real time right in front of us. The good and the bad. His son’s book is so good.
I never knew him. Heard a song or two, liked them... looked more songs up, came across the movie with Joaquin Phoenix... Am glad he met June and that he had June in his life. Really seems she had a great positive impact on him and in his life. We all need a June in our lives. Seems they were a great couple. Despite the errors and wrongdoings, I think he had a pure heart and was a good person.
I live about 4 miles from that House of Cash museum; I passed it hundreds of times before Johnny died and they moved the building away. We saw him and talked with him a few times in stores in town. He was one of a kind.
That's an autographed Gene Autrey guitar he was playing. I was absolutely gobsmacked when I first saw this a few years ago. I first heard Johnny when I was around 8 years old on my dad's car radio. I'm 74 now, so I'm familiar with most of Johnny's catalog. And as others have said, when he closed the cover on the piano keys, that was it. I still get very emotional hearing and seeing this.
There's something about the energy of a person who has lived a long full life, the mass of their personality just flows through the music.
One of the most powerful videos and covers ever made. A great song covered by a great artist applying his life to the lyrics and making it his own heart-breaking song.
Rick Rubin came to Johnny and Rick Ruben is the one that help shoot this video that’s why it’s so amazing. And of course the iconic Johnny Cash. My son literally just got back last weekend from going to look at that museum in this video, it’s still there, but it looks different everything around it has changed. He also went to John and June‘s gravesite and sent me some videos. Really cool! I think Johnny was saying in the end it’s all just stuff, and when you get to the point where Johnny was that stuff does nothing for you. At that point you realize the only thing that is important is your relationship with your friends, your family And your God. The rest is ashes to ashes and dust to dust.
Thanks to producer Rick Ruben for getting Johnny cash to cover this masterpiece 🙏
June Carter Cash, Johnny's wife, stands behind him on the stairs. Her appearance wasn't scripted; she knew Johnny wasn't feeling well and was concerned that he was working too hard. She came to check on him, and the look of love and worry on her face was so poignant that they added her cameo to the video.
Because it was a cover some of the lyrics apply to Johnny Cash and this was appropriate. As someone who has suffered with demons himself and just as a man reaching the end of his life many lines hit home and in conjunction with the video it becomes his story and we see from the song from his perspective. To see such a strong heroic figure resigned to old age and the inevitable and it’s heartbreaking.
TY for the insightful reaction. You have a good heart never forget that. The house that was shown was Johnny's first home that washed away.
Johnny was raised during the Great Depression. When he was young, he and his brother worked. One day, Johnny went fishing and his brother worked and his brother died from an accident with a saw. Johnny always felt guilty that he wasn’t there and felt like he was the disappointing child and the wrong one died.
Thank you! I was looking for this. Johnny's life was defined by trauma and regret and self loathing. He got into drugs, cheated on and ultimately divorced his first wife - I always felt that he never thought he deserved the praise he got, or his fame. This video, the way he stares directly into the camera, doesn't blink, doesn't shy away from his sins - he's feeling all of it, all the time, and dares you to even THINK about forgiving him.
After Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails watched this video he said that this song that Trent had originally written was now Johnny Cash's song. You should listen or react to the Nine Inch Nail version to see the way that Trent takes this song. Also, Johnny died shortly after this video was made.
Yeah I’ll check that out thanks!
A recommendation if you do, maybe react to an old recording and then the modern performance from Trent. Both are on TH-cam. Then modern performance has a lot less anger and you can tell he's in a better place from the old recording.@@Connection_through_Reaction
That’s not the context Trent Reznor said that in. What he said was this:
“It sounded... weird to me. That song in particular was straight from my soul, and it felt very strange hearing the highly identifiable voice of Johnny Cash singing it. It was a good version, and I certainly wasn't cringing or anything, but it felt like I was watching my girlfriend fuck somebody else….” After receiving the finished video: “I pop the video in, and... wow. Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps... Wow. I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine any more.”
Say something you didn't copy and paste.
Not sure who or what copied and pasted or why on earth that matters but I guess people must find something to pick at. I love this version as everyone knows youll face death, no matter who you are. The best line is the last about if he had it to do over again hed find a way to keep himself. Johnny felt he had to sell his soul to become as famous as he was. But at the end of life, our soul is all we can take with us, wherever that is, so don't give it up for anyone or anything.
Cash's daughter: "It sounds like you're saying goodbye."
Cash: "I am."
Cash had an interesting life. He had a family with kids. He divorced her and left them. He then started getting famous and got into drugs. He then met and married his wife, who you see in the video. He made a lot of bad decisions and undoubtedly had a lot of regrets.
Absolut hörenswert und bewegend.
I can't watch that video and not get teary-eyed...hits me every time...😢
Water works from my eyes when I first heard this I did know the NIN version then heard this by Johnny cash and water works fell. Such a great song. Much love happy new years to you and family ❤❤❤
It's Johnny's legacy, and his confession, and it becomes a message to us humans. This track will stand the test of time. RIP Johnny and thank you for this song that makes us think.
Thank you for your wonderful reaction and analysis. It truly spoke to me.
This song is so painful and reminiscent of thoughts I’m dealing with… thank you for your reaction… I feel such heartbreak with this… the words you read are well known to me…🥺🥺🥺
Enjoyed many of your reaction videos sir, for enjoyment and also you provide an excellent insight into the therapy / emotional aspects of these videos. You seem like a very good therapist (I have had therapy myself for depression, anxiety and addiction). Now (because I valued the help I got) I am trying to train as a counselling therapist so I can hopefully help others one day - so your videos and explanations are very helpful and informative to someone learning the trade. Thank you kindly.
Thanks for taking the time to write such kind words.
by the time they were going to film this video, Johnny was too ill to travel so they shot the indoor scenes in his house. They lady in the photo is his mother.
I find it amazing how songs can travel across the ages. For Trent, a young man coming out of addiction; for Johnny, the old man looking back on his life.
Johnny did have his battles with alcohol and prescription drugs. He credits his wife, her family (the Carter Family singers) and God for helping him out of his addicitions. He battled with depression all his life as well.
His wife, June Carter Cash, was a HUGE influence his life. Steadfast through the highs and the lows.
He has 5 children. One of his daughters, Roseanne Cash, when he shared the song with her, she said, "Daddy, it sounds like you're saying good-bye." He replied, "I am."
When Trent Reznor heard this recording, he said, "It's Johnny's song now." What generosity of spirit to cede such a personal work of art.
I believe when Trent heard the recording by itself, he said it felt weird and oddly invasive, like seeing someone hold your girlfriend’s hand. But then he was shown the video and that’s when he said “it’s his song now”
My youngest is 3. Every night before bed, he has certain songs that he has to hear and watch on TH-cam. This is one of them. I'm from Tennessee so have been listening to Johnny (and sometimes June too) Cash my whole life, so when first hearing this when it initially came out, I believe most of us knew he was saying goodbye. Johnny had a very hard life, even as a celebrity.
I listen to music for the sound first, but it’s often the meaning of the lyrics that makes me listen over and over again!
This song has been my go to when I am sad for many years. I can not listen to it without crying but afterwards I feel better most of the time. You should watch the Johnny cash movie ' walk the line'. It is one of my favourites. Thanks for the video. ❤
I was going to suggest this as well!
Johnny lost the love of his life, June, just a few months after this and he died shortly thereafter. And yes, that’s her in the video.
It's crazy how Reznor may have made the song, but at times this song feels like it was made for Cash. Luckily a lot of people have already said what more I wanted to say, but Cash really did make this song his own in a way that few covers can do so well. It's why I consider this and Disturbed's cover of Sound of Silence the best covers. They took great songs and made them great for different reasons, both sticking true to the original versions yet still owning them.
I cry when I hear this.... I followed his music all my life... Originally written by Trent Reznor and released by Nine Inch Nails on the 1994 album Downward Spiral.
You do realize Cash didn't write this song, he just sings it from a different perspective. It's his view from the end of life that swings the meaning of the song. A very convincing message, almost like the song was written for this interpretation.
There are 3 definitive versions of this song.
The Original:
Written by Trent Reznor and performed by him with Nine Inch Nails. It's a song about addiction and losing one's self to it.
The Duet:
My favorite version, is Nine Inch Nails with David Bowie as a co-singer. The song retains the original meaning, but Bowie's voice took it up a few notches over the original.
Cash:
Johnny Cash did this cover, but reimagined it as being about getting older rather than addiction. Interestingly, he changed only one word of the original lyric. Cash sings "I wear this crown of thorns, upon my liar's chair", invoking biblical imagery. Reznor had originally written "I wear this crown of shit..." implying the junkie with his head hung in a toilet. But that was the only change. So the new context offered by Cash's version is conveyed entirely by his tone. The songs could be identical, word for word, but sung in a softer tone by an older man, and the entire story still changes. I think that says a lot about the brilliance of both artists.
Wow 100% going to check out Bowie version!
This song is cover of a Nine Inch Nails song after Trent Reznor herd jonny " cover. he said It's jonny song now.
Great take on this amazing song! I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on everything. :)
Absolutely every element in that video was created to illicit a particular response in the audience, Probably the most powerful piece of art ever created.
Even though the songs themselves couldn't be further apart, the line "I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real" always reminds me of a similar line from "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls - "When everything feels like the movies, you bleed just to know you're alive."
Also " there's a smile when the pain comes, the pain gonna make everything all right."
Black Crows
"She Talks to Angels"
"Everything I love goes away in the end" hits very hard, because he had Alzheimer's disease. He was literally forgetting, and losing, everything: his family, his wife, his music, his own memories. Being away that you all losing everything must be the worst kind of torture.
I don’t know if anybody mentioned in your comments this song was not written by Johnny Cash. This song was not written for Johnny Cash. This song was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Once Trent Reznor heard Johnny Cash‘s version, he stated the song now belongs to Johnny Cash, but the song was originally written because Trent Reznor was dealing with a heroin addiction. Johnny Cash made it about God.
Best build to climax ever in a song in my opinion. Goosebumps.
i suggest doing john prine's '"i remember everything" after this. last song he recorded. in his living room, by his daughter the night he wrote it with his best friend after coming home.
after that "hello in there"
I agree. John Prine would be amazing
This song always makes me bawl. Worth watching the Nine Inch Nails version of this song as well. It was written by Trent Reznor about his addiction. Johnny Cash made it his own.
Trents live version on piano...
Omg I’m so glad you covered this song there is so much emotion in this one can’t listen to it without tearing up… That being said it is perfect!
I forgot to thank you for including the Regrets of the Dying by Bronnie Ware. At first I was thinking,
What? Why aren’t you talking the song… but the connection and relevance was massive. I’m so thankful that you did. The five most common regrets were so powerful and compelling. I will share this with my hubby. Those five points and your words will be impactful. They actually brought tears for me, as did your obvious emotional response to the song, and crying was never something we were allowed to do.
Not that we crave any “stuff” at this stage, but we could do with some more fun, authenticity and letting go of the outside world’s expectations of us. We’re both near the end of the line. I have wasted many years trying to outrun my early childhood trauma (ha, busted and outed for my avoidance behavior; as I’m currently scrolling reaction channels 🤦🏻♀️) what can I say, I am very self aware for someone with lifelong DID😉. Hubby has had his own childhood trauma and early losses, and he’s a Vietnam veteran. Lots of experiences, memories, and emotions have been stuffed down in both of our lives. He also loves Johnny Cash, so we can rewatch your reaction. Maybe discussing those regrets one by one will help.
You are very much an Empath. This song hits hard. Your clients are very fortunate to have you in their lives helping to guide them out of the darkness. ☮️💛
Trent Reznor said that this is Johnny's song now. I saw NIN shortly after his death and they did Johnny's version.
Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor wrote this. It was part of Pretty Hate Machine but got bumped into The Downward Spiral. Out of context from the rest of his work it defines his work. Trent admitted after Johnny Cash covered his song..."It's not my song anymore"
Thank you for this.
This is an amazing song Johnny Cash sang. Originally by nine inch nails, but both have made this song unique. You should check out the nine inch nail version from a younger person.
I cry. Every. Damn. Time. This was his goodbye.
I have watched Johnny Cash sing (Trent Reznor's) Hurt countless times. Cried again today..
The double meaning for Johnny is really wild in this version. He likely felt this way due to mental health issues in his younger years, he got help, pulled himself out of the hole, made a good life, and saw it all slowly taken away as the years went on. Talking to elderly people over the years it's wild to think about people in your life disappearing from living life and suddenly you realize you're one of the few left. We start to see it in our younger years, loved ones dying, but to be the last one left must be so lonely.
Always brings a tear when I hear Johnny's version...Trent's, not so much for me. BTW I love the beard! It becomes you.
I heard Hozier “Cherry Wine” again today. It seems like it should be a beautiful song of love, when the song starts, but refers to a man being physically abused by his female lover. “The blood is rare and sweet like cherry wine.” He describes ill treatment and abuse and says it’s all worth it to be near her “some of the time”. Listen and react, please. The song makes quite the statement and people react strongly to it, and interestingly, isn’t Hozier’s first song about female on male physical abuse, which seems to stir an extra strong reaction in many people.
I think this song is a warning. Sometimes you lose who you are, while searching for who you want to be, And in the end the only thing you can take to the grave, is Regret. It's also a great example of how sometimes our Hearts can hear what our ears cannot.
Good reaction. Thank you.
I believe it's hard for someone as young as you are, to understand what we old people go through mentally, as we anticipate death. Most of the people who filled our lives, are gone, and we deal with regrets, for things we have done, and not done.
The song's title - 'Hurt'. Never has such a simple title encapsulated the essence of a song so well.
SUGGESTION: You should look at doing a reaction to 'Coming Down' by Five Finger Death Punch. Would really love your thoughts on that one.
Good evaluation of Trent Reznor’s track, Stuart. I love how Johnny Cash delivers the lyrics, with a steadfastness in a controlled manner, yet emotive voice. He sounds thoughtful and like he has really considered what he’s singing.
I think it’s interesting Stuart, that your thoughts when listening, moved towards ideas of materialism and the craving for ‘stuff’, especially given that the track highlights the fact ‘things’ all just turn to dust in the end; which obviously also includes people. In both instances of thought it comes down to the human craving for things we don’t have whether that be friends, family, relationships, physical stuff or emotions. As a Buddhist we understand that craving is ultimately the root of all suffering, and that learning to let go can be the road to healing and growth. I think Jonny Cash chose to cover this track deliberately because he knew that soon he would have to let go, not just of life’s trappings, but of life itself. He wanted to express regret and acknowledge his sense of shame and failure, pointing out that despite the successes he had achieved, they didn’t entirely make up for the losses he suffered.
often I wake in the middle of the night remembering nightmares I want to forget, then escape into scrolling on the phone until I fall asleep again
You were right in guessing that the closing of the piano lid was his last time playing it; he never did again.
A few notes about the history of this version.
Whilst many have stated it was originally done by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, they get the rest a bit mixed up.
Initially, Cash didn't really want to do the song and when he was finally convinced to do it, Trent flat out refused. It took months of asking and effort for Trent to finally allow Cash to do it.
Upon first hearing the Cash version, Trent was originally upset and practically disguisted with it. He stated "It was like watching your girlfriend have sex with another man"
The music video came out later, and it wasn't until he saw it, that he finally SAW it. It was after watching the video that Trent fully understood Cash's message with it. It was at that point that he stated it was now Cash's song.
The tone, instrumentals, and singing are all very different, but all the lyrics are exactly the same, save for one word. Shit for thorns. It is incredible how without changing tge words, such a different message can be brought forth.
You are correct about the piano. That is his piano and him closing it was his final time. He never opened it again.
Trust me when I tell you that the message comes across crystal clear to someone who just turned 79 years old......especially when you consider that Johnny was 71 when he made this video.
Thankyou
Sir, you have the heart of a Christian and such a sweet soul. ❤️🙏❤️
We Brits don't do religion.
Not sure if anyone has pointed this out, but this was originally a Nine Inch Nails song. Johnny covered it and did it so well that Trent Reznor said that it's his song now.
The house he visits looking into the windows is his childhood home where he watched his brother die of injuries sustained in a farm accident. They were just children and Cash felt great guilt over it.
He had gone fishing. Thus the fish on the table 😢
Haven’t seen the video before but loved the song and the contrast of Trent Reznor’s original version sung as a young man and Cash’s version as a man looking back on a long life. It’s like two different songs.
Reznor was just as skeptical of Cash making it, as Cash himself was of doing it. But after hearing it, he said it was Cash's song now.
This song was done by Nine Inches Nails about a very dark time in his life. Johnny Cash has epic songs like A Man in Black, Talking Leaves, Wrinkled, Crinkled, Dollar Bill, One Piece at a Time. He has an album about Native American Indians.
The only video I've seen that is as , if not more , powerful than this one would be Hi Ren. RIP Mr. Cash your music was and will be enjoyed by generations of people 🙏💕
This was originally a NIN track off the "Downward Spiral Album" about Trent Reznor drug use When covered by Johnny Cash it became about a man looking towards the end of his life. This was on the American IV: The Man Comes Around album Which includes covers of Personal Jesus and We'll Meet Again which are fantastic covers, But the album overshadowed American V: A Hundred Highways Where he sounds weaker and a more intermate album About his impending death
You should check out "Rick Rubin on convincing Johnny Cash to cover Hurt | Lex Fridman Podcast (2022)" it touches on some of the real touching stuff about how this cover came to be. Also there is a few videos of Trent talking about his reaction to hearing it the first time, than seeing the music video thee first time.
This shows how a music video can actually enhance a song, and not distract from it. Too many videos, I think, are so unrelated to their songs that it becomes like trying to hear a friend talk in a crowded room. You want to pay attention to your friend, hear what they're saying, but the lady two tables over, or the man at the bar behind you, distract you entirely and drown out your friend.
This song cuts real deep not only for myself but especially thinking about my father's life, unlike him at least I had the opportunity to live my life my way well into my late thirties before being forced into doing things that doesn't work for me and eventually made me sick, the one thing I can say that not too many others in the western world can say is that I don't have regrets in life and I very much doubt I'll develop any in the 25-35 years probably that I have left based on family history, well, unless I inherited lifespan from my grandmother on my fathers side then I have another ten years, she was 95 when she passed.
Yeah, this song really makes you think and put things into perspective, especially with the addition you made with the list of regrets people have at the end of their lives and your own thoughts about your life up until this point. My stance on work/life balance has always been that people should aim for professions that makes them happy and is meaningful to them and they should be given that opportunity instead of this insecent drive to have people chasing money and status or forcing them into taking any job available regardless of what it does to their health and wellbeing that we've seen for the last 30 years because of government interventions and labor union stupidity.
As I see it at least for myself is that when I'm doing something I like or even love doing as a profession it becomes a meaningful lifestyle, it gives me energy, it makes me happy, every part of my life getts better, I learn faster, I tend to learn everything there is to know surrounding that specific profession, my work gets faster with maintained precision, so on and so on, now I have Asperger's so that plays into some of it but I've known plenty of normal people over the years that say similar things only it takes them longer to learn certain things than it takes me and they don't tend to go as deep into the learning while I want to learn everything although not obsessively so, I just like learning about my interest. The bad side for me is when I'm forced into jobs or environments I have no interest in, then I become severely ill a lot faster than normal people apparently as I've learned the hard way, while normal people tend to be able to continue working even after burnouts I never seem to get healthy enough to be able to work at all so I'm trying to get medically retired now.
Working harder to get out of hard spots isn't a good option for anybody and for some of us it's not an option at all, chasing money status and power is a fools game and will end with regrets, a wise man chooses good relationships, good life experiences and work that gives him meaning and happiness throughout his life, it might be heavy or difficult work but if you love what you do it's never really hard work, hard work is a contradiction of terms in my opinion, it means doing something you hate instead of doing something you love just to make other people happy.
Well, looks like I wrote a book again, lol. You sure get my thinking going with these ones.😁Thank you!
You have the best explanation for the meaning of the first verse. I always loved the original and was angry that Cash did a cover. It’s a very personal song. When the NIN song came out, it was the only way that explained how I felt at that time as a teenager. Now, all these years later I’ve been diagnosed with alexithymia, adhd, and autism. I LOVE Johnny Cash’s version now. It’s a completely different feeling and seems like a completely different song to me.
As some have noted, this song was actually written by a young man dealing with drug abuse and suicidal despair. This comes through more when you look at the lyrics alone. With Johnny Cash he was dealing with outliving his wife. But Reznor was dealing with alienating people rather than them dying. The entire album this came from, The Downward Spiral, is about suicidal despair, and could keep your channel busy for months. The big hit was closer which is about using sex as an escape from despair.
There was a story about Trent Reznor and Zach De La Rocha being shown this video and leaving in tears
This is a cover of a Nine Inch Nails song. Trent Reznor, the leader of the group/project, had a brutal heroin addiction. That should explain "the needle tears a hole" lyric.
That Need to buy, is also psychological coping mechanism that take form if you have ever lived a life where you struggled or got bullied.
Its' the fear of feeling you don't got enough, or that you are not enough.
My mom has that exact behavior and i have talked with her so much about it and what it means and why it's happening, telling her that even if you could buy the entire world, it would not make you feel at ease or satisfied with who you are until you come to terms with yourself.
I told her that you have to look into yourself, find what you truly resonate with and land in the fact that it is ok to have the beliefs and / or principles or whatever it may be, regardless of what other people may think about it.
Be ok with what you believe in and be confident in yourself and know what you a re doing, that is the Only way to be truly at peace.
Whelp, thanks for making me cry again. Beautiful song though.
Yeah I know right. I uploaded this about 60 days ago and the copyright has just cleared. So close to my The Line reaction and I was like great, another one which brings a tear to my eye.
I've watched the video many times. It was wrtten by Trent Reznor of "Nine inch nails" as a young man dealing with addiction. Johhny recorded his version years later and transformed it into a reflection on the cost of fame. When he says "You are someone else, I am still right here" he's not talking to us, he's addressing himself. As in his real self opposed to his famous persona that has a cost.The picture on the wall is his Mom. Later his wife June is shown. By the way they both died months apart after the video was filmed. It's not so much about substace abuse as the addiction to fame and fortune.
Straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
3:06 thats what another "reaction" video series shows
I dont remember the name of the channel but from what i can recall its a channel that shows music to tribesmen (idk if its the right word).
They could almost understand the song before hearing the lyrics
Edit: the channel is called TRYBALS
When his daughter heard it she said, it sounds like your saying goodbye dad and he said. I am
This was among the very last thing he did before he passed. Rick and Johnny discussed how they would record it but settled with doing it in Johnny's living room. Rick said what hear is what happened he did no overdubs but some adjustments afterwords in the studio. Johnny's children said they are forever grateful to Rick for letting their father do this. Over the years Johnny was forced by labels to record stuff he didn't like or quite wasn't his style. This became very popular and truly a worthy good bye. Johnny was struggling a lot in his life with drug addiction, mental health, his faith in Christ. I guess it's hard to stay unaffected when you sell millions of albums touring everywhere gets awarded with Grammy's. Everyone knows who you are and wants a piece of you.
Check out Joni Mitchell's "River" ....wanting to escape after a breakup as the Holidays are looming
We used this song to the video pictures at my husband’s dad’s funeral.
It was originally written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.
I was raised Methodist and was taught that the crown of thorns was a symbol of hubris. The Romans gave it to Christ because they thought, by claiming to be the Son of God, he was showing the ultimate human hubris, not because they just wanted him to suffer the pain of such a crown.
When singing that line, in my eyes, Johnny Cash is refering to that hubris as part of the truth of his life and celebrity. Everyone raising him up, when he knew he wasn't worthy and still to this day doesn't believe he is worthy. But the later imagery, of Christ being crucified, shows to me that he knows and recognises that he is self-crucifying himself. Maybe he is worth all the love and acclaim he was given, it's just his self-hatred that makes it hard to accept.
As someone who lives with those evil little brain weasels everyday, I can relate to how he feels in those moments.
My favourite Johnny Cash song is “Man in White”.
And this just goes to prove that fame and fortune isn't everything it's made out to be. Elvis did a song called 'Fame and Fortune'. It's only a short song, but when you think about just how famous he was, the lyrics are very insightful.
this song was originally written by Trent Reznor, performed by Nine Inch Nails. It was originally about Trent's struggles with heroin addiction (the needle), the people it hurt, and his belief that no matter what, he would only ever find his way back to addiction (I would keep myself, I would find a way).
Johnny Cash also struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction.
And you still struggle to be original.
This was his goodbye letter. He knew.
Definitely a heavy song, both the original and this version have permanent places in my library. Might I suggest reacting to lyfjaberg by wardruna. It’s an excellent “recovery” song. It’s not in English so definitely do captions to get the most out of lyrics.
It's a NIN song about heroin use that Cash had to be talked into recording.
It is crazy to think how it seems like he knows it's the last time he plays the piano because he passed 3 days after he did this recording
Yippie a new video 😮
Yep, i actully uploaded this about 2 months ago but its just been copyright cleared so I've made it public.
@ love your vids btw :]