Johnny Cash recorded “Hurt”, the Nine Inch Nails track, on his 2002 album, American IV: The Man Comes Around, at the suggestion of producer Rick Rubin. Cash worked with Rubin’s friend, Mark Romanek to provide a music video of “Hurt”, featuring Johnny Cash singing with guitar and piano interspersed with images and footage from throughout his life.
Click on the image below to play the video.
Footage from the closed House of Cash Museum includes a smashed frame for the gold album, Johnny Cash at San Quentin, photographs of Johnny and June, and a bust of Johnny. Archival video footage includes Cash riding a 4501 steam train in Zebulon, Georgia, 1974 (Riding the Rails), walking with staff (anyone recognise the movie?), as Abe Cross in the 1971 movie, Gunfight saying, “You stay the hell away from me, you hear?”, performing at Folsom Prison, and visiting his abandoned childhood home. June Carter Cash appears briefly, looking lovingly over Johnny’s shoulder. As the track reaches its climax the footage mixes the crucifixion of Jesus with short clips of Johnny’s younger days. Cash pours a glass of red wine over a table of rich food. The video finishes with Cash closing the piano lid.
June Carter Cash died on May 15, 2003. Johnny died on September 12, 2003, from complications linked to diabetes.
Credits
Hurt, the music video, was directed by Mark Romanek with producer Aris McGarry, director of photography Jean Yves Escoffier (who died in April 2003), production designer Ruby Guidara, editor Robert Duffy, and wardrobe stylist Peggy Knight.
Mark Romanek had originally intended to include shots of Trent Reznor, the writer of “Hurt”, but schedules didn’t allow for the connection. Romanek flew to Nashville in October 2002 (18th – 19th) to film Cash in his Hendersonville home before Cash left for a vacation. The shoot was followed up with two weeks of archive search.
Colourist was Beau Leon at The Syndicate.
Johnny Cash’s Hurt music video won the 37th Annual CMA Awards (Country Music Association) video of the year and a grammy at the 46th Grammy Awards for Best Short Form Video.
The ‘Hurt’ music video was so popular that Lost Highway released it on DVD in November 21, 2003. Johnny Cash Hurt DVD at Amazon.com
Lyrics for Hurt
written by Trent Reznor, Nine Inch Nails
I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that’s real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
You could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
I wear this crown of thorns (originally shit)
Upon my liar’s chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
You could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt
If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way
Johnny Cash Music
Johnny Cash American V A Hundred Highways at Amazon.com
This song also featured prominently in an episode of “Third Watch”.
When that man at the record shop ask J.R cash “if you could sing one song. one song to sum up your whole life. one song to tell every one how you feel”. This is EASYILY the song. I love you johnny