Rick Rubin, producer of Cash's American series and a friend of Reznor's, suggested the song to Cash. The line "crown of shit" was changed to "crown of thorns", not only removing profanity from the lyrics, but also more directly referencing Christ. The cover was released on a single with the B-side "Personal Jesus", a cover of the Depeche Mode single.
Reznor said that when Rubin first asked if Cash could cover his song, he was "flattered" but worried that "the idea sounded a bit gimmicky." He became a fan of Cash's version, however, once he saw the music 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 anymore… It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone. [Somehow] that winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning - different, but every bit as pure.”
Johnny Cash's version was awarded the Country Music Award for "Single of the Year" in 2003. It ranked as CMT's top video for 2003, #1 on CMT's 100 Greatest Country Music Videos the following year, and #1 on the Top 40 Most Memorable Music Videos on MuchMoreMusic's Listed in October 2007. As of July 2008, the single occupies the number one spot on Rate Your Music's Top Singles of the 2000s. The song is also Cash's sole chart entry on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, where it hit #33 in 2003.
The house where Cash's music video for "Hurt" was shot, which was Cash's home for nearly 30 years, was destroyed in a fire on April 10, 2007.
Hurt
Johnny Cash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 awayBut I remember everything
What have I become
My sweetest friend?
Everyone I know
Goes away in the end
And 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
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
And 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 will keep myself
I would find a way
Johnny Cash's song "Hurt" is a powerful and introspective song about the struggles of addiction, isolation, and the realization of one's own mortality. The opening line "I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel" is a clear indication of the self-destructive behavior of the singer. The line "I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real" beautifully captures the notion that in the depths of despair, the only thing that can be relied upon is the physical sensation of pain.
The use of the needle as a metaphor for addiction in the lines "The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting" is a heart-rending description of the cyclical nature of addiction. The repetition of the line "what have I become, my sweetest friend?" is a plea for self-examination and a recognition of how far the singer has fallen. "Everyone I know goes away in the end" is a poignant reminder of the inevitability of death and the alienation that comes from both addiction and the passage of time.
The chorus of the song, "You could have it all, my empire of dirt, I will let you down, I will make you hurt" is a stark admission of the singer's failures and the damage they have caused. The idea of an "empire of dirt" is a metaphor for the illusion of success that can be built up through addiction, leading ultimately to loss and decay. The image of the "crown of thorns upon my liar's chair, full of broken thoughts I cannot repair" is a powerful depiction of the feelings of guilt and shame that often accompany addiction.
In the end, the final lines of the song "If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way" offer a glimmer of hope in the darkness. It is a testament to the human spirit's resilience, even in the face of hardship and trauma.
Line by Line Meaning
I hurt myself today
I inflicted physical pain on my own body intentionally and deliberately.
To see if I still feel
I wanted to test that I was still capable of experiencing emotions by causing myself physical discomfort.
I focus on the pain
Instead of avoiding pain, I am directing my attention towards it.
The only thing that's real
I am convinced the pain is the only aspect of my existence that is valid and genuine.
The needle tears a hole
The needle used for injecting drugs has the power to make me feel invulnerable but it comes with a price.
The old familiar sting
Even though it is not the first time I've experienced it, the pain caused by the needle still hurts intensely.
Try to kill it all away
I try to get rid of my emotional turmoil through self-destructive consumption of drugs.
But I remember everything
Despite my attempts to forget, I am fully aware of the consequences of my actions and the pain that they bring.
What have I become
I feel as if I have transformed into an unrecognizable and desolate person.
My sweetest friend?
The voice in my head that is asking me this question may be my own or it may be someone who is extremely close to me.
Everyone I know
Every person who is close to me or who used to be a part of my life has left and moved on.
Goes away in the end
No matter how much I want them to stay, everyone in my life inevitably moves on and leaves me behind.
And you could have it all
Despite being surrounded by disappointment and being painfully isolated, I have several material things that I could offer someone.
My empire of dirt
Despite all the material things I have, I am conscious of my own failure and I realize that it is what remains.
I will let you down
I am informing the other person that they should not rely on me and that I will disappoint them.
I will make you hurt
Not only will I let the other person down, but I will also cause them emotional pain.
I wear this crown of thorns
I have taken ownership of the emotional and psychological burden that I carry, which is exemplified by imagery from the Christian belief system.
Upon my liar's chair
I hold responsibility for my own situation, even though I might be dishonest about it, and it feels like I am sitting on a throne of lies.
Full of broken thoughts
My mind is full of erratic and broken thoughts that are a reflection of my emotional and psychological state.
I cannot repair
I am unable to fix myself and my thoughts, which leads to a feeling of helplessness.
Beneath the stains of time
My memories and feelings have been eroded over time.
The feelings disappear
As time goes on, I become less capable of feeling emotions and the ones I have fade away.
You are someone else
Because of my detachment from my emotions, I feel as if I have become a different person, and I can't emotionally connect to others.
I am still right here
Even though I feel changed and vacant, I am still physically present in the world.
If I could start again
I experience regret and wish I could begin anew.
A million miles away
This rhetorical distance is likely impossible to achieve, but it is a way to express how much I want to forget my past.
I will keep myself
This time, I will not allow myself to crumble and fall to temptation. I will take care of myself.
I would find a way
Despite it being difficult or unlikely, I am determined to find a way to rebuild myself.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Trent Reznor
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Jogi-j4j
Das Leben ist?
Was es ist
Ist es gewiss
Für jeden Mensch
Ein anderes
In aller Zeit
So lebt es gewiss
Das Leben selbst
In der Zeit
Nichts hält auf
Die Zeit
Um zu Vergehen
Nichts hält auf
Die Zeit
Um zu Erblühen
So ist alles gewiss
In der Zeit
Am Vergehen
Und auch gewiss
In der Zeit
Am Erblühen
So ist Ordnung
Im Sein
Im nicht Sein
@mavirenes
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
And 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
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
And 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 will keep myself
I would find a way
@RAIDEN-mj4qc
Lyrics
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
And 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
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
And 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 will keep myself
I would find a way
@Abojum
[LYRICS]
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
And 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
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'm still right here
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And 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
@Wolfi-rh9iw
Where is the Lirycs? Now it,s Here
I hurt myself 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
And 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
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'm still right here
What have I become?
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And 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
@82dorrin
Reznor's version is a young man battling self-destructive tendencies.
Cash's version is an old man near the end of his life, looking back on past regrets.
@patraic5241
Reznor said in an interview after hearing Johnny Cash's cover it was weird. He realized the song wasn't his anymore.
@jayxlaboy1531
@@patraic5241 i just decided to learn playing this song today like right now.and yeah I saw that interview where Trent said it's not his song anymore. Thats comming a lot from someone like him his songs are too personal.
@cafce2567
Crazy how the exact same song can be two totally different songs at the same time!
@R0FLC4T5
@@patraic5241 originally he hated the cover. Saying it was like someone fucking his girlfriend. After seeing it blow up and actually listening to it he admitted it was like realizing "his girl" was better off with someone else.
@Peglegkickboxer
@@R0FLC4T5 not exactly true. He liked it when he watched the music video before it was all released and that's when he understood it and fell in love with the cover.
@CynicSnacks
Listening to this song will never not completely destroy me.
@CW-pu7xl
Same ...it put me in a bad place depressed me bad while I was going thru a divorce and lost some close family to death
@acsargent1278
Amen to that brother 😢
@acsargent1278
@@jonathanjack5991 we can’t relate yet my friend