Hurt: Nine Inch Nails or Johnny Cash?

[WildRanger]

Which version of this song do you prefer?

[Zantera]

The original by NiN.

[Stadler]

The original.   I'm a HUGE Johnny Cash fan, but there was a little whiff of "hipster" in the American Recordings.  I rarely bother with that kind of stuff, but I was a little cheesed at the hipster reaction to Cash (his playing the Viper Room to whoops and hollers by people that I guaran-fucking-tee you have never heard "Live At Folsom Prison" (album), or "Five Feet High And Rising" (song)).   "Hurt" embodies that; I much prefer his version of Sting's "I Hung My Head" if you want legendary country singers playing modern pop star songs. 

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Really love the Johnny Cash version, but the original is something else.

[HOF]

I like both. Probably would be more likely to listen to the Cash version at this point but the NIN has a lot of nostalgia associated with it. One of those songs at a certain time growing up.

[ProfessorPeart]

Cash version. The video made the song even more powerful.

[Fritzinger]

I could never get into Nine Inch Nails. Also, I am not a huge Johnny Cash fan. BUT Johnny Cash turned that song into at beautiful, timeless piece of music. As he did with several other songs. If you guys haven't checked out Johnny's AMERICAN RECORDINGS, I recommend that you immediately do so. Those albums are just utterly beautiful.

[ProfessorPeart]

I could never get into Nine Inch Nails. Also, I am not a huge Johnny Cash fan. BUT Johnny Cash turned that song into at beautiful, timeless piece of music. As he did with several other songs. If you guys haven't checked out Johnny's AMERICAN RECORDINGS, I recommend that you immediately do so. Those albums are just utterly beautiful.

Agreed on the American Recordings albums. I have them all plus the Unearthed box. Add to that the Prison concerts and a multi-disc box set of his classic material from '55 to '83.

I hate country music, but I love The Man In Black.

[gmillerdrake]

The original by NiN.

[Sacul]

Very tough choice, as I love both versions dearly. Today I choose the original one.

[Stadler]

I could never get into Nine Inch Nails. Also, I am not a huge Johnny Cash fan. BUT Johnny Cash turned that song into at beautiful, timeless piece of music. As he did with several other songs. If you guys haven't checked out Johnny's AMERICAN RECORDINGS, I recommend that you immediately do so. Those albums are just utterly beautiful.

Agreed on the American Recordings albums. I have them all plus the Unearthed box. Add to that the Prison concerts and a multi-disc box set of his classic material from '55 to '83.

I hate country music, but I love The Man In Black.

Haha, that's exactly what I have.   All the American Recordings, the Unearthed box, both expanded concerts (Folsom and San Quentin) and The Essential Johnny Cash, a 3CD box.  Huh. 

[Kotowboy]

NIN version is far superior but that's not to say the JC version is not without merit. It's a different interpretation.


The cover versions I can't stand is when they take literally just the words - and everything else is completely different.

[Cool Chris]

I had not heard the song till I saw a quote from it in the opening of The Dark Tower bk 7. It was attributed to Trent Reznor without the song title, so I had to hunt down what it was from. Ended up listening to the song, thought it was alright, but could never get in to NiN. Found out later there was a Cash cover, thought it was cool as well, but not something I'd make a point to listen to again.

So for me it is a bit of a push. If I had to listen to one, I'd take Cash's version.

[NoFred]

Music is an end of album track not much to improve - wash
Performances are both A+ - wash
Tie goes to the originator- NIN

[ZirconBlue]

No Sad Kermit option?