I was watching colombiana, and in the credits they played NIN’s song Hurt song by Johnny Cash. As I listined to the lyrics I imagined myself committing suicide to this song, it just fit so well. I’ve always imagined myself doing the deed while listing to something but nothing fit perfectly.
Hurt
By: Johnny Cash
Originally performed by Nine Inch Nails
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[Chorus:]
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
[Chorus:]
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
10 comments
Yeah I discovered it upon watching VH1s greatest songs of the 00’s and I fell in love with it because it was such a beautiful and wonderful cover….arguably the best cover of any song ever….this will be on my mp3 player on the day I exit the stage…. probably a bit cheesy but it fits perfectly and sounds perfect as well
I know right. Some songs click and most do not. I haven’t heard the NIN version yet despite the fact that I do like NIN. I like Johnny Cash’s version mostly due to the mood.
Heard the NIN version first and it’s still the one i prefer..
to each their own 🙂
“If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way”
This part just holds so much value to me…..because he is saying that he knows that he can’t start over but if he could he would do things differently…..story of my life…..I would have slowed down and let that other sperm cell win the race
@frost …I’ve heard the NIN version but i think they might as well have just signed the song over to johnny….the NIN version doesn’t have quite the same feel to it and its a bit slower and kind of bland to me ….. johnny just gives it this spark that only he can….and IMO his voice sounds better singing it ……..the NIN version isn’t bad I just don’t think it holds any comparison to this masterpeice
I couldn’t have said better myself!
I can relate to this song (you might guess by my screen name).
What I find remarkable is how they never actually say suicide. Personally, I saw it as more about cutting. Nine Inch Nails performs it in such a whisper, like he [the singer] is just so exhausted to be alive. Doesn’t try to market it with heavy rhythm or catchy lyrics, just expresses the emotions of apathy and depression very well.
Anybody notice there are, like, no songs FOR death anymore? They’re all “don’t kill yourself” now? I wonder if they get produced but don’t sell, or if they’re just that many people out there wanting to make a difference…
For example (I find these to be more recognizable):
“Lullaby” ~Nickelback
“Jumper” ~Third Eye Blind, Bedlight for Blue Eyes
“Hold on” ~Good Charlotte
“The Last Night” ~Skillet
“Let it end (September’s Children)” ~Rise Against
versus (less popular and hard-to-find):
“Kill myself” ~Tim McGraw
“Day I Die” ~Good Charlotte
“45” ~Shinedown
every other song from Bright Eyes, Armor For Sleep (both non-mainstream bands)
S***, I should have made that a post, not a comment.
Killswitch has a decent one called “this is goodbye”
And since i mentioned KSE, i should include that Howard was my preferred vocalist.
As for ‘Hurt,’ this is my favorite bit:
“You are someone else
I am still right here”