Published
American IV: The Man Comes Around
American IV was the final album Johnny Cash released during his lifetime, though the Unearthed box set was compiled prior to his death, with Cash choosing the tracks and writing liner notes.
Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor admitted that he was initially “flattered” but worried that “the idea of Cash covering ‘Hurt’ sounded a bit gimmicky,” but when he heard the song and saw the video for the first time, Reznor said he was deeply moved and found Cash’s cover beautiful and meaningful, going as far as to say “that song isn’t mine anymore.”
Graeme Thomson, in The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings, has discussed concern about Cash’s health during the recording. Cash was suffering from multiple health problems and had lost most of his vision, with recording sessions interrupted by hospital stays. Thomson quotes singer Will Oldham: “We should turn and switch off the tape when our listening energy would be better spent helping a living songwriter/performer.”