Original v. Cover: Hurt

[Mr. TM]

My second edition of this thread will bring an emotional song to the forefront. The song hurt, which was originally performed by the band Nine Inch Nails was always a favourite song of mine when I was younger out of modern music. But about 5 years ago or so, a man came to town. And he made the song so much more. I feel Johnny Cash's version of the song is incredible and surpassed the original, and I bet Trent Reznor agrees with me as well. It just has so much more meaning coming from Cash, who was going through his last days on this earth.

Nine Inch Nails
[youtube]iFx2TmQfM-o[/youtube]

Johnny Cash
[youtube]o22eIJDtKho[/youtube]

 

[FromTheSouth]

I will usually side with the original. In this case, I will not.

Johnny Cash's life is one of turbulent ups and downs, and uppers and downers. He was at the end of his life, in pain, and his memories could only remind him what he was living. This was the epitome of blues.

I live the NIN version, I do. But I think that the Cash version is far superior.

 

[X]

I completely disagree FTS. While Cash did have a tumultuous life, and his vocals in the song gave it a certain ragged charm, I've always felt Reznor's voice suited the song much more. The song is an extremely depressing one, and the lyrics are only the kind of twisted observations that Reznor would write. It just fits Reznor's style more. Not to mention musically the NIN version stays true to that unbelievably bleak point of view that Reznor writes the song from.

Don't get me wrong, I love Cash's version. It has that quiet, sad feeling to it that only a man who's seen and been through alot and is realizing that he's reaching the end of his days could give. I just prefer NIN's version, probably always will.

 

[Nitafrong]

I was willing to bet this song would come up at some point

On one side you have the propagator of the song itself, its father. Classic Nine Inch Nails, stripped down sound, with the additional buzz like the very miasma of death hanging around it, before the final crescendo of distorted guitar at the end. There is something slightly disturbing and off putting about this song, and yet Trent draws you in, to feel his pain and despair.

Johnny Cash's version is a very different beast. His voice is old and tired and yet familiar like a worn out shoe. His is a very different pain from that of Reznors, that of a once mighty beast run nearly into the field. The big difference between the two comes in the final chorus, when the piano starts an all mighty build. The song here takes on epic proportions as we get one last glimpse at the full majesty and power of the song. Its not a youthful arrogant power like Metallica for instance in full flow in Fade to Black. Instead we are aware that this is the beast's last gasp, his very last look at the world. This part of the song never fails to send chills along my arms and neck.

As you can probably guess I have to give this one to Mr Cash. Nine Inch Nails is the more interesting song, and the one which I saw live a couple of months ago and was blown away with (NiN are such a good live band ) but it doesn't quite have the same biblical power which Johnny Cash's version seems to be distilled from. I think I will always "mark out" as they say here ( ) for tragic hero's, that pure un-distilled masculinity that seems at sometimes frightening and yet so appealing . (Always did love Jean Valjean and Lady Macbeth)

 

[ShockTheMonkey223]

Have to go with the original. I'm not even a NIN fan but that song is amazing. Cash's cover is great but not as interesting as the origianal. And I actually think Gregorian's cover is more powerfull.

[youtube]MzVdCaW4YqA[/youtube]

 

[SK]

This is Cash everytime for me. Johnny Cash is a legend and one of my favourite artists ever and this song conveyed all of his emotions and regrets when he was coming to the end of his life. Don't get me wrong, Reznor pulled it off very well, and the lyrics are superb, but Cash's cover just meant so much more to me.

Cash made the song so powerful and you just believed that everything he was saying he truly meant, as though he did have regrets, he has hurt people and that people have left him. Possibly one of my favourtie Cash tracks of all time purely for the emotion in his voice.

 

[The Doctor]

I'm siding with Johnny Cash on this one. Especially when you watch it with the video. I absolutely adore the original, but Cash's voice, his sadness, and the emotion he put into it makes it such a deep and emotional song. The first time I heard it I got tears in my eyes. Never have I heard such a song. It seemed tailor-made for him.

 

[Monkey_Mania]

It's gotta be Johnny Cash for me. No one can sing this song with so much conviction, and have you actually feel it the way Cash does. The gravel in his old voice is just heartbreaking. When he sings the line, "What have I become" It gets me everytime. Nine Inch Nails did a good job with the song, and kudos to them for it. Johnny Cash perfected this song, and it's not even close.

 

[NSL]

OK, X, it's time someone shit in my cereal bowl. I am not a fan of NIN, at all. Outside of 2, maybe 3 songs, I can't stand to listen to them. While their version won't make me change the radio station, I certainly won't go out looking for it.

Johnny Cash, however, does a great job with this song, and sings it like it's his own, which is a big deal when doing a cover. His voice just feeds you everything you need to know about the feeling of the song, and there's no argument that his music isn't better than NIN's.

 

[Kashagi]

Im glad most people feel the same way that I do, over where I live, the opinions are the other way around.

I like the NIN version, even though im not a fan of the band.

Perhaps its because I heard the Cash version first, or much more likely its because I am a huge fan of Johnny Cash, but I just have to go with Johnny. This is actually one of my favourite songs he ever recorded, and he didnt even write it.

While I like the original, for me Johnny Cash turned it into a masterpiece.

 

[TheLoyn]

I've gotta go with The Man In Black on this one, Cash's cover of Hurt is, in my opinion, the best cover ever recorded. It is just haunting and beautiful and depressing and spine tingling all in one.
I'm sure I heard somewhere that even Trent Reznor said that Johnny did it better after he'd heard the cover as well.