Messaros 1

Regret and Pain

The song “Hurt” sung by Trent Reznor of the Nine Inch Nails, was released in

1994. Eight years later in 2002 singer Johnny Cash released a rendition of the same song,

with the same lyrics (minus one), with both singers debuting video’s for “Hurt” a year

after their releases. Trent Reznor sings this song referencing a dark life of addiction and

destruction, also portrayed in the grainy black and white video of his song, that he has

stated is very personal to him (Vinnicombe). Cash insinuates his life was also plagued

with drug abuse but rather than taking a dark approach to his video, invites you in for a

glimpse of some of his cherished memories with clips of past and present videos. These

videos by both Reznor and Cash are vastly different in content yet still display ideas and

images about destruction, drug abuse, bad decisions and regret.

In the first section of the song, I am already made aware of the reference to drug

use by the lyrics: “…The needle tears a hole, the old familiar sting. Try to kill it all

away, but I remember everything.” Reznor has spoken publicly about his use of alcohol,

cocaine, and other drugs while Cash has admitted use of alcohol, amphetamines, and

barbiturates. The videos for both artists do not show images related to drug use however,

but in Cash’s video it uses a clip of what appears to be Cash in a jail cell. Cash was

arrested multiple times, some of which were due to drugs and alcohol (Varnham).

Reznor’s video is dark and grainy from the beginning. It is difficult to visually

analyze and requires a lot of focus and attention to decipher the images that are being

shown. It appears to start off with a deceased animal, a wolf or dog. It proceeds to show

images of explosions, hurt/deceased soldiers, and the ruins of war. Reznor is focused on

alone by the camera, with no other band members present. He sings in front of an
 Messaros 2

unknown crowd of hands in the air. As he sings in what could almost be described as a

whisper, images of a snake and destruction from war flash on the screen. Around the 2-

minute mark in the song, his voice starts to grow and become more powerful. This video

represents a mood, a dark one. One that not every individual would be drawn to. It’s

video content and rhythm would draw the attention of the grunge-era individual. Reznor

is using Pathos to connect his darker vision with his audience. Those who have

experienced similar things such as drug abuse or any other relative destruction or regret

in their lives would relate to this song and video. Reznor also in my opinion uses Ethos

and Logos as well in his portrayal as the video shows images of war and the fallout from

war, indicating these examples of destruction and pain are real and not just for the sake of

entertainment.

Cash’s video is much clearer with its’ images. Parts of the video also seems to

imply death but in a more biblical sense. Cash sits at a table filled with food, perhaps

representing the Last Supper. Towards the end of the video, it again flashes to Christ

carrying and then being nailed to a cross. In the beginning of the second verse, Cash

initiates the one lyric change to Reznor’s song by substituting in “Crown of Thorns”

instead of singing “Crown of Sh*t”, again insinuating a more biblical feel to the song.

Cash, in his signature black attire flashes between playing his black acoustic guitar to

playing the piano. His signature sound is there: Steady like a train, sharp like a razor,

however he is noticeably aged, and the video feels more like a last performance. Images

that run throughout the entirety of the video also show examples of destruction: the flood

that wiped out The House of Cash Museum, along with disarray inside the museum itself.
 Messaros 3

Both videos depict destruction and death in their own unique ways. However, the

difference between Reznor’s video and Cash’s video is that is ALL Reznor’s video shows

or implies. Cash’s video goes on to show clips of his personal and professional life that

take up the entirety of the video. The following videos/clips are also shown throughout

Cash’s video: Cash with his children, performing live, a clip of him in the movie “A

Gunfight”, walking around his childhood home, his wife June, riding on a train, walking

on a beach, and multiple images of his memorabilia. I see these images as relating to the

line in the song: “…But I remember everything,” indicating that he is expressing regret

for the dark times of his life that perhaps overshadowed these other important events he is

showcasing. Cash is using Pathos to connect with his audience by showcasing that

besides a life of drug abuse and criminal activities, he is still a just a man. A man who

had a very successful career and a family and is perhaps filled with regret for what effect

his actions had on his career and family. Cash also uses Ethos when flashing an image of

being in a jail cell and images showing his multiple awards throughout the museum.

The lyrics in the last part of the song goes as follows: “If I could start again, a

million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way.” Both singers express

musically a longing to go back in time and change things, rectifying past mistakes. This

sentiment is relatable to all audiences by both singers. Reznor however does not give any

visual indications of what those things might be. His video is centered around the

darkness and shows none of the light that he would like to go back and save. It is Cash,

that almost appears to be delivering a legacy video, who gives a vast look at what his life

looked like in between and during the darkness.

Works Cited
 Messaros 4

Varnham, Eduard. https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/johnny-cash-was-arrested-7-times-

heres-why.html/. 23 January 2021. 10 February 2022.

Vinnicombe, Chris. https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/trent-reznor-talks-johnny-cash-

168199. 5 August 2008. 10 February 2022.

Youtube https://www.bing.com/videos/search?

q=johnny+cash+hurt+video&refig=7186d6b3ac294d2bbe15437d47620237&ru=

%2fsearch%3fq%3djohnny%2bcash%2bhurt%2bvideo%26form%3dANNTH1%26refig

%3d7186d6b3ac294d2bbe15437d47620237&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=76A65F

CECA97844CB32B76. 30 July 2018. 8 February 2022.

Youtube https://www.bing.com/videos/search?

q=nin+hurt+video&view=detail&mid=87936D909A0CC3F29DCA87936D909A0CC3F

29DCA&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dnin%2bhurt%2bvideo%26cvid

%3dbb1de0567feb4172869dfcf4c31f65de%26aqs

%3dedge..69i57j0l2j69i64.6996j0j1%26pglt%3d43%26FO. September 13 2009. 8

February 2022.