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Alexa Mader

Professor Hellmers

English 1201

20 February 2022

“Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash

“And You Can Have It All.” This quote shows up frequently in the song “Hurt” by

Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash and is very significant. This quote signifies that both

singers’ definition of “having it all” changes throughout their lives. Both versions of

“Hurt'' portray regrets, sadness and to live life to the fullest. “Hurt” by Johnny Cash was

produced in 2002 and takes place in his house, where he is sitting and playing the piano

while singing. He then shows pictures of him at a younger age and he shows trophies

that were earned. He also shows a cross and a crown of thorns which seems to

represent redemption or transformations. “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails was recorded in

1994 and takes place at one of their concerts where the band is performing in front of a

big crowd with a huge screen behind them. The screen shows videos of a war

happening with weapons and bombs falling from the earth which may portray war or

death. It also presents pictures of nature and different animals. “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails

and “Hurt” by Johnny Cash share a similar claim and tone. However, the versions have

different audiences and themes.

“Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and “Hurt” by Johnny Cash share a similar claim and

tone. Nine Inch Nails and Johnny Cash's version both seem to express desperation and

regret in life. Nine Inch Nails is heavy and goes through a life lost in drugs and then

regret for his addiction and all the pain he caused himself and his loved ones. Johnny
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Cash also shows flashbacks of the past and demonstrates a life of regrets and pain. He

wishes he could go back and live life all over again. They both express feelings of

nostalgia and regret, and they are both about sad dark topics. For example, in the

videos, the tone of the voices seem broken and weary. They sing the words, “I focus on

the pain. The only thing that is real.” The lyrics express pain and sorrow, two emotions

most everyone can relate to and learn from. Both versions of the songs use pathos and

ethos. The video incorporates pathos, an emotional appeal, that relates to people's pain

and sorrow as well as ethos because they describe what they went through and the life

lessons they have learned from it.

“Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and “Hurt” by Johnny Cash have different audiences

and themes. The audience of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails are people who have deep

regrets or who can relate to the song. It is also geared towards people who listen to rock

and for a younger generation. The audience of “Hurt” by Johnny Cash are for an older

generation, people who have experienced some of the same things in life or people who

may have deep regrets. It could also be for people who could learn from his mistakes.

Johnny Cash sings old country also, so it could be geared towards some of his fans and

fans of country music. Both songs have different themes. Nine Inch Nails focuses on the

negative impact of unwise choices versus Johnny Cash dwells on regret and spiritual

renewal. Furthermore, Nine Inch Nails' version of “Hurt'' sings to people mostly about

self-hate, self-harm, and drug addiction and focuses on the universal feeling of sorrow

and hurt. However, Cash’s version of “Hurt” has a message of hope and redemption. At

the end of his life, Cash inspires people to live life to the fullest and to make it beautiful,

so they don’t have regrets. In his video, he shows all of his trophies and sings of “his
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empire of dirt,” and then indicates how worthless they all are at the end of life. He infers

a sense of spiritual renewal. Even though the songs are the same, they actually appeal

to different audiences and send a very different message to the listeners.

Most everyone can relate to loneliness and regret or to the feeling of being hurt

or unforgiven. Both versions of the song “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails and by Johnny Cash

are similar and different in many ways. They both share a similar claim and tone, but the

versions have different audiences and themes. The videos are different in the way they

get their messages across, they both leave their audience with a feeling of hope and a

strong life lesson. Both versions of the song ask the question, “What have I become?”

This question makes the listener stop and think deeper about his /her own life choices.
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Works Cited

Cash, Johnny. Hurt (Official Music Video). YouTube, 13 Sept. 2019,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI

Accessed 12 Feb. 2022.

Nine Inch Nails. Hurt (VEVO Presents). YouTube, 12 Sept. 2009,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR4DjYczINM Accessed 12 Feb. 2020