That said, Cash absolutely fuckin nailed that cover. I think it’s way more emotional than the original. I’m sure Trent was proud as fuck at what Cash did to his song.
I know it’s not a popular opinion but I don’t think Johnny cash understood Trents original meaning of the song and turned it into a self aggrandizing song. Especially the change from “I wear this crown of shit” to “I wear this crown of thorns”.
It just doesn’t hit like the NIN version which clearly came from a very personal place.
Exactly this. It also lacks the gravity of an entire concept album preceding it and two minutes of static death sounds at the end. It’s a sanitized cover of a song that shouldn’t be sanitized.
I think it’s similar, I think the thorns are the pain of regret that he wears for all that he has done. The crown of shit is similar in that it’s worthless, he’s a king of nothing.
He absolutely did and it’s an unpopular opinion because you’re positing that a song man who’d been in the business for 50 years couldn’t understand the meaning.
I’m old enough to have bought Downworld Spiral on release day, and I think Reznor wrote that song for Cash. It just took him and the the rest of us 20 years to realize it.
People say this a lot and I believe it’s based on this quote:
I pop the video in, and wow… Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps… Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore… It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone. [Somehow] that winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning — different, but every bit as pure.
Many people seem to interpret “that song isn’t mine anymore” to mean “that song is now Cash’s”. But here’s another quote:
Then I got a CD in the post. I listened to it and it was very strange. It was this other person inhabiting my most personal song. I’d known where I was when I wrote it. I know what I was thinking about. I know how I felt. Hearing it was like someone kissing your girlfriend. It felt invasive.
To me, that doesn’t sound like he’s saying it’s Cash’s song now or that Cash’s version is better. It’s more that Cash proved to him that even though this was a deeply personal song about his own life and struggles that he’s not the only one capable of doing it justice. He realized that other talented artists can take that song about him and transform it into a song about them. The song’s not his anymore because it could be anyone’s song.
I’ve witnessed a lot of talk about this song- I love me a good cover- and this is the first time I’ve read this quote. Thanks for that, it gives some great context.
you know you’re old when you’re salty about kids thinking the cover version is the original
That said, Cash absolutely fuckin nailed that cover. I think it’s way more emotional than the original. I’m sure Trent was proud as fuck at what Cash did to his song.
I know it’s not a popular opinion but I don’t think Johnny cash understood Trents original meaning of the song and turned it into a self aggrandizing song. Especially the change from “I wear this crown of shit” to “I wear this crown of thorns”.
It just doesn’t hit like the NIN version which clearly came from a very personal place.
Exactly this. It also lacks the gravity of an entire concept album preceding it and two minutes of static death sounds at the end. It’s a sanitized cover of a song that shouldn’t be sanitized.
I think it’s similar, I think the thorns are the pain of regret that he wears for all that he has done. The crown of shit is similar in that it’s worthless, he’s a king of nothing.
He absolutely did and it’s an unpopular opinion because you’re positing that a song man who’d been in the business for 50 years couldn’t understand the meaning.
He changed the line because of his faith, mostly.
If his faith was in conflict with the song, he should’ve left it tf alone.
Johnny Cash always nailed covers. He makes songs I thought were average sound great, and you believe every word he sings.
As a bonus, his version is way easier to play on guitar.
He’s out and said it’s Johnny’s song now.
I’m old enough to have bought Downworld Spiral on release day, and I think Reznor wrote that song for Cash. It just took him and the the rest of us 20 years to realize it.
it happens like that sometimes. see also jimi’s all along the watchtower.
there are tons of covers that i love better than the original (if i like the original at all). just one example is lacuna coil’s enjoy the silence
Don’t look up something like all along the watch tower…
Written by Dylan and performed by Hendrix.
Reznor is on record saying it’s cash’s song now so op is only mostly wrong :)
People say this a lot and I believe it’s based on this quote:
Many people seem to interpret “that song isn’t mine anymore” to mean “that song is now Cash’s”. But here’s another quote:
To me, that doesn’t sound like he’s saying it’s Cash’s song now or that Cash’s version is better. It’s more that Cash proved to him that even though this was a deeply personal song about his own life and struggles that he’s not the only one capable of doing it justice. He realized that other talented artists can take that song about him and transform it into a song about them. The song’s not his anymore because it could be anyone’s song.
Thank you for this context.
I’ve witnessed a lot of talk about this song- I love me a good cover- and this is the first time I’ve read this quote. Thanks for that, it gives some great context.
Ed: pretty sure this is the original source: https://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/11
That’s the important part.
Right? Like damn, I know that was a good cover but have we already forgotten it was a NiN song?
I love Fallen Kingdom. Who the fuck is Coldplay?