Lyric Wednesdays - Johnny Cash

The song I picked for this week is the most personal, heart-wrenching song I've ever heard. I listened to the Nine Inch Nails version when I was younger and enjoyed it. 2 years ago a friend of mine wanted me to download the NIN version. I did a quick search and the Johnny Cash version popped up. Being a casual Cash fan, I hit play. I've never been the same. Then I saw the video. Again, I've never been the same. It is beautiful and depressing. When I listen to Cash's voice in this song, I can hear his age, his pain, his life, his fears...and his love.

So that brings me to the point where the song cemented it's place in my life. When I lived in Oregon, I had a bit of a nervous breakdown. Okay, so it WAS a nervous breakdown. I had a woe-is-me day. I spent the whole day in my room listening to this song...and crying. I must have listened to it 35 times. I thought I was over everything so I went out on the deck to smoke a cigarette with my roommate. I just lit up, didn't say anything, and starting crying again. I went back into my room and listened to it a few more times. After a half hour or so, I went back outside and lit up again. My roommate and I didn't talk about the "incident," but we understood...life sometimes sucks.

So what song is it? It is "Hurt" by Johnny Cash, off his acclaimed 2002 album "American IV: The Man Comes Around."

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

[Chorus:]
What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way