American IV: The Man Comes Around

Unexpectedly (to me) epic? And awesome! Makes the cover songs feel personal to him, somehow.

Cash is king

se nota la tristeza y la perdida. no me guarde temas pero creo que me transmitio eso. 2,5

Hurt prevents lower than a 4

There is some really good stuff on this album!! Johnny Cash's voice pulls you into the mood of his slower songs. Hurt will always be one of my favorites. That song and others definitely pull at your heart strings

It was OK. 'Hurt' was poignant. I thought the album was too long to sustain the impact of this being Johnny Cash's final studio album. Seemed they wanted to cram as much as possible in.

This 4 is obvi not for creatively thinking up new songs, but applauding how -- intentional or more likely just natural for him at this point in his life -- they are so uniquely performed. I think "Hurt" was the result of a perfect convergence of circumstances to make something that will probably forever feel super poignant.

It's fascinating to listen to a once-strong performer near the end of his life. We had At Folsom Prison a few weeks ago and the contrast to this album is stunning. The essence of Johnny Cash is still there, but his voice and energy are naturally diminished. The songs and performances are built around that and end up very strong.

Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002) What a voice. Best tracks The Man Comes Around Hurt Personal Jesus 3.7/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cash money baby!

Pretty brilliant even if they are all covers

Hard to give an album of mostly covers 5 stars. I think that was one of my rules? However when Trent Raznor of Nine Inch Nails thinks that "Hurt" is no longer entirely his song now? Definitely enjoyed this. First two tracks especially. The introspective and definitely maudlin nature does drag a little. Lots of songs about death and regret. Followed the string down the rabbit hole and took a break to listed to "Sammy Small" by Dos Gringos. Another different version of "Sam Hall" that was a blast, and complete contrast to Johnny Cash. 4.5 stars. Will have to wait until tomorrow when I can rate it to see where I land 4 or 5....

great album

Incredibly somber, but also reflective. I loved the covers, his voice is raspy but still hypnotising.

Johnny Cash covered Desperado arguably the best Eagles song?

אלבום מצוין כמובן, אין מה לומר

Not my vibe. Slow & uninteresting (sorry)… Johnny Cash narrates his own and other fictional characters’ stories with a solemn and regretful tone. All but 2 songs just sound like the ramble of an old man, with very monotone vocals and low energy instrumentals. I didn’t connect with the album at all.

Loved it!

Enjoyment: 7/10 Replayability: 7/10 Cohesion: 7/10 Flow/Pacing: 6/10 Artistic Merit: 6/10 Overall: 7/10 Review: Liked Song(s): The Man Comes Around, Hurt, Give My Love To Rose, I Hung My Head, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Personal Jesus, Desperado, Streets Of Laredo Disliked Song(s): Recommend?: Yes Heard Before?:Yes

Due to the hype around this album, I expected better. Two very good songs followed by a lot of mid. Pleasant background music I guess? Rating: 6/10

Ett album i absolut världsklass. Det är bara bra och inget annat.

Landet memories

music is love

This album is dark and fun and iconic.

Those opening 3 tracks, just wow! The pure emotion in the voice and the lyrics so powerful that the fact they are put together with minimal instruments and carry such venom is such testament to this great man. I then have to admit I went to google when tracks I know but from other artists started and I was amazed with what I found… this was his 67th and last studio album to be released during his lifetime! Wow he was clearly a machine! The album lost a little traction with ‘bridge over troubled water’ ‘first time ever I saw your face’ and ‘personal Jesus’ for me (although ‘I hung my head’ was great between these tracks. The album got back on track when we got to ‘in my life’ and carried on through until the last track of ‘we’ll meet again’ this for me was the weakest track and even the fact I’ve learnt it was his last album can’t change my mind that this version does nothing for me. The best track for me was ‘hurt’ and is one of the best tracks of the almost 200 albums I have listened to so far on this journey. Score wise I know there’s the lull and the last track that don’t work and for that I should give it a not quite perfect 9/9.5/10 However the rest of the album makes up for those downs and therefore Jonny becomes a the first act to get a second 10/10 for me on this journey!

Johnny Cash - American Recordings IV Society is all the poorer for going Cash-less. The final collection so hard to criticise. But, with some astute quality control, this could have been a perfect full stop and fitting final legacy. The first half dozen tracks are as good as anything he's ever recorded. The mix of his own songs and some meaningful covers, sung with equal measures of commanding assurances, fear and vulnerability land directly into your heart. But there are also some duffers in there too. Personal Jesus clunks rather than swagger, the cover of Danny Boy feels like a pandering and Nick Cave adds nothing other than his own sense of importance to I'm So Lonesome. I try to forgive and understand the sing-a-long closer of We'll Meet Again but it is a stretch. If I could whittle this down to a personal 10 then this would be a 10. As it is though, I'm going a strong 8. Best Track - First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. One of the greatest songs ever written and you can tell that Johnny resonated every ounce of feeling in Ewan MacColls lyrics to express his everlasting love for June. Worst Track - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. Nick Cave shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a song as timeless as sing. 8/10

People love the Hurt cover but let’s give it up for Personal Jesus

This really resonated with me today. Hurt is an incredible cover of an already perfect song, but I had no idea most of the rest of this album was covers and really good ones at that. Its a close intimate album of a money at the end of his life covering some of the greatest an leaving his last stamp on music while he had the chance. I really liked The Man Comes Around and I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. Beautifully somber album and honestly a perfect way to wrap up a legendary discography.

Damn, I for sure didn't fully appreciate this when it came out, and grateful for the relisten opportunity, hurt was just like a constant play at the time. The rest of these songs are almost better, whole thing so beautiful. I guess this tracks as I was like 14 when this came out

Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: This album feels like a man looking mortality straight in the face. Cash’s aging, weathered voice transforms familiar songs into deeply personal reflections on regret, faith, love, and death. The stripped-down production makes every word feel heavier. It’s haunting, intimate, and genuinely moving. One of those rare albums where vulnerability becomes its greatest strength. Favorite Track: Hurt Originally a Nine Inch Nails song, but Cash makes it feel like his own farewell. Absolutely devastating.

oh my god this was beautiful. i thought i would hate it, but i have now found i LOVE johnny cash. my fav song was in my life, such a beautiful tribute

Cash brings something to some of the covers and in some cases the sparse sound improves their impact. (I listened to the original "Hurt", so weak in comparison.) But some choices—Danny Boy??—are surely mistakes.

Well, having American IV as my first album has been quite a shock. Since I have barely ever listened to country music, maybe my opinion is not the most expert one. However, I will try my best. First of all, when I first came across the album, I have to admit that it didn't really excite me. I went three days without listening to it because I wasn't thrilled. However, while I was studying, I decided to give it a chance, as I wasn't going to quit right at the beginning of this road. Before diving into the album, I read about Johnny Cash and his relevance. This research helped me understand the record, as it feels more like a goodbye letter than a conventional musical album, if you know what I mean. However, if we set all of that aside, the album and its tracks do get more and more repetitive. The story behind it is beautiful, I'm not gonna lie, but the music itself can feel a bit monotonous, as most of the tracks are only Johnny and his guitar. Not everything was bad; in fact, I enjoyed part of it. The first track, "The Man Comes Around", really clicked with me, as did "Hurt", "In My Life", "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and "We'll Meet Again". However, as I got into the second half of the album, I noticed that the sound became rawer and turned into a more traditional country style. I suppose that was just part of Johnny's nature. Overall, it's good, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Aside from Hurt and Personal Jesus (thanks a lot you dumb "he gets us" Jesus commercials) I hadn't really heard any of these other songs. Mostly covers, some of them are transformative enough to make them unique and special in their own way. Others it sounds like grandpa got loose in the church to sing some songs. I mostly enjoyed the whole experience. Hurt is incredible, obviously. Knowing that he died not much longer after this album was put together and that he was severely struggling with his health during the recording makes some songs hit especially hard. We'll Get Together made me get teary eyed. The man had a storied career and this is a very nice cap to top it all off with.

I really enjoyed this album. I haven't listened to a ton of Johnny Cash before, and this was a great intro to him. Bridge Over Troubled Water is exceptional and everyone loves Hurt.

Alright. Fav song: Personal Jesus. I really, really like this cover.

An easy 5. This is so beautifully performed, poignant and shows how to own a cover.

Ok not my style though and a bit slow not my kind of voice either

Que maravillosa combinación esa voz profundisima con estas canciones. Rick Rubin no falla en hacer maravillas. Un poco largo pa mí gusto.

Pretty good def not his best

Loved this, but it doesn't have the energy and power of some of his earlier stuff eg Folsom prison blues live album

Don‘t care about it.

the idea is cool. the song selection is cool. the performances are great. it isn't something i have really ever found myself returning to.

A very poignant songbook from a very enigmatic character. Hugely enjoyable and moving. Heard it before? ❌ Listen again? ✅ Rating out of ten? 8

Heartbreaking cover of hurt, it's one way to start your Monday morning. Love Johnny cash and this final album is such an amazing way to round off a brilliant career

It started off great, but country is not my style, and therefore after a while it got a little tedious for me, and I can't score it any higher.

This album almost sound autobiographical, life story sang through covers. Stripping back to Cash’s style elevates the songs to the bare bones of emotional content. Poignant and beautiful.

I love the Johnny Cash Rick Rubin American recordings. Johnny sounds very vulnerable and powerful at the same time. He made Hurt by Nine Inch Nails and Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode his own songs. It would be impossible to listen to the originals without thinking about Johnny Cash’s version.

The Man Comes Around Hurt Personal Jesus

The average for the whole album is probably more like a 3, but the first few songs and the last one really gave me goosebumps. A legendary last rodeo.

Class album. Pleasure to listen to in its entirety again. 5*

Tremendously melancholy but beautiful

Very somber country album despite not being my taste

The entire first half is 5 stars EASY (minus Bridge Over Troubled Water which I shockingly did not care for as a Cash cover). Then the back half is just merely GOOD, ya know? So I’m conflicted. 4.5 Stars rounded down. I don’t give a singular flying you-know-what that it’s 90% covers.

Nice

The 1st track is a 3/5, it's a biblical song about the 4 horse man. The 2nd track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 3rd track is a 3/5, not a bad song, the pov finds a dying man who got out of prisoner, and won't be able to make it home and wants the pov to give all of his money to his wife (Rose) and his kid. The 4th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 5th track is a 4/5, I liked it well enough to save it to my main playlist. The 6th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 7th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 8th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 9th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 10th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 11th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 12th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 13th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. The 14th track is a 4/5, I changed my mind after finishing the song, I'm going to add it to my main playlist. The 15th track is a 3/5, not a bad song, but not something I would go out of my way to listen to. I would give this album a 3/5, it's a good album, and I ended up saving 2 songs to my main playlist.

One of the best albums I've ever heard

Se me hace raro que haya un disco de versiones en esta selección. Por otro lado algunas están muy bien y el disco resulta de fácil escucha.

Have no real experience with him or knowledge of his discography but to no surprise what an excellent voice and a soft/lovely album. Would love to explore more!!

Mmmmm

Solid album. Especially given where he was in his life and the fact that it turned out to be his last. The song choices are great. Hurt is a 5* song. Overall album a 4.

I loved the spareness of this album. The songs he chose were paired welll with the wear on his voice.

Rating: 6.5/10 First listen: Yes, ali neke pesme sam vec slusao, samo ne ceo album Would listen again: Yes Fav track: Personal Jesus Comment: Mnoogo vise gotivim Johnny Cash-a iz kauboj faze nego faze kada je emotivna sisica, ali overall pristojan album. Svidja mi se sto ima i nekoliko covera.

genialidad

Rick Rubin kinda sucks as a person but he got the best out of Johnny at the end of his days. The country standards are decent, but Rick's choices for modern rock covers are the stars here. Everyone talks about Hurt, but Personal Jesus and Bridge Over Troubed Water w Fiona Apple are my favorites

took a long break from album listening. This is a really easy listening album. He does just draw you in.

i love

This is my comfort food. I’ve listened to some of these songs hundreds of times, and I’ll probably listen hundreds more before I die.

Nostalgic album

8/10

- Probably the first album I have listened to that was an automatic 5 from moment one. - Simultaneously emotionally rewarding and devastating. And engaging every second. My only qualm is the inclusion of Nick Cave (who I do not care for) on one track, but funnily enough it just results in Cash being that much more mesmerizing in comparison.

Best Album I’ve gotten so far. This is a man who has lived a long life full of both love and regret contemplating the life he lived, and where he is going when he dies.

Vaca catch up

Generally a really enjoyable album of covers, some of which like "Hurt" and "Hung my Head" have supplanted the original in the cultural lexicon. Still, I have trouble giving too high a score to an album with no original songs, and about half on here are still pretty forgettable.

relaxing

It's just a good album

Loved this whole series of albums by Johnny Cash. This was probably my favorite of the bunch. Every song he sang, he took ownership of. Sure, the songs all kind of sound the same, but what a sound it is!

The man in black rocks

Sounds like the voice of God.

(7/7) phenomenal

Aww man, I was excited to see Johnny Cash, but I do not want to listen to a dying old man album right now. I’m so glad that every iconic male singer does a sad old man final album, as a document of the end of a great life. I just don’t usually want to listen to them.

Tätä on tullut aiemmin kuunneltua ja tykkään oikeastaan kaikista American-levyistä. Johnny ääni on aivan mahtavaa kuunneltavaa.

Some of the best covers I've ever heard. Cash brings new meaning to them. Great stuff.

Hurt alone is worth 5 stars

There's been enough time between this album and now to say: it is kind of dated. The production feels pretty 2000s on Hurt (a good but still overrated song). The Bridge Over Troubled Water cover is mediocre. Actually, it's mostly mediocre, with some great highs, but it kinda holds its cadence. As a collection of covers, it's a really great selection with a nice detente between variety and focus. Who would put Ewan MacColl next to Depeche Mode (even if the latter don't work)? Incredibly fucked that the CD version cuts Wichita Lineman and Big Iron but keeps Danny Boy (atrocious).

I may be biased, but I would go as far as to call this quintissentially American. An album so full of feel and soul.

Album très sympa, guitare voix qui passe très bien mais assez répétitif quand même. Un bon album à mettre en fond en automne dans une grande maison de designer.

Such a mood. You can feel the raw emotion of a man close to death. Starts strong but had a few weaker songs near the end.

Icon. Cash’s voice is instantly recognizable. Real. The man has greatest hits albums older than the Beatles. I sure hope the generator gives me as many Johnny Cash records as it does Leonard Cohen

I knew this was the album with Hurt and I was excited for that. I didn't realize it had a bunch of other amazing covers. Other than Hurt, which obviously is one of the best covers of all time, I also really liked Personal Jesus and Danny Boy. We'll Meet Again was also a worthy, touching finale. I felt emotios.

The gruff voice and late-stage gravitas of an American icon

3.5

A five-star covers record that actually earns the reverence. Rare air. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - The Man Comes Around - Hurt - I Hung My Head - Personal Jesus - In My Life

Décent, lots of covers

Definitely aware of this album, knew hurt and a few other tracks, but haven't heard it before. The common thread is clear between this and the other albums from heavyweights close to the end of their life (you want it darker and blackstar). This one has a lot of covers but the choice of songs and Cash's voice still gives it gravitas. It's a tough listen, the emotion is a bit real and heavy to enjoy it easily. But it's definitely really good.

The best of the American albums and a tremendous achievement toward the end of his life. The Man Comes Around is intense and impressive, and his covers of Hurt, Personal Jesus, and I Hung My Head are stunning. His version of the classic The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is maybe my favourite, too. Big fan of the Man in Black - sometimes serious, sometimes playful, always good value. The Highwaymen, wow. I love the production, so sparse and unforgiving.

This was pretty great, reminiscent of the Cohen album (you want it darker) in terms of knowing they are approaching the end. Gives it a certain gravitas. Hurt is obviously brilliant, arguably one of the greatest covers? When the man comes around and give my love to rose I thought were really good too. Wish there were more original tracks. I do like most of the covers but not all of them. I don't think personal Jesus or in my life are very good but maybe it's not because I don't like the originals... I've moaned about covers on albums before so I am going to go on the 4 side of 4.5. this is very good though

How many times have you heard someone say ”fucking hell, they really raped Cash’s song” when Nine Inch Nails’ Hurt is playing? Two (2) times for me — so far.

I mean it's mostly just a bunch of covers

If it wasn’t Johnny Cash y’all would think this was garbage