American IV: The Man Comes Around

One of the most unforgettable, chilling voices in history. An album that is stripped and beautiful, relying on the emotional strength that Johnny Cash's voice is capable of. This album is almost hard to listen to because it feels so imbued with grief and knowledge - you can almost tell that Johnny knows that he is going to die, and this album is a reckoning with the different aspects of a life long lived. While this is a cover album, it feels transformational (like a great cover album should). Songs like "In My Life" sound completely different. It doesn't sound like a bad pastiche of the original artists, but rather the uniquely simple and strong instrumentation and vocals of a country legend. 5/5.

Not me crying in the break room at lunch because Johnny is giving me an existential crisis over the impermanence of life.

The greatest version of Desperado, period (featuring non other than Don Henley on background vocals). A cover of a Nine Inch Nails song that somehow becomes one of The Man In Black's greatest songs (its no longer a Trent Reznor song, it's forever a Johnny Cash song). Cash and producer Rick Rubin come close to doing the same to a Depeche Mode classic. Fiona Apple sings with Cash on Bridge Over Troubled Water. Billy Freaking Preston shows up to tickle the ivories on a couple of tracks. Some of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers contribute, along with a Chili Pepper, Nick Cave, and the great Marty Stuart. But it's still Johnny Cash who makes it all work, his voice huskier than ever, sometimes sounding like he's singing at his own funeral, ready to shuffle off his mortal coil at the end. The ultimate victory lap to cement his legend, the last album released while Johnny Cash was alive. It's the perfect swan song.

I mean... dang. Old Cash beats the pants off of Young Cash any day. These songs, covers and all, are so hauntingly beautiful. You feel the weight of life lived, mistakes made, and perspective gained in Cash's performances. It's a damn near perfect album.

This album could have been half the length and come across stronger. Some brilliant interpretations, some “this is Johnny Cash covering something”.

I think this is one of those rare moments. I must be honest, sacrilegious as I know this is, but much as I admire and respect Johnny Cash for so many reasons, I never really cared to listen to him. It didn't bother me; I just wasn't interested. Well, with this album, forget all that. I feel like this is one of those 'a-ha!' moments when something inside me switched on and now, silly as this might sound, I "get it". I know. Could I be any later to the party? Nothing I can do about that, my friends. Here I am. Brilliant.

Cash rules everything around me

Oh I'm just not arsed, Johnny. Just well known songs that aren't really improved. I know it was just before he kicked the bucket and Hurt was all very poignant and that, but...yeah whatever. Sue me.

It's an interesting album. The sparse acoustic guitar accompaniment goes well with Johnny Cash's voice to make for a haunting, somber tone. My issue with the album is the song selection. Some (Hurt, Personal Jesus, In My Life) work great, but others (Bridge Over Troubled Water, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Desperado) just don't work for me. They sound awkward and forced. 3 stars.

First track was better than expected, but nothing else was. And I didn't expect much. Really not a fan of traditional Johnny Cash, and his take on the more modern songs didn't do much for me either - I much prefer the original versions in every case. Bridge Over Troubled Water was particularly painful, especially when the backing vocals come in. Danny Boy has been murdered by many before, and it's good to hear Johnny Cash keep up that tradition. I listened, so at least I can say I gave it a chance, and I definitely preferred this to most of his other music. Still hated it.

Wow. So hauntingly beautiful. For an album of covers, this feels incredibly intimate - to the point that it sometimes feels too personal to listen to. The way Johnny Cash delivers these songs and makes them his own is something else. His voice is calm but deeply emotional, and it demands your attention. He's contemplative and retrospective too, as if he's looking back at every facet of his life while saying goodbye through his music. Being my first full-length Cash album, this makes me thankful for this project. What a pleasure listening to this record. I'm only saddened by the fact that I might not be able to play it front to back as much as I want to, because it starts feeling very heavy and emotional at some point. But that's only a testament to how good it is. Standout tracks would have to be Hurt, In My Life, Desperado, & We'll Meet Again, but the whole album is breathtaking.

Amazing. How he takes songs from different eras and dramatically different artists and turns them into his own classic Cash style. His vocal performance and emotional delivery create something magical and knowing it was his last work brings it all to a new realm. I truly responded emotionally and for me that is what true art and performance does.

Original NIN version of hurt is way better, bugs me that everyone thinks its a Johnny Cash song First impressions of this album is that it's an album middle aged conservative men love because he sings about good ol american values n shit. Not that I always dislike that but this all sounds too jesus-y for me. Damn he covered personal jesus too, this version sucks more that hurt. Jesus, In My life too, this is the worst cover yet. I hate this man's voice, I get he's trying to sound sad but he just sounds bored. Ok I'm gonna skip the last 3 songs, I've heard enough All of his songs sound the same to me, I'm not a fan

I was waiting for this album. Dang Johnny, thanks for this last one. Simple, beautiful arrangements. His originals, reworked or not (The Man Comes Around, Give My Love to Rose, Tear Stained Letter) have just as good lyrics and draw you in just as well as any of his other previous songs or versions. His version of Hurt just epitomizes this whole album - stripped down, vulnerable, sad (mostly). I Hung My Head and Personal Jesus are other great examples of how his reworked versions really put a new spin on the original. You have to be in a certain mood for it, but as a concept this album is brilliant, as is his execution.

I love how even though this album is mostly made of covers, Cash makes them sound like they were always his songs to begin with Favorites: The Man Comes Around, Hurt, Personal Jesus, Streets of Laredo

I watched Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story this week and would have loved for Johnny Cash to have covered Beautiful Ride or Let’s Duet on American V

this made me cry. a lot.

good but always the same thing

Poignant and beautiful. Hurt and Personal Jesus are magnificent examples of what good covers should be. And I love hearing Cash re-do songs with his impossibly gravelly old man voice that he first recorded in the 50s and 60s. Give My Love to Rose is even sadder now! You know how artists will get together and do tribute albums to a musician after they die? I feel like Johnny Cash decided to record one of those for himself, and he killed it.

initial thoughts: why have I never sat down and fully listened to this album, I basically favorited every song on it fav off album: hurt

kinda boring - prefer johnny singing country

Boring, uninteresting covers of songs.

One thing about the march of time is that around the 2000s you start getting these last testaments by great acts. You Want it Darker and Blackstar come to mind. But this album is probably the first I think of. A last dance with a legacy act. And country is a fantastic genre for it. Getting old? All the weariness comes forward. Better than that is this album is inventive, covering all sorts of songs including famously NIN, a thing that on paper sounds INSANE but in practice is one of the most devastating performances ever. What an album. 1000% belongs on here even if you dislike it. This is an important fucking album, it says things about life itself dammit hahah

When I first heard Hurt I was in high school and didn't know why we were listening to an old man trying to be cool. Listening now - there is just so much emotion - sadness, longing, love If you can listen to this without feeling something you are a sociopath haha

fav track: i hung my head

Johnny Cash is one of those guys that somehow gets a pass for most people. The "I don't like country but Johnny Cash is good" crowd. I mean, this isn't even really country. The album that sent a bunch of boomers to Potbelly's to play covers. There's better country, there's better albums, there's just not a whole lot here. It also seems like a big cash grab

Ugh. This was not much an album. It was not memorable and not really singing the lyrics but more of speaking the lyrics. The covers were weird and not good at all. Did this album get added simply because it is Johnny Cash? Yes. Is it dog shit? Yes.

Loved it. Spending time to listen to each song is rewarding

A great album by one of the greatest songwriters of his era. A very moving, extremely well done mix of originals and covers that feel like they could be his own. Highly recommended much like the other albums in the American Recording series.

Cash's late imperial phase is dominated by covers, yes, but so was most of his career. Anyway this album is fantastic, not a bad song here.

Great great album

This is good, but now I'm imagining a Johnny Cash covers album of songs that really wouldn't work as Johnny Cash covers. "Through the Fire and the Flames" by Dragonforce, "Sicko Mode" by Travis Scott, "Woodpecker No. 1" by Merzbow. I would pay money to hear some bullshit like that. Alas, rest in peace.

This was interesting. Listening to Johnny Cash sing Personal Jesus is worth a star on its own. I'd listen again but can't say that I loved it.

Some classic Cash sounds and some that felt like they dragged him into the studio and put the lyrics in front of him. "We'll Meet Again" probably my favorite... although "Hurt" is always good.

Man. I don't know what to say. This is heartbreaking to listen to - a fitting swan song for a brilliant career in country-folk music. Johnny Cash's voice is expressive, emotive... just great. The instruments backing his singing make tasteful use of piano, strings, and even guest vocalists (including Fiona Apple in the third track!). If I had to suggest one thing to change, it would be to include more original compositions (fewer covers) and more musical variations between the songs. But really, given the context of the album, I doubt this performance could have been surpassed. 4/5 Key tracks: Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water, In My Life, The Man Comes Around

Excellent, but the 3 duets would be better if Johnny handled them alone.

Pretty cool to hear him sing these songs. He seems to really perk up when a song involves shooting someone

Some stand out covers amongst some dreary songs. Hurt and Personal Jesus are my favourites

Great concept and cool album. Very neat that it’s his last one. Also, it is just cover songs…

What a treasure of an album. I'd heard "Hurt" before, but most of these I hadn't. And I didn't realize there was a whole series of this. Much respect for you, Johnny ❤️

Badass cover album. Even Trent Reznor said Hurt isn't a NIN song anymore, it's Cash's. Also cool that John Frusciante was on Personal Jesus such a jam. As is In My Life. All in all the lows balanced out the highs I mentioned. His voice was insanely good on this though. High 3.

This is the first Johnny Cash album that's come up on the list for me. I wasn't expecting much, and it managed to slightly exceed those expectations. I appreciate the guy was 70+ when he recorded this, but his vocals weren't very good. Musically it was very sparse, which I'm was an intentional less-is-more approach. I listened all the way through and there were a couple of decent tracks. It's 3 stars from me.

This album has the ability to make me cry everytime I listen to it. Rick Rubin and Johnny Cash made one of the best albums of all time.

Reminds me a lot of the book "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck. Loved listening to this while writing.

The gold standard for late career (and late life) albums. The American recordings were truly special, and Johnny Cash absolutely cemented his legacy with this one.

I adoooore his deep baritone voice and the low bass sounds that match...

Great choice for a first album. I probably never would have listened to this album on my own. But I feel like Cash would say if you listen to any of my albums, please listen to this one. He spills his heart out here and the first song was awesome! So glad for his faith in God, and the truth he is communicating here about God, his faith and reconciliation.

I know this album so well. Johnny Cash's American recordings are all amazing. I could listen to them all over and over, and I don't like doing that normally. 5/5!

A+

Yes. All the yes.

Enjoyed this on its release. Cash's voice works really well on this album and I've got several ear worms now!

Always a big fan of Johnny Cash and remember continously listening/watching the video to hurt when it was released. There are so many big songs on the album and my particular favourites include the biographical, desperado and as soon as I saw your face. The latter is very moving as I always imagine this being about June Carter who died a few months before Cash.

The American Recordings at the end of Johnny Cash's career/life were such an excellent swan song for the legendary musician. This is maybe the best one of the bunch, an excellent collection of mostly understated cover songs, with a few originals, of which the title track is arguably one of his best songs ever. Love this record.

So emotionally overwhelming in the best way possible. It’s not perfect, but I don’t care. Faves: the man comes around, hurt, in my life, I’m so lonesome i could cry

This is such a haunting and rich album. I love that he picked Fiona Apple as a feature, and his song selection is top tier (other than Danny Boy, not a fan of that one). I do wish he had picked a Dylan song, but I can't projection my own wishes on a legend's last album.

What a haunting series of meditations on death and the scars we leave behind. There were several times while listening, where I was not emotionally prepared for the lyrics and Cash's sound in ways that will, in their own way, leave a scar behind.

I could say half of the songs were covers so it lacks originality, or the songs were ‘too simple’. But when you listen to the song you could really hear his interpretation and feel really connected. 4.5/5

Wow. Just wow. I’d heard a couple of Johnny’s covers from this album before being The Man Comes Around and Hurt and I enjoyed both of them. The rest of this album is just as good, you can feel the weight of Johnny’s life being poured through his voice. This a man who knows he’s near the end and he’s reflecting on everything he’s lived through, the mistakes he has made and everything in between. It’s both solemn and beautiful, plus as a massive Beatles fan I could listen his cover of In My Life forever. He does a such a good job with it!

One of the greatest farewells ever, tying the legend of Johnny Cash indefinitely to the American songwriting tradition. A colossus lifting the works of others with an unparalleled ability to interpret. 'Hurt', 'I Hung My Head', 'Personal Jesus', 'In My Life', 'Danny Boy', and 'Big Iron' on a single album is unheard of.

American IV is less of a cover albums and more a collection of songs finding a new home. His talent for interpreting stories and breathing new life into them is unmatched - there are new meanings to be found in these songs and lyrics when delivered by Cash.

I listened to this album years ago and liked it a lot, but I like it even more than I remember now Johnny emphasises more introspective and emotional lyrics over the rebellious, gunslinging themes of a lot of his older work, though that isn't completely gone either. His aged and weary voice suits the album's melancholic and the production also feels intimate, all of which results in a very moving and emotional performance I think the fact the album doesn't stick to one mode throughout helps elevate those songs, for example the title track, Personal Jesus and Big Iron are a little bit more upbeat (as much as they can be on an album like this) that gives more weight to the likes of Give My Love to Rose and I Hung My Head. The guest singers also help to add a bit of variety. Despite slagging him off a little bit previously, I particularly liked Nick Cave's appearance on I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry I know everyone says it but it is pretty special that he took a song that's a million miles from his wheelhouse and made it his own. I don't think Hurt is one of my favourites but he definitely superceded Nine Inch Nails. I think I prefer Marty Robbins' version of Big Iron, but he comes very close to topping that too 4.5. I'd normally round down to 4 but I'm rounding up to 5 this time (I listened to the original double LP version which includes Big Iron and Wichita Lineman) Highlights: The Man Comes Around, Give My Love to Rose, Big Iron, Wichita Lineman, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

Solid album Great interpretations of songs from an artist who owed the world nothing when he recorded them. Really enjoyed it

One of the greatest final bows an artist could ever give. Piece of absolute work right here. Vibes are bit melancholy but it fits.

Phenomenal work by a man near the end of his life. Especially the hurt and in my life covers.

The man in black forever.

Oof. Was this good

Is anyone’s sound more appropriate for a sendoff album at age 71? It’s like his whole career was driving him to this point. This album is fantastic and works overtime to highlight Cash’s unique voice. Every song hits just right and most can leave you in tears. It’s up there with John Prine’s or Leonard Cohen’s final albums. What a swan song for the man in black!

Das ist ein Album, das in jeder Hinsicht unter die Haut geht. Unglaublich sparsam im Arrangement, aber so ein weites und tiefes Feld der Gefühle. "Hurt" ist vielleicht der Beste song in der Musikgeschichte, natürlich nur in der Version von Johnny Cash. "Hurt" – dieses gebrochene, ehrliche Bekenntnis – das fühlt sich nicht nur an wie ein Song, sondern wie ein offenes Herz. Man hört und sieht Johnny Cash förmlich altern, sterben und dennoch weiterleben in seiner Musik. Es gibt wenige Alben, die so eine emotionale Wucht haben. Es ist roh, pur, und ja – unsagbar schön. Ein Album, das bleibt.

esta es la forma de irse

epic voice. Aura

Johnny Cash had one of the most distinctive voices, not just in country but across all music. This album, recorded the year before he passed away, is a fine example of his range - combining his own songs, traditional numbers and an audacious range of covers from Simon & Garfunkel to Depeche Mode to the Beatles, doing them all justice. The example that most people will know is his version of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails, where he fills it with his own pain to the extent that Trent Reznor said that it was now Cash’s song. As might be expected the songs all explore the theme of the fragility of life, melancholy and looking back. It’s a tough listen at times, as his voice cracks with emotion, but he is more than supported by great group of musicians including Billy Preston, Don Henley, Nick Cave and Fiona Apple, with production by Rick Rubin keeping things together. A fine album and a fine tribute to one of the all time greats.

I was always skeptical about this album. I'm not skeptical about it any more. Each track is dealt with very respectfully. Cash put his own stamp on each, but did not try and be "clever". And of course the man wasn't a "real singer", but, as with the likes of Nick Cave and Lou Reed, that doesn't really matter: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a really excellent piece of work.

I could listen to Johnny Cash with his grizzled, life-worn, and somehow deeply vulnerable voice read the phone book. This album, even if mostly covers, is a wow. I love how eclectic it is, covering everything from folk tunes to the Beatles to Depeche Mode (!!). It also contains his astounding rendition of NIN’s “Hurt.” It doesn’t get much better than this for feeling the sweep, pain, love and vagaries of life.

My favourite of these American recordings. Obviously it has Hurt which is the best known track of this era but this is the top end of this concept of covering songs in the late Cash style. This album feels vulnerable and raw and is all the better for it. There are a few I'm not a fan of - Danny Boy and Desperado are songs I don't like no matter who is singing. I Hung My Head, The Man Comes Around and his reinterpretation of his own Give My Love to Rose are my favourites.

kardoulen

Tender, vulnerable, captivating, and sweet. One of my favorites!

Some of the best covers ever performed. As Reznor said about Hurt, it's his song now.

My first 5/5 album, 37 albums in. Cash's renditions of these songs are absolutely beautiful. Tear Stained Letter has been one of my favorite songs for a long time, and obviously his cover of Hurt is divine. But listening to this album end to end was such a treat. I loved this one.

iconic

What a fantastic listen. Usually I'm not a fan of albums thay almost exclusively contain covers, but the covers on this album could stand alone as their own songs, and some are honestly better than their original versions. Top tracks: Hurt, Personal Jesus, Danny Boy

Five/Five

That cover of "Hurt" was deserving of the constant play it got back in the day and is deserving of the praise it gets now. I was delighted to find out the rest of this covers album keeps up with it. These stripped down arrangements, his iconic voice that only got better with age, and the story of the songs selected make for an excellent listening experience. There's maybe a morbid listening day in my future of this, "Blackstar" and "You Want It Darker" - beautiful works all that tackle mortality, legacy, and reflections on the troubled yet triumphant lives of legendary artists.

CASH is great

Really enjoyed this one, and I’ll be returning to it, just a masterpiece. Rating: 5

This was the album that first introduced me to Johnny Cash. His rendition of Hurt still makes me cry.

As a casual fan of both artists, it is extremely funny to me that Cash took one of Trent Reznor’s best known songs and said “hey, this is mine now” right before dying. And it’s arguably not even the best cover on the album! Five stars.

I was at the library shopping for video games. Wu-Tang and Final Fantasy X. Then outside of the mall A woman who was not my mom and a little girl who was not my sister found an injured bird and picked it up to help it and as they went inside a jingle making fun of them started playing over the outside loud speakers. It infuriated me so I went into the mall and demanded to speak to the mall principal, Nick Lowe, the last thing I remember was telling my two bothers, who aren't my brothers, about what I did and passive aggressively blamed them.

His cover of Personal Jesus is one of my favorite songs.

I don't think I've ever heard another album this quietly sad. Like, for most of this album's runtime I was just... Staring off into the distance. At the wall, at the floor — at nothing in particular, honestly. I just couldn't do anything else. Not with how this album was causing sadness to wash over me, over and over. Every time I thought it would stop, I'd catch Cash's voice — so old and ragged — and it'd all come back all over again. Even the songs that were more upbeat in one way or another still had an air of melancholy around them. You can't shake the feeling, no matter how hard you try. It's like he knew he didn't have much time left. It's like he knew that this was his last statement. It's like he knew that if he didn't say anything about where he was right then and there, he wasn't gonna get another chance. And that's just remarkable when you consider that this album is mostly covers. Like, that's the big thing that separates it from albums like Leonard Cohen's IF YOU WANT IT DARKER and David Bowie's ★. There's only two songs that Cash penned himself, and one of them is a re-recording of a song written decades ago. But if you don't know these were all covers... Gosh, you'd never be able to tell. It's like what I usually say about Elvis: even if he never wrote a song in his life, just him being him was enough to make any song he sang his own. That's pretty much exactly what's going on. Cash being who he was, and being as old as he was when this was recorded, is enough to make songs like "Hurt" all his own. They're imbued with so much more meaning than if he'd been a younger man at the time. Which, there's a part of me that feels like that's kinda messed up. Y'know, the idea that I like this album **because** he died so shortly after it was released. That if he'd somehow lived long enough to release AMERICAN V, this album wouldn't have held as much weight as that one would have. But that's just the truth, and the same goes for stuff like IF YOU WANT IT DARKER, ★ and any other album with this kind of reputation. That's just honestly where it gets its power from, no matter how much I wish they could have lived longer and had done more. Though I wanna feel like either way this would still be a melancholic heartbreaker of an album. I don't think you can hear a voice like this, over arrangements like this, and not feel at least somewhat down. I can't imagine the kind of person who can hear stuff like this and not feel anything. I mean, I've gone out of my way to avoid using words like "depressing" and "feels bad," 'coz I feel like those are a bit over the top for what I think this album evokes, but... Still, goodness, y'know? I would absolutely be lying if I said I didn't feel close to crying more than once. I just can't give this album any less than a 5. It just wouldn't feel right to. Not with the context of its release and how much it gives to what would've been very powerful material regardless. It's, jus'... Oof. Goodness. And I do hope his reassurance at the end comes true: that someday soon — who knows where, who knows when — we'll all meet again. That someday, eventually, the man in black will come around once more.

He knew that the pale horse was coming soon, so it gives this tracklist a haunting quality to it. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at another 10. I’ve only ever known the cover of “Hurt” from this album – it’s immensely famous, and it’s a track that Johnny Cash basically stole, in brilliant fashion. I never knew it was only the second track here, though. I’ve always assumed it was the closer, because it feels so poignant and so… final. I’m so very, very glad that it’s not though, because this album is structured in such a way that it works perfectly in conjunction with “The Man Comes Around” as the opener, and arguably creates a narrative throughout where Johnny is trying to atone for those sins so present and so fruitfully captured on that cover of “Hurt”. From Simon & Garfunkel, to Sting, to Depeche Mode, & ironically enough, the Eagles, as well as scattering of rerecordings of covers he already did, it’s just a stellar 51 minutes. It leaves me with the same sense of “getting it” as I had after listening to Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged album. I truly do get what Johnny Cash meant to people now, and in particular, what he likely meant to my dad. The thing that strikes me the most about this album, besides the excellent song choices to cover, most of which I’ve never actually heard the originals of, is in its intimacy. There’s no bombastic backing bands here & no intense instrumentation (save for the piano on “Hurt”) – just pure, stripped down music, left to the barebones machinations of a guitar, whatever else was lying around, and Johnny Cash’s voice. In this gravelly, withered state, it arguably sounds more impactful here than at any other point in his life. It’s the core instrument, and it’s on full, vulnerable display. It gives each and every track a gravitas that has only ever been matched, to my ears, by Leonard Cohen on “You Want It Darker”, and even then, Johnny’s vocals still have a musicality and a natural charisma to them that elevates them higher. If there is a God, which Johnny Cash so desperately prays to throughout this album, then let him bless Rick Rubin for making sure Johnny Cash still had a voice throughout the final 7 to 8 years of his life, & bless Johnny Cash for just laying it all out on what he knew would likely be his final album in his lifetime. It’s a gift, a treasure, and a privilege to listen to this, truly. Easy, easy 10.

I would go so far and say, this is one of the best albums since the year 2000. Of course only "old" songs, but sung and played with such a virtuosity and in such a dignified way, that you must bow your head and shout out a big "thank you".

it's over... довольно грустный альбом, мне нравки

stunning.

Johnny Cash is one of the best there ever was and ever will be. He's a consistent performer and great storyteller who makes you feel. This album delivers the goods.

Hurt osv.

Pretty good album.

a dash of Johnny Cash rarely comes amiss, even if it is mostly covers

5 Stars for Hurt. There’s actually a few songs I wasn’t familiar with. A great final album for a great man! Rest in Peace Mr Cash

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