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”.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cash rules everything around me

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

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

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

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

kinda boring - prefer johnny singing country

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.

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.

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 is a great album. The lyrics are wonderful. And I love its country feel. It also has deep meaning as the artist who made it was at the end of his life. overall a great album to listen to.

I have to give Johnny Cash a lot of credit for this album. When it came out, it really gave him a resurgence and helped him connect with a younger audience. In the early 2000s, it seemed like every bar with a jukebox had this album on rotation. He brought in some cool guest musicians like Billy Preston and Fiona Apple, which added a nice touch. His cover of Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” was good, but it’s his version of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt” that stood out and grabbed everyone’s attention. I’m sure Rick Rubin played a big role in shaping this album, and working with him was a smart move. As for “Hurt,” I personally like Nine Inch Nails’ version a little more for the music, but Cash’s version definitely has more emotional weight, especially knowing the life he lived.

Extremely good. What an album! And those covers are unique and perfect.

The man .

Wow! Fucking awesome! I'm not a Johnny Cash fan at all, but this album absolutely deserves to be on a 'must listen to list'. An old man, knowing he is close to the end, sings songs full of pathos, regret, sorrow, and wistful memories.....but boy can this old man sing! The emotion is so strong in this. (Caveat... except for Bridge Over Troubled Water, that one really didn't work for me). 6 out of 5 stars.

how can anyone vote a johnny cash album lower than 5 let alone 4

Loved.

I know they are mostly covers or rerecorded...but dang he is good. His voice envokes such emotions. I know Hurt isn't his song but his version is better hands down and makes me cry every time. Knowing his life and they way he carried himself when he aged just brings so much more depth to his music. Nothing was pretentious or overdone, it was just him and the way he does music, which is beauty in sadness and pain.

Usually an album of mostly covers gets a little extra scrutiny in the context of this project, but this is pretty incredible. It’s just so good and he really makes these songs his own while feeling like he’s honoring and celebrating each one. The collaborations with other singers is super special too. Love it so much.

One of the best to ever do it. Some really amazing cover songs here, he really made the songs his own.

One of the best albums ever

I wasn’t a fan if Cash when he was young, nir of country music but I’d give this album a 6 if I could, compared to most of the garbage on this list. Cash has a quality in his voice at this age that young ones just can’t produce: suffered experience. All the shouting and wailing just can’t match what Cash brings to other people’s songs that transcends the original artist. I’d give it 5 for Hurt alone but Bridge Over Troubled Waters outdoes S&G and that’s saying something. Even Danny Boy sounds okay.

I hate to be predictable, but this really is a 5 star album.

I thought this was an easy start and I thought I knew this album, but listening with focus had me on the verge of tears for almost the entire runtime.

Very few artist could have have pulled this off the way he did. Such a legend - and that haunting voice.

Hard to deny the emotion and skill of reimagining these songs in this way.

This whole series worked well. This one might be the best one.

The title track and "Hurt" alone might justify a 5-star rating. Add in standout tracks like "I Hung My Head," "Give My Love to Rose," and "Desperado," and it becomes an exceptional collection. While there are a few weaker moments—"Danny Boy," for instance—they're easily overshadowed by the album's overall brilliance.

Just perfect

Oh boy. The album with his cover of Hurt. Lemme go get a kleenex real quick. His voice hits differently on this compared to his first albums. He's still got most of the deep bass baritone of his youth, but mixed in with it is some scratches and scuffs of a much older man. The makes it so the album comes across as someone who has seen a lot and done a lot and is telling you the stories of their life. This album, like Bowie's Blackstar, will always have a strong association with Cash due to it being the last album before he died. But even outside of that fact its still great, with its mix of covers and originals. I think the only cover I didn't like as much as the rest was In My Life, but that's mostly because him singing it brings a more somber tone to the song compared to how John and Paul sang the original.

9/10 The best produced album from Cash. I love his choices on the covers and I love his voice sounding like it got hit by a baseball bat but got up, bloodied, from the ground and dares you to hit it again. I think I needed this. 11-15-2024

Didn't get around to this on Friday but listening now. What a legend Johnny was man. Ah, this is the one with Hurt! That's so cool that he covered that song. I thought for the longest time that this was before NINs but nope. Trents was first. Awe Give My Love To Rose too. I like that one. Dude, this album is fire. There are so many covers on here! Including Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus.

Amazing. He transcends his genre with power, presence, and haunting narrative! Amazing album!

Well I got to say I did not expect to enjoy this album as much as I did, very emotional and moving and I really enjoyed the covers of Hurt and Personal Jesus, plus a lot of other songs on here I'd heard of before. Unexpected 5 star album for me, especially after going back and watching the music video for his cover of Hurt.

++*: Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Danny Boy, We'll Meet Again ++: The Man Comes Around, Give My Love to Rose, I Hung My Head, First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Personal Jesus, In My Life, Desperado, I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry, Streets of Laredo 9,9/10

This isn’t even Cash’s best American album, but I assume Hurt is good enough to overcome that. I forget how good it is sometimes, but listening to it again it makes my jaw drop. It is also important to keep in mind that he was actively dying during this album, and it’s still superior to most things out there. For the other songs, I love how he turned Personal Jesus into a gospel song, as well as the first track. Sam Hall is also just fun to sing along with. The rest of it is still great, too, but for my money the first two American Recordings had the best collection of songs. I am largely incapable of giving Johnny Cash less than 5 stars on anything he does anyway, so I may be a little biased. That doesn’t mean this isn’t a great album.

# Playlist track - Personal Jesus # Notes - Just realized that Fiona Apple sings along in Bridge Over Troubled Water. Holy shit. - This album is beautiful. It's an emotional, sincere and somber farewell. The perfect way to cement his legacy. - The finitude of life really hits hard on this one, eh?

beautiful. haunting. glorious. this album is incredible. front to back - everything about it is just amazing.

My grandfather was a big Johnny cash fan. He used to be in a jazz combo when he was in the army and was a music teacher for most of his life. One of the first records I ever got from him was a Johnny cash album “Orange Blossom Special”. He could also play the guitar better than anyone I knew and wrote out all of his own arrangements for hundreds of different songs by ear. Listening to this album takes me back to the days sitting in his old shed watching him play those old American classics for hours. The song selection on this album and the stripped back minimalist arrangements here are just so perfect. Sure his voice is completely shot by this point in his life but man does it really hit home for me. Also I saw that this is his 62nd studio album!! Unreal. I could write a whole bit for most of these songs but I really don’t think that’s necessary. I really missed my grandfather after listening to this and everything he taught me about music. The final track “we’ll meet again” truly brought me to tears. You really can’t script that any better for this to be the last song chronologically that Cash put out before he died. My grandfather was a religious man and I know he believed that we would meet again, and that’s comforting enough for me. Bless you Papa. Bless you Johnny cash. And bless every other musician who contributed to this album. Masterpiece

This album should not be as good as it is. A 70 year old man singing song covers on his deathbed. All signs point to this being an absolute train wreck, but damn it if this isn't a masterpiece! Every cover has Johnny Cash's signature twist on it. He doesn't fall into the trap of just putting out an identical song to the original. This is how you cover songs (both your own and other artists) and make them your own. This album will make you cry with the "Hurt" only a man looking back on his life can, and then make you cry again with hope that one day "We'll Meet Again". An absolutely perfect send off for one of the greatest artists of all time. We salute you Mr. Cash.

This feels far more than just a cover album. Johnny knew this was his last chance to share himself with the world, and each song was chosen to represent that. The guilt, the joy, the anger, the faith, the pain, and the love.

Incredible interpretations of classics that didn’t need any more attention, yet still show amazing depth

A real experience. Takes you through the full range of emotions one after another. Some brilliant covers and originals. A reflection on mortality and of the life that comes before it. No better way to bow out.

I put off listening to this one for a long time because I knew it was going to make me emotional, and well, it sure did. There’s just something about Cash’s originals and his renditions of the covers that is so beautiful and haunting and sad. I’ve listened to this album a few times before, and I don’t think I’ve ever made it through without crying at least once. There’s just something so beautiful about every song. I can’t pick a favorite, but if I had to, “The Man Comes Around,” “Hurt,” “Personal Jesus,” and “Desperado” would all be in the running. This might be Cash’s best album of his entire career. I’m flabbergasted that this album got removed from the list in later years. It’s one of the best, if not the best, from the 2000s. There’s a reason the songs on this album are used so often in movies and TV and other media. Its influence in pop culture alone makes it worthy of keeping on the list. Just an absolutely stunning album.

An album I had on a listening list for a long time. This is possibly one of Cash's best. Hurt, The Man Comes Around and Danny Boy. Every track is brilliant.

CD

This is a perfect album. I've heard many of the songs, but never the whole album before. I'm so glad I have now. I love both the original and his cover of Hurt, and they've both made me cry, but the emotion knocked me off my feet today. I sobbed, like fully broke down. The power of a song, man.

Miss Johnny

What a voice

The best to ever do it.

More covers from Cash than I expected. Some classics on here.

Fantastic apbum

Knew the hits but the other songs were great as well. Vibes album

Amazing. Cash takes some great songs and makes them personal. This has got to be one of his best albums ever.

Really enjoyed this one

The crown jewel of "Farewell" albums. The upbeat nature the narrator has in the title track is immediately thrown out with the follow up, and his most iconic cover, "Hurt," and from there you can feel the retrospective he has on his life and his coming to grips with the end. Each song ties into the theme of death, saying goodbye, and trying to come to terms without being completely depressing and hopeless. For a perfect album, I'd give this a 10/10

Not even the Nick Cave feature can bring this album down.

I love it! Hurt Pierce’s your soul. Knowing Cash recorded this not long after June’s death makes it even sadder

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

He truly was a master.

So emotional and beautiful every song really paints a vivid picture of a story

This got me almost crying on my bus commute today. This is what a cover album should be, every song takes on a whole new character than the original.

Johnny Cash does not need any introduction as a country legend, nor does his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" which is so transformative that Trent Reznor no longer considered it his song. The rest of American IV is on par with that song - a collection of mostly covers and re-recordings from an elder statesman on the brink of death. The only newly written song included is the title track "The Man Comes Around", which would be one of his last. A lot of guest musicians make impressive contributions to this album. John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers reworked Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" on a popping acoustic guitar riff accompanied by Billy Preston's tingling piano play. Fiona Apple's backing vocals come off haunting on the chorus of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Nick Cave shares a rather somber duet with him on Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Hell, even Don Henley brings out a good rendition of the Eagles' "Desperado". Of course, Johnny Cash himself brings enough dark crooning energy with his guitar to bring bravado to the likes of The Beatles' "In My Life" and the traditional "Danny Boy". Throughout the album, his son John Carter Cash, and renowned producer Rick Rubin were able to mix these songs effectively to bring out the best of everyone involved. I'll admit that I'm usually not a fan of cover albums unless the renditions transcend the original works. Johnny Cash did just that in spades. This is absolutely worth checking out.

Love this

Excellent CASH! 100% loved it. Will purchase this jewel.

Johnny Cash is a Legend and his sparse interpretations of these songs show what a master he is!

Cash’s last masterpiece. Loved it

A few elite songs mixed in among a really great album to listen to generally. Love the emotion his songs evoke so easily.

it's just a sheer classic, innit

Sublime! Have loved this since it came out and was a fantastic change of pace by JC. A Swan Song to be proud of. And this version of Hurt is the most emotionally powerful tear-inducing songs ever.