same song - different meanings.It's the final song of an concept album which tells the story of a person who is loosing his will to live...The album 'Downward Spiral' is probably one of the greatest pieces of art ever made!

@helz420

3 ай бұрын

I think the meaning is unchanged. It hits different because one is young and the other is old, but they're feeling the same pain. I think this version is more tragic, because he hasn't lived his full life yet.

@tr33hous3

3 ай бұрын

& Trent contributed massively to Antichrist Superstar which is another timeless masterpiece 🤯

@Whirlbee

2 ай бұрын

​@@helz420I disagree it's the same kind of pain, with Cash it feels more him being nostalgic and sombre, with Reznor it feels there's more agony and torment

@eldoriath1

2 ай бұрын

I don't remember the quote exactly, but paraphrased it was: Trent's version is about a young man living a life of substance abuse and depression. Cash's version is about an old man who has lived a life filled with substance abuse and depression.

@lazertroll702

2 ай бұрын

​@@WhirlbeeReznor remembers what he had to do to get _initiated_ into 'stardom' 🧐

To me the difference has always been Reznor’s version is about depression & addiction, Cash’s is an old man facing the end of his life.

@jaynbob42

2 ай бұрын

I feel about the same. I think Trent is more personal and almost more about himself. I think Cash brings more regret for how he hurt other people, or at least draws more of that out of the words. Both of course superb versions but I will always favour NiN as it’s the first I heard and means more to me I think.

@ryanotorpedo

2 ай бұрын

Not arguing about Cash's version i do feel he does also sing about addiction in his. It's just towards the end not only is it what he has done to others but what he has done to himself.

@NiasiNoir

2 ай бұрын

Like another comment says, I feel like Cash is about his whole regrets in life- hurting those around him, himself, and his struggles with addiction and depression. Reznor has the currently going through trauma where both resentment and regret are fresh where Cash sings as if that individual is now at the end of his life, nothing really changing... I think of seeing both songs as different phases of a life full of strife as such a unique and amazing thing.

@rickycoleman3895

2 ай бұрын

And addiction

Listen to the album version. The gig version only works when you are there. I am not a crier but I shed tears when I saw NIN live and they performed this and all the hairs on the back of my neck we up.. The original score has a sound that replicates being in the womb with the warmth and you wont ever get it from watching a video of a live performance. You have to play the album or see it live. trust me.

Enjoy your trip down the NIN rabbit hole. Reznor was (and still is) an innovator in his craft. Thanks for sharing (as I wipe away tears).

@raechel.oglesby

2 ай бұрын

Absolutely agree.

You REALLY should be doing a part 3 for this song... in 1994 David Bowie sang this song live with NIN and its amazing. Trent considers it one of the best moments in his life.

This live version is nothing like the original we all knew. This is so mellow in comparison!

A study in tension, dissonance, and the refusal to let it resolve

@keithferris9574

2 ай бұрын

Beautifully said.

Originally Trent reznor struggled with Johnny Cash's cover. He said that listening to it was like watching his girlfriend have sex with someone else because the song was so personal to him. Now he really appreciates the cover, but I can see why he would have felt that way before.

It almost doesn't do this song justice to hear it in isolation. It is such a coup de grâce to the overall masterpiece that is the Downward Spiral.

@TomServo_MST3K

3 ай бұрын

Agreed. It's a fine standalone track, but once you have the context of the entire preceding album with it, it becomes an absolute behemoth track.

@brandoncraft5847

2 ай бұрын

Yeah after they autotune his voice to actual hit the notes. Dude is tone def.

@Whirlbee

2 ай бұрын

Yeah, the storytelling element of his work, it needs it all to really get it

@michaelpalmer2143

2 ай бұрын

@@brandoncraft5847 Autotune was released in 1997. The Downward Spiral released in 1994.

@rustytennakoon8661

2 ай бұрын

​@@brandoncraft5847 you obviously don't understand intentional dissonance. You're listening to the wrong type of music here buddy

I remember when this album came out and hearing this song for the first time. The heartbreak it represented was palpable

I love how he makes it sound like he's on the edge of tears in lots of parts. I must admit to listening to this song on lots of occasions when my mental health was bad enough that i was feeling in the same mood. It's a good "trying to get it out of my system" song, that's very special to me.

@Markus-yj8jo

2 ай бұрын

Same with me. 🙏🏼

@pisceshilda

12 күн бұрын

Yes I can hear him "crying" when singing this song, so heartbreaking.

People don’t react to NIN enough. I know some think the vocals aren’t great, but I think they fit. And many of these songs are beautiful for many different reasons.

@dmac8207

12 күн бұрын

1000% agree Trent and the guys are so amazing. I love them all Thanks for your comment ❤

@tjzii1984

3 күн бұрын

Trent's version is best

@carlgibson285

2 күн бұрын

It doesn't matter that he's not always pitch-perfect, nobody does emotion like Trent does.

Trent Reznor is my all time favorite musical artist. I found Pretty Hate Machine in 1990 and never looked back. Give the songs “ringfinger” “We’re in this together” “And all that could have been”. And “ something I can never have” a listen and I think you’ll get a far greater idea of Trent’s singing. I’ve always felt his vocals aren’t what most would call “classically good “ but every word he utters seems to come from the depths of purest feeling. The man has so much Soul.

@Meganelizabeth_ca

2 ай бұрын

I used to listen to Something I Can Never Have on repeat.... almost 35 years later it still hits.

I wish you had picked a version of this from 20+ years ago, but great job as always !

@kennethalbert4653

3 ай бұрын

I think he had a sore throat...lol

@letsgohawks79

3 ай бұрын

95 live version 100%

@stevehofmann1196

3 ай бұрын

I was at the show when they filmed for the original video in 1995 (Omaha,Ne). I think it’s a much better version too and not just because I’m biased

@andybrent8293

2 ай бұрын

You may want to hear “something I can never have” as well. Trent is amazing he get’s this sadness like no other! Incredible talent he has a delivery in every song.

@kennethalbert4653

2 ай бұрын

@@andybrent8293 👍👍

I dont know which one makes me cry more.. Reznor or cash.. I start crying within the first 3 notes every time. (250 lb metal head working security at a concert venue, btw)

@sherryorr4534

3 ай бұрын

Yep. Every time!

@-Heavy-

3 ай бұрын

🤘

I never thought he was a super impressive vocalist or anything but he's a genius-level composer, in addition to Nine Inch Nails he's done a TON of soundtrack work for movies, tv shows, video games, etc. And their live shows back in the day were fantastic, I saw them in 2001 with A Perfect Circle as the opening act and it was epic.

@tyghe_bright

2 ай бұрын

This. I think of him as a musician and composer, more than as a singer.

@a-blivvy-yus

2 ай бұрын

When Maynard James Keenan can be considered an "opening act" for someone else, you know there's something *special* going on.

@flingonber

2 ай бұрын

@@a-blivvy-yus APC was brand new at that point and didn't really have the name recognition to headline arenas, especially since back in the day Tool members weren't as widely known (they avoided interviews and never appeared in videos, etc.). Actually, I believe it was APC's first big tour and when I bought the tickets Mer de Noms hadn't even come out yet. But it was definitely a special show :)

@a-blivvy-yus

2 ай бұрын

@@flingonberI know. My point stands! xD

'Pretty Hate Machine' put the hooks in me. 'The Downward Spiral' left me unconscious on the floor.

@d.brooks2035

2 ай бұрын

I prefer pissed off Trent to depressed Trent.

The tonic flat fifth, creating a tritone, along with the off-pitch line endings are what give the song that "eerie" quality. Johnny Cash did not flat the fifth and hit all the pitches head on. In your part two, you described Trent's original as "urgent" and Johnny's cover as "reflective." That's a not-bad way to express the difference. There, you described the two performances as practically different songs. You went on to point out the importance of a cover as bringing the song to a different audience, or that it draws a different audience into the ambit of the song. I have always considered a new deployment of a song as essential for a good cover--a repetition in difference rather than a simulacrum. I had never thought about the expansion of the audience. Thank you.

Love that you used the word "tension" at the end, as this version is taken from NIN's 2013 tour, which was called Tension. :)

OMFG I love this one! The studio version is one of my favorite songs of all time. The Johnny Cash version is also REALLY good!

@wildwillie5408

3 ай бұрын

Cash version 👍. Reznor even said Cash made the song his

@justsomejusstsome8994

2 ай бұрын

Modest of him but Reznor's version is superior, the original stays better. I think. ​@@wildwillie5408

One of the great songs of my youth. That whole album is amazing. Listen to the album version of this song with your headphones on. Close your eyes, sit back and listen. Incredible soundscape and emotion.

if you want to go down a rabbit hole, "I'm afraid of americans" - David Bowie, musci and some vocals by Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails). probably one of my fav songs

@DonnachaDeLong

2 ай бұрын

They performed Hurt together on the joint tour in the 90s.

I love that you cover this song. I wish you would have listened to the album version because it's more straightforward and confined. I grew up in a time where big wave surfer came to Half Moon Bay, California and perished and they got it on film. In the film, they paired the shot of his wipe out with this song. I watched the movie monster mavericks as a young adolescent surfer, skateboarder growing up in Santa Cruz and that song always resonates with me and Mark Foo's passing. Don't get me wrong, I love it. The time when johnny cash released his cover kind of coincided with my grandfather's passing and I associate his version with that. Both versions for me are very emotional and hold a special place for me.

@PoliticallyPink

2 ай бұрын

ABSOLUTELY! This concert was 20 years after the original and as much as I love NIN, I didn't like this version AT ALL!

NIN's original is the one that makes me tear up, Trent is so vulnerable when he sings this song.

This REAL version is & will always be the best version of this song. Love JC but Trent’s pain and experiences that went into the writing is what makes it so special. It always pisses me off when I hear someone refer to this version as the cover…

One of the things I love about Trent Reznor's vocal style is there seems to be always seems to be a sense of pent up anger or despair.

I'm pretty sure his deep "Thank you" at 14:50 had a distorted pitch effect on the mic. Trent's speaking voice is slightly deeper than his singing. Also, LOVE that you're reacting to NIN for the first time! There is so much depth, innovation, and vocal mastery in Trent's music. :)

@Panthror

2 ай бұрын

I was about to say the same about the distortion, based on my knowledge as a sound engineer for live performances. That didn't sound like a 'clean' voice.

The Downward Spiral is a concept album about a rock star descending into addiction and despair. Ironically, written before Trent descended into addiction and despair largely as a consequence of the huge popularity of TDS in the 90s. One of my favourite albums of all time, I listened to this over and over again when it came out.

I generally hate reaction videos because they are so over the top and fake. I love your videos, because the insights you provide make me view the music in a different way. It's a perspective that I haven't used in ages, bringing back my singing days. Keep it up!

Hurt as the Rick and Morty season 2 finale track elevated the show so much. I hope she gets some of why that would be the case. I haven't watched the whole video yet.

Very happy to see you made it to this version. As great as Cash's version is, this version is also great. It's rare in my experience for a cover to be as good as the original without replacing it, and as you mentioned same words different meanings. This is coming from someone who is more of a Johnny Cash fan then NIN. Keep up the lovely work.

I appreciate you doing some nine inch nails.

Like another viewer commented: The difference in experience has a lot to do with the different ages of the men singing the same song, telling their story. I think, listening to Johnny Cash's version, an old man reaching the (natural) end of his life, almost everyone can form a rather familiar connection to it. Whereas Trent Reznor's version describes a young man with his life in tatters reaching an "unnatural" early end. We know that these life stories happen, but we also feel that they shouldn't. A young man shouldn't get to a point in his life that makes him sing these words. That is that eerie feeling. - And so, while most prefer the Johnny Cash version, I think, that it is very important to experience Trent Reznor's version too.

It's probably been mentioned already, but the original NiN version, performed when Trent was still young (29), evokes angst and self-loathing, whereas Johnny Cash's version, performed when he was in his twilight years (70), portrays regret and resignation. It is unique a study in how one deals with or portrays emotional pain depending on where you are in life.

The whole Downward spiral album is a masterpiece. I know that everyone who’s into this kind of music knows that Trent is a genius but still I think this is underrated… And about this track: I love the J Cash version but this one is telling a hell of a different story and personally I think is much more powerful. Especially with the original sinister ending. One of the greatest and most powerful songs of all time

I love the piano touches. It adds warmth.

30 years of tapping into this huge abyss.... glad you're feeling it ❤❤❤

NiN and Cash are both amazing artists but the thing i love most is your reaction to the music. You are great and Iove love love your channel.

I keep mentioning Sevendust because I know Lajon Witherspoon's voice will amaze you. There's metal singers with amazing voices then there is Lajon, the man who put a little soul into a metal voice. You should listen to a song called waffle or Angel's Son. Angel's Son is about a friend of theirs who passed away a long time ago.

@beanMosheen

3 ай бұрын

Angel's Son is awesome.

@tonyhancock5467

3 ай бұрын

kzread.info/dash/bejne/l6yY0tRwYJzFc6w.htmlsi=e5xslTb0bblVXnbO Sevendust did their own cover of hurt live as a tribute to Mr Cash not long after he passed

@michaelcesak8956

Ай бұрын

Angel's Son and Licking Creme are 2 of my top 10 favorites. Lajon and Skin together were such a perfect match.

The eerie quality is very Nine Inch Nails. Trent is so good at it. It really enrichs the music. Thanks for the good watch.

I’m a guitarist who hates the sound of my voice. I love watching you analyze performances from a vocal perspective. I’m totally invested in the channel, hope to keep seeing 80’s/90’s/2000’s reaction videos!

Watched ur reactions for a while now. I love the way you actually LISTEN. Many vocalists on YT do not. I see it in ur eyes. Keep it up young lady! Love ur open mind.

I discovered your channel recently and immediately wondered if you’d covered this song. It comes from my favorite album of all time. This live performance comes far later in their career and I wish someone would’ve recommended an earlier performance.

God, I love this song. I used to listen to this album all the time when it first came out (and I was a lot younger), but I will admit I haven't listened to NIN in quite some time. Great to hear this again, and great to hear your commentary on it.

The album version of "Heresy" is one of Trent's most interesting vocal performances. It has some really wild multitracking.

@gregcarter4050

2 ай бұрын

I loved it too until I finally got the " Heresy Blind" version on the Closer to God EP now is the only one that does it for me.

All nin is worth you're time. Please! Ill watch

Thank you so much for reviewing Trent! I’ve been waiting for this!

That smile brightens up the worst days.

there’s a video of him singing this live in 1995. it’s awesome.

"Hurt" to me is a masterpiece. Trent in the depths of the orchestration is suffering. I love Johnny Cash, have so much respect for both of them. Thank you Johnny for validating NIN.

The two artist proving we can each hear compiled words differently. This album and PHM are worth a listen. Peace/JT

There's another version of this song: Trent singing with David Bowie on stage side by side. I often think these 3 versions this way: Version 1 the Trent original, Trent as the young protagonist is losing his battle against addiction and depression (BUT there's still a tiny glimpse of hope). Version 2 Trent alongside with Bowie, Bowie as the older protagonist has just come out of all the hardships and finally been able to enjoy a clean and happier life, now he looks back and realises "I'm not looking back anymore, I' moving forward". Version 3 Cash cover, Cash as the old protagonist who's about to leave this world, in his death bed he looks back again and says "oh wow what a life I've lived, I've gone through so much and I made it this far, I have a lot of regrets but I'm also proud of myself, I'm in peace now, bye world". Although I personally don't like Cash changing that particular one word in the lyrics, he did it from his perspective and did a great cover that fits the narrative perfectly, respectable.

I watched NIN perform this song live more than twenty years ago when i was a young adult. Such an amazing experience. Trent and the whole band are gifted performers with a skill for insight and understanding of not just human emotion but also how to deliver and translate that emotion to an audience. I was going through a difficult time in my life when I went to that show and the pain the band communicated through their performance brought me to tears. Today, as a middle aged man, I still cannot hear that song without being transported back to that moment in time. It still makes me well up.

@zombyz13

2 ай бұрын

It was awesome live. I went to the concert in New Orleans. Jum Rose Circus Sideshow was the opening act. The arena was filled with the scent of weed

Hi!!!! It's very emotional and touchy...beautiful song.and gd eve to you ms.beth thanks and we love you. From philippines ❤❤❤❤❤❤

thank you, insightful as always :)

Great video I enjoyed your analysis!

I think another difference between this and the Johnny Cash version is that the video you’re watching is from probably 20yrs after Trent first wrote the song. He’s no longer the guy who wrote it, though he obviously remembers being that guy and what he was feeling in that moment. He was talking about depression and addiction, and the despair that comes from them. But that’s a young man’s thinking. He knows that there’s good stuff out there, but instead he’s running from the world. When Johnny recorded his version, his wife (you see her briefly in the video) passed a couple months later, and he passed a few months after her. When he played his version for his daughter, she said something to the effect that it sounded like he was saying goodbye with this song. He answered “I am.” He knew he had not much time left, and he was trying to come to terms with that fact. It is very much an old man’s despair.

Hope you listen to more. He really did have a habit of changing up styles. Yes, it was all fairly industrial, but album to album, song to song, he made huge changes.

It's funny, I didn't care for Nine Inch Nails after hearing it for a bit... and then one day something just flipped on in my brain and it became one of my favorite, if not my favorite band. Such a wide variety of emotions and styles across the music.

It’s great that you picked up and on point about the mood. You do know where this album was created and recorded don’t you? Exactly!!

Thank you, love your smile!

I stumbled upon your channel thanks to Tool (my third all-time favorite--first two are Nine Inch Nails and Dave Matthews Band, omg I would love to hear your take on some of Dave's vocals but please not Crash) and was so excited to see this video pop up. I normally don't comment, but I want to say a few things about Trent Reznor. For the most part in the early days, Trent did all the studio work. He carefully crafts his songs--the tension you hear building that never quite resolves, the highs and lows in the music that accompany the lyrics, it's all part of the experience. His voice, like Maynard's, is another instrument that he uses. I don't think Trent is a super strong vocalist, however he is PERFECT at what he does. His voice and emotions add so much to songs that are already crafted with intentional emotional ambiance to create a whole experience--just guhhhhh. I know this isn't how you approach your channel, but if you enjoy NIN at all, I would listen to the entire discography in order. The Fragile is a masterpiece of an album, just like The Downward Spiral, but each album is powerful in its own way (even PHM, which is very 80's compared to the rest of the discography). Atticus Ross has been a major member of NIN since the early 00s and probably an equal part of the studio presence these days and together they make pure magic in terms of music. Their score work is impeccable. They also produced a Halsey album that is gorgeous (while I appreciate pop-y music, the Halsey album they worked on is way deeper than that). Sorry to ramble--if I had to credit one single artist with their influence on my life, my emotional journey throughout my teen years and into my adulthood, and my creative journey as a visual artist, it would be Trent Reznor. The absolute best night of my life was seeing them live in 2022 for the first time (38, grew up poor, couldn't make concerts/live music a priority until this phase of adulthood). I hope you enjoy your foray into NIN/Trent

Thank you ❤. Please more Nine Inch Nails

Their amazing live. If you ever get a chance I definitely recommend. It’ll be worth every penny. I’ve seen them at Red Rocks in Morrison, Co. it’s one of the best venues to see a show at.

My favorite version was NIИ doing this song live with David Bowie in '94-'95. Bowie had a tone to his voice similar to Johnny Cash, so you get the best of both worlds in one song, lol. Link: kzread.info/dash/bejne/eZqIo7OAadXHgZc.html

67 Years old and this is one of my favorite newer bands loved this album every track was a masterpiece.

One of my favourite live renditions of this song is the one where David Bowie was on it as well. So good!

Love the dynamics of this live version

Seen him close 9 shows live with this song, NOT ONCE am I or anyone else dry eyed within a minute of this track the piano live is devastating in all the best ways

I have seen this done live with just him and a keyboard, one of the best solo performances I can remember

I remember when I heard them performing this song live in London and it was fantastic so emotional and powerful at the same time

A lot of the songs from this album "The Downward Spiral" are good, I would probably listen to the songs instead of the live performance though, with the type of instruments and sounds present, they don't always translate well in person.

I’ve always viewed this song as the perfect theatrical version of raw pain. As a teenager, it gave me a space to feel my own emotions in a pure, free way. I felt understood, and it wasn’t the actual words.

Please please listen to a live recording of Trent Reznor and Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) singing "Reptile" on 6.23.06. Murphy has an unreal voice. They also do "A Strange Kind of Love" by Murphy. Thanks!

Something to consider about this performance- I believe it is always the last song of the concert. So this delicate delivery after playing for an hour or more makes it that much more impressive to me.

Thanks for reacting to the original. So many reactions to jcs version.

Reznor has said he purposefully puts unsettling things in songs, missed beats, vocal oddities, slightly mis-pitched music at times, it makes you listen harder and focus, it’s unsettling and VERY effective.

A very special live performance of the song was at the Panorama Festival in 2017. Emotional, very.

Be well Bethany!

Finally! NIN! Do a deep dive! Earlier versions of this song are better (IMO), you get the rawness and the pain, the recent versions are much more cinematic but I think miss something in the meaning. If you want a Part 3 - they toured with Bowie in 1995 and there is an incredible version of Trent and Bowie singing Hurt together. Their voices are heaven together.

You should check out the live performance of this song from the“Still”album recording

Curious that you point to the change Trent is making around 9:58~ mark. To someone that has listened to NiN for quite a while, it sound more like strain, the effects of years of intense singing. If you listen to an older version he sounds a bit different. Similar to say James from Metallica, his voice is nearly fried these days compared to 1990s and it is detectible.

Can feel his emotions and soul in this song, such a touching and personal song about Trent and his heorin addiction. One of my favorites

I have seen NIN live 8 times. They never fail. If you are going to listen to more look for songs off of movie soundtracks to listen to. That way if you decide to listen to the downward spiral tracks you can do so in order as intended to tell the story.

While you are looking up Trent Reznor's interviews to see what his speaking voice sounds like, look up Phil Anselmo lead singer of Pantera's voice you reacted to Cemetery Gates from them you will be blown away by that dudes speaking voice too.

He announced a new album!!

Listen to the live with Bowie. unique

I’m always happy to see reaction channels picking “Big boy music”… nice job

I find it is helpful to listen to more NIN songs to get more context for this song and maybe understand the power of it even more, since it stands in such stark contrast to the loud, driving, screams and dissonance of the rest of the album. This is so vulnerable, which is even more clear in the album version.

Live is good, but with this one I prefer the studio version

@negativeindustrial

3 ай бұрын

Very much agree. That original studio recording is on my very short list of perfect songs. Every note and every breath is exactly how it should be.

@tgutz4332

3 ай бұрын

@@negativeindustrial and the clarity at the end!

@ronard2345

3 ай бұрын

Agreed the build up and the end explosion is.....muahhh chefs kiss

@davidservo8912

3 ай бұрын

I would agree. This song, whenever I hear it takes me to my youth and the studio version is perfect.

i want to recommend King Diamond: there's a video for The Family Ghost, and one for Sleepless Nights. Or maybe check out At the Graves song. TRULY unique vocalist !!

Who says such things? The capacity to feel pain, everyone has. How to put such things things into not just words, but with an accompanying, and sympathetic musical theater, that's mastery. Trent is an artist to be reckoned with. I don't know him personally, or what is in"trent" was, but he will not soon be forgotten.

My favorite OG band is NIИ and my favorite newcore band it Sleep Token. Please do more of both :) :) :) Seeing them live are sacred moments in time. If you're interested in a vocal performance to blow your socks off & into hell, try Lorna Shore - To The Hell Fire (or anything Will Ramos, his favorite band is also Sleep Token! ;) )

That weird pitch shifting in the background is a trick Alessandro Cortini uses. Instead of just midi tracks, he records hours long loops of the notes on a Tascam 4 track on cassette. He plays and switches tracks while tweaking the pitch shift as he feels.

Listened to NIN lots back in university. The original means so much to me, but Johnny's version is amazing too.

thank you!!

Please do some Faith No More, Mike Patton is insane

@ginnayaturner2641

3 ай бұрын

PLEASE!!! I've been trying to think of the best song for her to start with, what do you think?

@zennenn

3 ай бұрын

​@@ginnayaturner2641I vote for Evidence. Less controversial nasal tone by that point, although I love The Real Thing. I just know the nasal thing bothers a lot of people.

I just found your videos last week and I just finished watching the System of a Down Toxicity video. I thought you might like to hear a song by a band that was signed to Serj Tankian’s label. The band is Fair to Midland and the song is The Wife the Kids and the White Picket Fence

🇹🇷 Mabel Matiz - mendilimde kırmızım var . We are waiting for your reaction to this, you will not regret it.

@alone_emirrr934

3 ай бұрын

My friend is telling the truth 🤙🇹🇷

Really wish you had chosen the studio remastered version of this.