Johnny Cash Covers Personal Jesus
While not nearly as popular as his amazing rendition of NIN’s Hurt, Johnny Cash’s stripped-down cover of Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus is fantastic. Both songs are from Cash’s sixty-seventh studio album, American IV: The Man Comes Around (Spotify, Apple Music), which was the last one to be released before his death.
In case you want to listen to Johnny Cash all morning, here’s that version of Hurt and Bridge over Troubled Water (with Fiona Apple):
Oh, and his cover of The Beatles’ In My Life:
Comments 9
thread
latest
popular
I also like his cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CrBqRb3VGM
John Frusciante (from the Red Hot Chili Peppers) does an amazing job playing guitar on that song as well.
I'm a big fan of his cover of Beck's "Rowboat": https://youtu.be/RDs73VyafI4?si=wBZMmwTHgDY549eh
Also here's a very young Beck reacting to Cash talk about the song, and describing how he wrote it:
https://youtu.be/Nf5mJTuR04c?si=lyPFDD87dnUqh0JW
Awesome album, don't sleep on Sam Hall which has the most withering, sardonic delivery.
His cover of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' The Mercy Seat isn't too shabby either. https://youtu.be/Y3411MJO6Y0?si=cKT32YZK6P-hR973
Listened to this on Friday; enjoyed it. Then proceeded to have an ear-worm of the phrase "your-own… pers-on-al… jes-us" hamster-wheeling around and around and around in my head all weekend.
wow. I did not like that version of Personal Jesus... at all. I feel like the production wasn't kind to Cash's voice. It sounds very spare, but not in a good way. It could use some more depth so as to not sound like someone recording audio into their phone. Big swing but a big miss, IMO.
I listened to this album top to bottom the morning after the election. Only thing I could stand.
I'll throw my favorite into the ring. Johnny's cover of Will Oldham's "I See A Darkness."
Hello! In order to comment or fave, you need to be a current kottke.org member. If you'd like to sign up for a membership to support the site and join the conversation, you can explore your options here.
Existing members can sign in here. If you're a former member, you can renew your membership.
Note: If you are a member and tried to log in, it didn't work, and now you're stuck in a neverending login loop of death, try disabling any ad blockers or extensions. Or try logging out and then back in. Still having trouble? Email me!
In order to comment or fave, you need to be a current kottke.org member. Check out your options for renewal.
If you feel like this comment goes against the grain of the community guidelines or is otherwise inappropriate, please let me know and I will take a look at it.
This thread is closed for new comments & replies. Thanks to everyone for participating!