Hurt

About this song

"Hurt" is the closing track on The Downward Spiral, released in 1994. Its noisy, distorted instrumentation is meant to feel nearly nauseating as it builds toward the end. The song was later covered eight times, most famously by Johnny Cash, whose 2002 version is often mistaken for a Cash original. Trent Reznor has said he felt he had lost the song after seeing Cash's video.

What it's about

Fans of the band read the lyrics in two main ways: as a reflection on recovering from drug addiction, or as the final moment of the album's story, in which a character who attempted suicide survives and sees that his coping has been pointless. In the second reading, he also reflects on the legacy he has tried to build.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 7 other songs, like “Navy Blue by Charlotte Lawrence”.
• Covered 32 times, including “Hurt by Johnny Cash”.
• Written and produced by Trent Reznor.
• Recorded at Le Pig.