American IV: The Man Comes Around
Final studio album released during Johnny Cash's lifetime.
American IV: The Man Comes Around, Johnny Cash's 67th studio album, arrived on November 5, 2002, via American and Universal Records. It marked the fourth installment in his American series and was the final album he released while alive. Critics widely regard it as among his strongest late-career work, and it earned a spot in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
Most tracks are covers, reworked in Cash's signature stripped-down fashion with producer Rick Rubin. For "Personal Jesus," Rubin brought in Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante to reshape Martin Gore's song into a bluesy acoustic piece. Guest vocalists include Fiona Apple, Nick Cave, and Don Henley. Though this was Cash's last lifetime release, the Unearthed box set was assembled before his death, with Cash selecting its tracks and writing liner notes.
The album became Cash's first non-compilation to go gold in three decades. It won Album of the Year at the 2003 CMA Awards, and the RIAA certified it gold on March 24, 2003, and platinum on November 21, 2003—again, his first non-compilation to achieve platinum since the early 1970s. The video for "Hurt," originally by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, earned seven MTV Video Music Award nominations in 2003, winning Best Cinematography. Days before his 71st birthday in 2003, Cash won a Grammy for "Give My Love to Rose," a song he first recorded in the late 1950s. He also received a nomination that year for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for his "Bridge over Troubled Water" duet with Fiona Apple. The "Hurt" video additionally won Best Short Form Video in 2004.
Trent Reznor admitted initial concern that Cash covering "Hurt" might feel gimmicky, but upon hearing the song and seeing the video, he was deeply moved, calling it beautiful and meaningful, and stated, "that song isn't mine anymore." Graeme Thomson's book The Resurrection of Johnny Cash notes worries about Cash's health during recording; he suffered multiple ailments and lost most of his vision, with sessions interrupted by hospital stays. Thomson quotes singer Will Oldham suggesting the tape should have been turned off to focus on helping Cash as a living performer.
Six tracks had been previously recorded by Cash. "Give My Love to Rose" appeared on his 1960 album Sings Hank Williams.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Johnny Cash
- Released
- November 5, 2002
- Recorded
- 2002
- Studio
- American Recording Studios
- Genre
- Country
- Length
- 51:55
- Label
- American Recordings; Universal
- Producer
- Rick Rubin; John Carter Cash
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
American IV: The Man Comes Around was Cash's first non-compilation album to go gold in thirty years, and won Album of the Year at the 2003 CMA Awards. The recording sessions were marked by Cash's declining health; he suffered from multiple health problems and had lost most of his vision, with hospital stays interrupting the work. Producer Rick Rubin enlisted John Frusciante to rework an acoustic version of "Personal Jesus," stripping it to a blues style. The album's cover of "Hurt," originally by Nine Inch Nails, became iconic: its music video was nominated in seven categories at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards and won Best Cinematography, and later won Best Short Form Video in 2004. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor said he was initially worried the cover might be gimmicky but found it deeply moving, stating "that song isn't mine anymore."
Reader's Guide
American IV: The Man Comes Around stands as a landmark in Johnny Cash's late-career resurgence, demonstrating his ability to reinterpret contemporary songs with stark emotional power. The album's success—achieving gold and platinum certifications, the first non-compilation albums to do so since the early 1970s—underscored Cash's enduring relevance. The cover of "Hurt" became a cultural touchstone, with its video winning major awards and earning praise from the original songwriter. Cash also won a Grammy in 2003 for "Give My Love to Rose," a song he had originally recorded in the late 1950s, and was nominated for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for his "Bridge over Troubled Water" duet with Fiona Apple. The album's inclusion in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die reflects its critical esteem. Though Cash died shortly after its release, the album cemented his legacy as a master interpreter and a voice of profound authenticity.
Track listing
Side A
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Man Comes Around | Johnny Cash | 4:26 |
| 2 | Hurt | Trent Reznor | 3:38 |
| 3 | Give My Love to Rose | Johnny Cash | 3:28 |
| 4 | Bridge Over Troubled Water (with Fiona Apple) | Paul Simon | 3:55 |
Side B
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Hung My Head | Sting | 3:53 |
| 2 | First Time Ever I Saw Your Face | Ewan MacColl | 3:52 |
| 3 | Personal Jesus | Martin Gore | 3:20 |
| 4 | In My Life | Lennon–McCartney | 2:57 |
Side C
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Hall | Tex Ritter | 2:40 |
| 2 | Danny Boy | Frederic Weatherly | 3:19 |
| 3 | Desperado (with Don Henley) | Glenn Frey, Don Henley | 3:13 |
| 4 | I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (duet with Nick Cave) | Hank Williams | 3:03 |
| 5 | Streets of Laredo | Traditional | 3:33 |
Track listing from the source article.
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