Just bought American VI : Ain’t No Grave the latest and probably last of Johnny Cash’s collaborations with Rick Rubin. I haven’t played it too much yet but I feel it’s in the same mode as the other albums and will I’m sure please all Cash fans and music lovers everywhere.

I find these albums incredibly sad, incredibly moving and actually find them very hard to listen to. I’m aware that music can be a powerful medium designed to impact upon your senses – but this guy just makes me cry.

I’m almost in tears as I write this, listening to his voice, listening to his words – so much passion so much emotion………………………….

I could not find a video from American VI so I decided to use Hurt, one of my favourite Cash/Rubin songs. Written by Trent Reznor and first released on Nine Inch Nails 1994 album The Downward Spiral. In 2002, it was one of Cash’s final releases before his death.

I hurt myself today,
to see if I still feel,
I focus on the pain,
the only thing that’s real,

The needle tears a hole,
the old familiar sting,
try to kill it all away,
but I remember everything,

(Chorus)
what have I become,
my sweetest friend,
everyone I know,
goes away in the end,

and you could have it all,
my empire of dirt,
I will let you down,
I will make you hurt,

I wear this crown of thorns,
upon my liars chair,
full of broken thoughts,
I cannot repair,

beneath the stains of time,
the feelings disappear,
you are someone else,
I am still right here,

What have I become,
my sweetest friend,
everyone I know,
goes away in the end,

and you could have it all,
my empire of dirt,
I will let you down,
I will make you hurt,

if I could start again,
a million miles away,
I will keep myself,
I would find a way.