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 liar’s 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

[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

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way

………………………
Johnny Cash covered this song on his album The Man Comes Around in 2002; it was originally written and performed by Nine Inch Nails in 1994 on their album Downward Spiral. When Johnny Cash performed this song for the first time it was an emotional experience for a lot of them, knowing his history and back ground. Johnny Cash struggled with addictions to pills for a big portion of his adult life as an musician. Johnny Cash had a relapse after being clean for several years in the mid 80’s getting hook on pain pills. It was his close friend Waylon Jennings that helps him get back on track with his life. I am a NIN fan and have been since the early 90’s when they first hit the seen, but when Johnny covered Hurt I have to tell you I think I like Johnny Cash version better than Trent Reznor version.