American IV: The Man Comes Around

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American IV: The Man Comes Around
AmericanIV.jpg
Studio album by
Johnny Cash
ReleasedNovember 5, 2002
Recorded2002
StudioAmerican Recording Studios
Genre
  • Folk
  • folk rock
  • country
  • Americana
  • Southern gothic
Length51:55
Label
Producer
Johnny Cash chronology
Johnny Cash at Madison Square Garden
(2002) 		American IV: The Man Comes Around
(2002) 		Unearthed
(2003)
American series chronology
American III: Solitary Man
(2000) 		American IV: The Man Comes Around
(2002) 		Unearthed
(2003)
Singles from American IV: The Man Comes Around
  1. "Personal Jesus"
    Released: September 30, 2002
  2. "Hurt"
    Released: February 10, 2003
  3. "The Man Comes Around"
    Released: July 15, 2014
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic70/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic2.5/5 stars[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[3]
The Guardian4/5 stars[4]
Los Angeles Times3.5/4 stars[5]
Mojo4.5/5 stars[6]
Pitchfork6.9/10[7]
Robert ChristgauA−[8]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars[9]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5 stars[10]
Uncut4/5 stars[11]

American IV: The Man Comes Around is a studio album by Johnny Cash. It was released on November 5, 2002, by American Recordings and Universal Records. It is the fourth in Cash's "American" series of albums, and the last album released during his lifetime. The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[12]

Background[]

The majority of songs are covers which Cash performs in his own sparse style, with help from producer Rick Rubin. For instance, for the song "Personal Jesus", Rubin asked Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante to re-work an acoustic version of Martin Gore's song, which featured a simple acoustic riff that stripped down the song to a blues style. He receives backing vocal assistance from various artists, including Fiona Apple, Nick Cave, and Don Henley.

American IV was the final album Johnny Cash released during his lifetime; though the Unearthed box set was compiled prior to his death, with Cash choosing the tracks and writing liner notes. American IV: The Man Comes Around was Cash's first non-compilation album to go gold in thirty years. Additionally, the album won "Album of the Year" award at the 2003 CMA Awards. It was certified gold on March 24, 2003 and platinum on November 21, 2003 by the Recording Industry Association of America, the first non-compilation album of Cash's to do so since the early 1970s.

The video for "Hurt," a song written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and originally released in 1994, was nominated in seven categories at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards and won the award for Best Cinematography. In 2003, mere days before his 71st birthday, Cash won a Grammy for "Give My Love to Rose", a song Cash had originally recorded in the late 1950s. Cash was also nominated that year for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for his "Bridge over Troubled Water" cover with Fiona Apple. The music video for "Hurt" also won the award for Best Short Form Video in 2004.

Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor admitted that he was initially "flattered" but worried that "the idea of Cash covering 'Hurt' sounded a bit gimmicky," but when he heard the song and saw the video for the first time, Reznor said he was deeply moved and found Cash's cover beautiful and meaningful, going as far as to say "that song isn't mine anymore."[13]

Graeme Thomson, in The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings, has discussed concern about Cash's health during the recording. Cash was suffering from multiple health problems and had lost most of his vision, with recording sessions interrupted by hospital stays. Thompson quotes singer Will Oldham: "We should turn and switch off the tape when our listening energy would be better spent helping a living songwriter/performer."[14]

Previous recordings[]

Six songs featured on the album had previously been recorded by Cash.

  • "Give My Love to Rose" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1960 album Sings Hank Williams.
  • "Sam Hall" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1965 album Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West.
  • "Danny Boy" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1965 album Orange Blossom Special.
  • "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1960 album Now, There Was a Song!
  • "Tear Stained Letter" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1972 album A Thing Called Love.
  • "Streets of Laredo" was previously recorded by Cash for his 1965 album Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West.

Track listing[]

Original double LP record release

Side A
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Man Comes Around"Johnny Cash4:26
2."Hurt"Trent Reznor3:38
3."Give My Love to Rose"Johnny Cash3:28
4."Bridge Over Troubled Water" (with Fiona Apple)Paul Simon3:55
Side B
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Hung My Head"Sting3:53
2."First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"Ewan MacColl3:52
3."Personal Jesus"Martin Gore3:20
4."In My Life"Lennon–McCartney2:57
Side C
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sam Hall"Tex Ritter2:40
2."Danny Boy"Frederick Weatherly3:19
3."Desperado" (with Don Henley)Glenn Frey/Don Henley3:13
4."I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (duet with Nick Cave)Hank Williams3:03
5."Streets of Laredo"Traditional3:33
Side D
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Wichita Lineman"Jimmy Webb3:03
2."Big Iron"Marty Robbins3:52
3."Tear Stained Letter"Johnny Cash3:41
4."We'll Meet Again" (with The Whole Cash Gang)Hughie Charles/Ross Parker2:58
CD release, 2014 LP record reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Man Comes Around"Johnny Cash4:26
2."Hurt"Trent Reznor3:38
3."Give My Love to Rose"Johnny Cash3:28
4."Bridge Over Troubled Water" (with Fiona Apple)Paul Simon3:55
5."I Hung My Head"Sting3:53
6."The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face"Ewan MacColl3:52
7."Personal Jesus"Martin Gore3:20
8."In My Life"Lennon–McCartney2:57
9."Sam Hall"Tex Ritter2:40
10."Danny Boy"Frederick Weatherly3:19
11."Desperado" (with Don Henley)Glenn Frey/Don Henley3:13
12."I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (duet with Nick Cave)Hank Williams3:03
13."Tear Stained Letter"Johnny Cash3:41
14."Streets of Laredo"Traditional3:33
15."We'll Meet Again" (with The Whole Cash Gang)Hughie Charles/Ross Parker2:58

The LP release features a different track order as well as two additional songs, "Wichita Lineman" and "Big Iron", which were both later released on Unearthed.

Personnel[]

Charts[]

Album - Billboard (United States)

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Platinum 100,000^
Germany (BVMI)[32] Platinum 300,000^
Sweden (GLF)[33] Gold 30,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[36] Platinum 1,600,000[35]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[37] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

In popular culture[]

  • "The Man Comes Around" is used in:
  • "Hurt" is used in:
    • The tribute video to late professional wrestler Eddie Guerrero who died from heart failure in late 2005.
    • The soundtrack to the Criminal Minds episode "Elephant's Memory", which also uses "The Man Comes Around".
    • A documentary on Amy Winehouse.
    • The closing credits of the eighth episode of Smallville`s third season, "Shattered".
    • The end credits of the 2011 action film Colombiana.
    • The intro of the Person of Interest episode "The Devil's Share."
    • The teaser trailer for the 2017 movie Logan.
  • "I Hung My Head" is used in:
  • "In My Life" is used in a promotional commercial for Kennedys’ Family Movies airing on The Learning Channel on January 30, 2011.
  • "Personal Jesus" is used in Boston Public season three episode twelve, "Chapter Fifty-Six," when Scott Guber walks in on a student poker game.

References[]

  1. ^ "American IV: The Man Comes Around - Johnny Cash". Metacritic. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  2. ^ Johnson, Zac. "American IV: The Man Comes Around – Johnny Cash". AllMusic. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. ^ Cash has once again seen that white light--yet resisted its allure--and written an apocalyptic title track and put his stamp on an eclectic batch of material. [8 Nov 2002, p.106]
  4. ^ Clarke, Betty. "Johnny Cash: The Man Comes Around". The Guardian. Retrieved November 1, 2002.
  5. ^ Hilburn, Robert. "Justin's past the goo, but not yet 'Justified'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 3, 2002.
  6. ^ If this is to be Cash's last album, then what a magnificent way he has chosen to say goodbye. [Album of the Month, Dec 2002, p.100]
  7. ^ Carr, Eric. "Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 7, 2002.
  8. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Eating Again by ROBERT CHRISTGAU". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 3, 2003.
  9. ^ Perfection, Flawed. "Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on 2004-04-04. Retrieved November 14, 2002.
  10. ^ Perfection, Flawed. "Johnny Cash - American IV: The Man Comes Around". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved September 3, 2006.
  11. ^ May be the most consistent of the four albums to date. [Jan 2003, p.122]
  12. ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (March 23, 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  13. ^ "Geoff Rickly interviews Trent Reznor". Alternative Press. June 26, 2004. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  14. ^ Thomson, G. (2011). The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption, and American Recordings. Jawbone Press, p. 220.
  15. ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  16. ^ "Johnny Cash Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  17. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  18. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  20. ^ "Johnny Cash: American IV: The Man Comes Around" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  21. ^ "Lescharts.com – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  23. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  25. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  26. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Johnny Cash – American IV: The Man Comes Around". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  28. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  29. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2003". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  30. ^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 2004". Billboard. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  31. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Johnny Cash – Man comes around". Music Canada. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  32. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Johnny Cash; 'Man comes around')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  33. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2003" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  34. ^ "British album certifications – Johnny Cash – Man comes around". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  35. ^ Garrity, Brian (February 17, 2007). "Top Rubin-Produced Albums 2000-2006". Billboard.com. p. 10.
  36. ^ "American album certifications – Johnny Cash – Man comes around". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  37. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2010". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
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