American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)

American IV: The Man Comes Around is the 67th studio album by American country musician Johnny Cash, and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on November 5, 2002, through American and Universal Records. It is the fourth entry in Cash's American series of albums, considered by many critics to be his finest work towards the end of his life. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

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."

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. Thomson 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."

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" and "Streets of Laredo" were 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.

Personnel

Johnny Cash – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, arranger, adaptation

Don Henley – drums, keyboards, vocals (11)

Fiona Apple – vocals (4)

Nick Cave – vocals (12)

• Mike Campbell, John Frusciante, Randy Scruggs – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Thom Bresh, Jeff Hanna, Kerry Marx, Marty Stuart – acoustic guitar
• Smokey Hormel – acoustic guitar, slide guitar, electric guitar
• Jack Clement – Dobro
• Joey Waronker – drums
• David R. Ferguson – ukulele (9), engineer, mixing
• Laura Cash – fiddle, production assistant
• Terry Harrington – clarinet

Benmont Tench – organ, piano, harmonium, keyboards, Mellotron, vibraphone, pipe organ, Wurlitzer electric piano

Roger Manning – piano, tack piano, harmonium, Mellotron, Chamberlin, orchestra bells

Billy Preston – piano, keyboards (7, 13)

• Rick Rubin – producer
• John Carter Cash – producer, engineer
• Thom Russo, Andrew Scheps, Chuck Turner – engineers
• Vladimir Meller – mastering
• Christine Cano – art direction, design
• Martyn Atkins – photography
• Lindsay Chase – production coordination
• Dwight Hume, Jimmy Tittle – production assistants