Flashback: Johnny Cash's 'Hurt' Feels MTV Love

With its vulnerable, brave delineation of Johnny Cash's breakable health, the video for Cash's abrupt estimation of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" captured the absorption of not alone the country community, but the absolute music industry. Even MTV, again still in the affliction of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, accustomed the ablaze force of "Hurt. If the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards nominations were appear 11 years ago today, Cash's blow accustomed six nods, including one for Video of the Year.

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Directed by Mark Romanek, the "Hurt" video cautiously intertwined images of Cash, 71 at the time, with footage of the Man in Black in his prime. He's apparent bent trains, assuming his acclaimed bastille concerts and adulatory with wife June Carter Cash. Cash's longtime adulation aswell appeared in the video, befitting watch over her declining husband's accept as he strummed his guitar; she would die anon afterward, in May 2003.

It is the images of two houses, however, that bear the video's gut-punch. In a flashback, Cash is apparent visiting his adolescence home in Dyess, Arkansas. It is in disrepair, battered and alone - in apparent adverse to the advancing advance of the acreage today by Arkansas State University. The added home is appropriately damaged: Cash's already accessible museum, the House of Cash in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just alfresco of Nashville. Full of arenaceous awards, statues and added already accordant ephemera, the shuttered accolade to Cash's heyday was a allegory for the Country Music Hall of Fame member's own torn body.

Despite its six Video Music Awards nominations, Romanek's "Hurt" would win alone one Moonman trophy, for Best Cinematography, if the VMAs were captivated on August 28th, 2003. Justin Timberlake, however, would address his bays for Best Male Video, for "Cry Me a River," to adolescent appointee Cash from the stage. "My grandfathering aloft me on Johnny Cash. I'm from Tennessee. And I anticipate he deserves this added than any of us in actuality tonight," Timberlake said.

Cash died the afterward month, on September 12th, from respiratory abortion due to complications from diabetes. "Hurt," to many, stands as his final goodbye.