Remembering Johnny Cash with three emotional music videos

Three years after his death, one of his biggest hits, “The Man in Black,” landed in the charts.

As we remember Johnny Cash today, on the anniversary of his death in 2003, we watch for the millionth time the astonishing music video for his powerful rendition of the classic American folk song “God's Gonna Cut You Down” – a version so distinctive that it is instantly recognizable by the pounding industrial sound of its clap-and-stomp intro, and so powerful that it has been sampled in everything from movie soundtracks (most recently in the trailer for Taylor Sheridan's Those who wish me death) to television commercials for Jeep Grand Cherokees.

Cash's version was originally recorded in 2003 for American V: One Hundred Highways — which was released three years after his death and became his first No. 1 album in 37 years. (Fun fact: The album's title is derived from one of Cash's favorite Rod McKuen songs, “Love's Been Good to Me.”) For the video, which is credited as the brainchild of Justin Timberlake, director Tony Kaye (American History X) gathered a diverse crowd of Cash friends and admirers, including everyone from Kris Kristofferson to Kayne West, Kid Rock to Sheryl Crow, Brian Wilson to Owen Wilson. And many more.

When we talk about powerful Johnny Cash videos, we obviously have to acknowledge his very best – in fact, one of the best music videos of all time: From his album The man comes by“Hurt.” It started as a song written by Trent Reznor and recorded with his group Nine Inch Nails. But after seeing the video by Mark Romanek (One hour photo), Reznor responded: “Wow. I just lost my girlfriend because I don't own that song anymore.” Or as Bono later noted: “Trent Reznor was born to write that song, but Johnny Cash was born to sing it and Mark Romanek was born to film it.”

Here's the story behind the video. And here's the video – which, fittingly, is the very last thing you see when you leave the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville.

And another one: probably the best Johnny Cash song that Cash never recorded. In 2018, Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, released Johnny Cash: Words Forevera sophisticated collection of songs, drawn from Cash's previously unknown poems, lyrics and letters, and set to music by an outstanding selection of contemporary artists. Rosanne Cash, Johnny's eldest daughter, contributed what is undoubtedly the album's most moving song, “The Walking Wounded,” and shot an accompanying video with director David McClister. The Man in Black would have been proud.

More cash

Here we look back at Johnny Cash's best film and television performances and discuss the unique significance of his famous Folsom Prison concert. Earlier this year we spoke to award-winning producer John Carter Cash, Johnny's son, about his new album, Songwriter – a compilation of rediscovered and updated recordings of his legendary father.