3 Covers by Johnny Cash That Will Sound Amazing Forever

Johnny Cash wasn’t just a songwriter. He wasn’t just a performer. He was a style all his own. With his deep voice and deep sense of Americana, Cash was a host unto himself. And if he covered one of your songs, that meant he instantly made it his own. Just ask some of the greatest songwriters and rock stars ever.

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Here below, we wanted to highlight three times Cash did just that. We wanted to dive into three recordings from Cash that may have made fans think he’d written the song he was performing. Indeed, these are three indelible covers by Johnny Cash that will live forever. Some of these versions of famous songs are even more memorable than the originals!

“Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” from ‘Orange Blossom Special’ (1965)

In 1964, music fans at the Newport Folk Festival were privy to a live performance by Johnny Cash. During that set, he played Bob Dylan’s iconic track, “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”. A year later, Cash released a cover of the tune on his 1965 LP, Orange Blossom Special. With that familiar chunking guitar and Cash’s signature voice, the song becomes something else equally impressive. Bob Dylan’s original version might be the most memorable, but Cash’s take is worth its salt.

“Long Black Veil” from ‘Orange Blossom Special’ (1965)

Also on Cash’s 1965 LP, Orange Blossom Special, this cover of the Lefty Frizzell song gets your heartstrings ringing. It’s an incredible story of love and death and sacrifice. You’re listening to every word from Cash’s woodgrain voice, following the tragedy like an audience member in a Shakespeare play. It’s wonderful stuff.

“Hurt” from ‘American IV: The Man Comes Around’ (2002)

You can’t talk about Johnny Cash covers without mentioning this track. Originally by Nine Inch Nails, Cash brought a solemn brittleness to the song. Coming off Cash’s tongue, the tune sounded like a final letter left on a deathbed. It was the punctuation mark, in many ways, to a decades-long career that touched upwards of a billion people.

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