3 Johnny Cash Songs That Even People Who Don’t Like Country Will Enjoy

Johnny Cash is up there with the greats of country music, and plenty of people in and out of country music fandom know his tunes very well. But if you’re not a fan of country music, you might have avoided listening to much of Cash’s work. The following three songs will likely turn you into a fan anyway.

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“Hurt” from ‘American IV: The Man Comes Around’ (2003)

This late-career (and late-life) era for Johnny Cash was a fascinating one. Rick Rubin really did know how to revive careers for a new era. That is best evidenced by the success of the last handful of albums Cash released. One of those albums, American IV: The Man Comes Around, boasts a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt”. Originally an industrial rock song, Cash definitely gave it a folky feel that sounded marginally like country music, mainly because his voice is so closely associated with country music. This song is a Southern Gothic classic that really belongs to Cash now, and it definitely made a lot of country fans and industrial rock fans shed a tear back in the day.

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” from ‘American V: A Hundred Highways’ (2006)

Another late-career hit, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” was recorded the year Johnny Cash passed and released in 2006. Technically, this folk blues jam is a cover of an age-old traditional folk song that can be traced back to the 1940s, possibly earlier. Most versions of this song are very in line with the traditional gospel sound. Cash’s version, though, has some grit to it with a touch of blues and country. Even if you’re not a country fan, you might have seen the music video. The black and white short film features a laundry list of celebrities. A few include Travis Barker, Johnny Depp, Whoopi Goldberg, Kris Kristofferson, and dozens more.

“Man In Black” from ‘Man In Black’ (1971)

If you’re a fan of protest music, this Johnny Cash will likely pique your interest. It’s one of Cash’s most well-known songs, a self-referential tune that touches on why he often wore all black to his performances. However, this song goes much deeper than fashion. “Man In Black” is a clear-cut protest song about how horribly wealthy politicians treat the poor, the Vietnam War, and mass incarceration. 

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