Play it Again, Sam #21a - "Hurt"

Tweet

I'm not exactly going out on a limb here when I say that when I announced this Play it Again, Sam music series, you probably saw this one coming a mile away, so we might as well trot it out today. As always, Play it Again, Sam, is a two part discussion consisting of an original song followed by a cover of that song. We are at #21a, the "original:" "Hurt," by Nine Inch Nails. A gloomy, depressing song, "Hurt" is from Nine Inch Nails' great 1994 album, The Downward Spiral, their second. Written by Trent Reznor, who played every instrument other than drums on the tune, "Hurt" is what an ex-girlfriend of mine used to call "slit your wrists music" (she didn't care much for my CD collection!) The song is much debated by fans, who, according to Wikipedia, insist that it's either about overcoming heroin addiction and self harm, or a suicide note, or a battle with severe depression. None of those really make for Top 40 material, but "Hurt," released as a promotional single in 1995, did alright for itself, reaching #8 on both the Billboard Alternative Songs and the Canadian RPM Rock/Alternative charts. You already know where I'm going with this. Or do you? Stay tuned! (Info verified by Wikipedia)