'HURT': A Semiotic Study
There is evidently something significant about Johnny Cash's cover of the song 'Hurt'.
Originally written out of a painful struggle with substance-abuse and self-harm (by a 29-year-old Trent Reznor), Cash sings the song at the ripe age of 70 - at the dusk of his career, failing in health and aware of death's imminence (Kamp, 2004).
Cash's take on the song, in communion with its highly raw and confronting video, brought to music an honest construct of a prominent artist, and challenged society's (and the music industry's) conception of fame and mortality.
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"I enjoyed doing the 'Hurt' video because I felt we were doing something worthwhile, that it was something kind of special... I was there right in the middle of the thing. So after it was put together, I watched with a critical eye to see what I could find wrong with it. |
The video clip for Hurt is raised in any reflection of the greatest ever music videos, including NME crowning it the 'Greatest Video of All Time' (NME, 2011). It is described in such terms as "disturbing" (Hudak, 2014), "heart-wrenching" (Hooton, 2015) and "shocking" (Kamp, 2004) in its unconcealed depiction of its subject.
“I pop the video in, and wow… Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps… Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore…" - Trent Reznor (Burnett, 2013) [bold added].
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FywSzjRq0e4
Much of the clip's prominence comes from its rarity. Mark Romanek, the clip's director, admitted that in the music industry this level of "visceral" and "emotional" intensity is “not usually what you're being asked to accomplish." (Kaufman, 2003).
"This [concept] is completely and utterly alien to what videos are supposed to be… eye candy — hip and cool and all about youth and energy. This one is about someone toward the twilight of his career, this powerful, legendary figure who is dealing with issues and emotions you're not used to encountering in videos." - Romanek (Kaufman, 2003)
There is no denying the video's arresting affect over those who watch it. In the clip below, Romanek and Rick Rubin (the song's producer), along with a range of fellow artists (Reznor at 2:20), express the emotional poignancy of the clip; sharing their sentiments:
Source: https://youtu.be/gg8xYSWOFR8?t=51s
"His music has always been extremely candid, that's what I wanted to draw from.
I didn't want to make a phony video.
I wanted to tell the truth."- Mark Romanek (Kaufman, 2003).
With a unique, defiant dedication to honest storytelling, in its unvarnished depiction of the aged state of a musical icon (amongst a media plastered with young artists, in video clips constructed for shallow entertainment), the Hurt video, and its protagonist Cash, issued a courageously unfeigned commentary to the ideology of fame representation. The term ideology, though elusive to define, can be simplified as being a system of beliefs that a particular group comes to hold as true -
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“Ideologies may be very succinctly defined as the basis of the social representations shared by members of a group… ideologies allow people, as group members, to organize the multitude of social beliefs about what is the case, good or bad, right or wrong, for them, and to act accordingly” (van Dijk, 1998, p. 8).
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"By ideology I mean the mental frameworks — the languages, the concepts, categories, imagery of thought, and the systems of representation — which different classes and social groups deploy in order to make sense of, figure out and render intelligible the way society works" - Stuart Hall (van Dijk, 1998, p. 9).
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With an all-too-common glorification of artists, as somehow 'super-human', from groups in authority to permeate ideals to audiences, the ideological view of fame and material wealth that filters to the general public is one observed through rose-coloured glasses. Those who interact with these designs perceive the conveyed glamour, the nobility and the charm to be what is true. In presenting a lesser-seen frailty and vulnerability to the idealistic image of a famous artist, the Hurt clip challenges the dominant ideology of the romanced nature of fame - by so potently explicating its mortality, materialism and transience.
With the concepts connoted through the signs within the clip, and their interaction with this dominant ideology, commonly-held views about prestige and stardom are stylistically dissipated - the audience is aimed at being enlightened to see the humanity behind iconic figures. In doing so, the weight of classism, and the fibre of secular idolatry, is disputed - with the evident reality that we are all the same in our mortality.
“He [Cash] was very stoic… He was from the old school, where you suffered, and it was, you know, like an art. You just did it, you didn’t talk about it” - Rosanne Cash (Cash’s eldest child) (Kamp, 2004).
Within the Hurt video, so expertly edited by Robert Duffy, the viewer is presented with four main backdrops to the story, each containing various signs and artistic conventions that give meaningful discourse to the whole account of the clip.
The first subdivision is Johnny Cash in 'present-time' - in his home in Tennessee, singing 'Hurt' (under the loving watch of his wife, June). A stand-out feature of these scenes is the bold colouring - the intriguing yellow tinge across the screen and the bright yellow background surrounding Cash's silhouette at the piano.
In analysing the creative decision to use yellow in these scenes, it is important to consider the colour as a sign, with its perceived symbolism and various connotative implications - individually, and within a wider pretence (how its inferences address the dominant ideologies and themes being addressed).
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"I define a sign as anything which is so determined by something else, called its Object, and so determines an effect upon a person, which effect I call its Interpretant, that the later is thereby mediately determined by the former"
- Charles Sanders Peirce (Atkin, 2010). |
Yellow is a sign used within this clip to communicate meaning to the viewer. As a signifier it represents the signified, or "...the object to which the written or uttered word attaches" (Atkin, 2010); expressed denotatively or connotatively. The denotation of the yellow (that is, its literal, one-to-one relationship with the signifier), is that of a visual effect, with a physiological impact (to be captured by our eyes, and classified by our brain). The connotation of the yellow, however, accounts for the polysemous nature of the sign, by discovering its implied meanings and attributes underlying its structure (Garza-Cuarón,1991); providing deeper relevance in this clip.
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“I love the idea of being involved in telling a story" - Hurt's colourist, Beau Leon (nominated for Best Colourist/Telecine at the 2003 Billboard Music Video Production Association Awards) (Giardina, 2012).
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Yellow, specifically the tone used, is often associated with a feeling of warmth - it has a pure and peaceful quality to it, and (allied with an analogous palette) gives this scene an overarching harmonious comfort. Along with the old-fashioned objects within the set, this space emits an air of antiquity - reminiscent of an era bygone - a beauty and character, forgotten, replaced.
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These attributes align with how German poet and artist Johann Wolfgang von Goethe described yellow in his Theory of Colours (1810). He called the colour "good" (gut), "serene" and "noble" - of "utmost purity and beauty" (Popova, 2012). Yellow in the clip connotes an honesty; projecting that this scene, the story being depicted, is an enlightening reality.
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Goethe's Colour Wheel, designed in 1809
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"I'm not bitter. Why should I be bitter?
I'm thrilled to death with life" - Cash (Larry King Live, 2002). |
The saturation of the yellow in the clip is reminiscent of a setting sun - the end of the day. This time is symbolic of the career and life of Cash also being near its end. Incorporating a 'stained-glass' nature to the yellow in conveying Cash's 'hurt' provides a unique view of pain - not focusing on its darkness (such as a cliché greyscale colouring would) but giving it a reflective quality; contextualising it within the grander scheme of life, and its cycles. It is not a message of anger and bitterness, but a calm sigh of nostalgic resignation to the realities of life - realities every viewer has to face. |
"Creative people have to be fed from the divine source.
I have to get fed.
I had to get filled up in order to pour out." - Cash (Academy of Achievement, 1998).
A startlingly unusual sight within the scenes of Cash in his home is that of the banquet, where (denotatively) Cash is seated at the head of a dining table, laced with an extravagant display of food platters (an amazingly beautiful exhibit by production designer Ruby Guidara).
The banquet is a sign that holds great connotative meaning, in its symbolic relationship to the ideologies of fame and wealth.
The banquet is a sign that holds great connotative meaning, in its symbolic relationship to the ideologies of fame and wealth.
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Banquets are traditionally symbolic of riches, an elite class, and here is shown an abundance of expensive tastes (with close-ups of the lobster, fish and caviar). Accompanying this is the idea that banquets (especially as superfluous as this one), are typically held in celebration and recognition of something or someone. With these symbolic undertones in the scene, it can be connoted that here is a feast belonging to Cash, as a representation of the earthly platter of success.
Banquets are traditionally symbolic of riches, an elite class, and here is shown an abundance of expensive tastes (with close-ups of the lobster, fish and caviar). Accompanying this is the idea that banquets (especially as superfluous as this one), are typically held in celebration and recognition of something or someone. With these symbolic undertones in the scene, it can be connoted that here is a feast belonging to Cash, as a representation of the earthly platter of success.
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The image of overflowing, fresh produce is a symbol of a desired abundance, that people's mouths would water over - like the image of fame, with its illustrious promise of excess.
But here we are to question its legitimacy - is it real, or just a mirage? Unlike a scene of typical celebration, Cash sits alone, not consuming an inch of his 'wealth'. Instead, he literally pours wine over it, hand shaking, as he stares through the camera with the words "you could have it all, my empire of dirt". |
The signs connote a message that, while fame is so often depicted as holding the key to making one happy, making one 'full', it is an illusion, a fallacy. This is in belligerent opposition to the dominant ideology of the satisfaction of corporeal riches (like most film clips, which participate, so to say, in the banquet of fame). With the 'prizes' of fame laid before him, Cash sits, old and weathered, defiantly denouncing its value; reminding viewers that even when 'the world gives you everything', there is a thirst that cannot be quenched by material possessions.
"There's no way around grief or loss: you can dodge all you want, but sooner or later you just have to go into it, through it, and hopefully, come out on the other side." - Cash (Cash, 2003, p. 27).
Some of the most symbolically-dense and compelling images present in the clip are those depicting the Crucifixion of Jesus. Interestingly, this is the only sign akin to the original Nine Inch Nails video clip (indicating a symbolism linked very closely to the song's message).
Another sign of struggle - the pressure of life overbearing - connecting to Jesus under the cross.
Aside from the primary theological significance of the sign, particular semiotic value lies in its denotation of physical pain. This ties to both the lyrics of the song and, more specifically, to the ailing physical condition of Cash at the time, who, suffering with Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy, was "in a tremendous amount of pain"
(Rick Rubin) (Kamp, 2004).
Aside from the primary theological significance of the sign, particular semiotic value lies in its denotation of physical pain. This ties to both the lyrics of the song and, more specifically, to the ailing physical condition of Cash at the time, who, suffering with Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy, was "in a tremendous amount of pain"
(Rick Rubin) (Kamp, 2004).
Being that Cash was a deeply devout Christian, it is very likely that the symbol of the Crucifixion within this clip holds a more complex meaning, as an icon of the religious concepts surrounding Jesus.
Here is connoted the spiritual counterpart of those worldly pleasures and promises that have been previously deemed unfulfilling, unimportant and impermanent.
The scenes of the Crucifixion are introduced to the clip during the visual and aural build-up of fervency (beginning from about 3:05); augmenting the emotional intensity to strike the viewer, with its brutal depiction of physical anguish.
The viewer is being prompted, as through the entire clip, to connect to the humanity of Cash - above and beyond status and class is a common people, who bleed the same blood… Pain is not escaped through fame and fortune.
The viewer is being prompted, as through the entire clip, to connect to the humanity of Cash - above and beyond status and class is a common people, who bleed the same blood… Pain is not escaped through fame and fortune.
“The [House of Cash Museum] was in such a state of dereliction. That’s when I got the idea that maybe we could be extremely candid about the state of Johnny’s health” - Romanek (Hooten, 2015)
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A further sign of the materialism of fame, and Cash's declining physical health, is the House of Cash - a memorabilia museum originally run by his mother (Kamp, 2004).
The shots of this scene literally depict a collection of lifeless objects. Its connotations lie in the pervasion of cold abandonment - the physical rewards and accolades of Cash’s musical achievements laying broken, dispassionately alone. Although, the ‘abandonment’ was due to flood damage, the symbolism of the decrepit state still rings true. It challenges materialism by conveying the impermanence of the physical world, its temporariness - like Cash's own debilitated body. It alludes again, to Cash desiring spiritual, not earthly, fulfillment, and asks the viewers to contest the dominant ideology - the sparkling view of fame and its objects - by seeing the objectivity and fallibility of these signs of success. |
"I wanted to do two things - I wanted to celebrate this legend and his achievements but also be very candid about what Johnny's life is like right now." - Romanek (Kaufman, 2003).
The archival footage of Cash used in the video, standing out against the real-time scenes of him in old age, is what is arguably the defining feature of the clip. There is power in this story's contradiction - the imposing figure, the renowned name, the rebellious artist who wore black and performed in prisons, is now 70 years old, trembling with illness, singing in a somewhat deprecating manner, wavering in pitch as he questions 'what he has become'. All whilst fragmented footage of his stronger, youthful days flash past the screen, as they would through one's own memory.
Denotatively, it is a collection of footage of a person shown at different ages, in different settings, with varying expressions. Through the conventions of flashback and juxtaposition however, it elicits greater connotative significance, in the comparison between the ‘then’ Johnny Cash, and the ‘now’ Johnny Cash. The flashbacks begin after Cash speaks the words “I remember everything”, which brings a more retrospective intention to the scene. This, along with the constant intercutting between vibrant images of Cash, past and present, connotes that this is a man looking back on his life - and the audience is wrought to do it with him.
The pace of the ever-changing images is brought to its peak like a whirlwind, partnered with the build-up of the music, to punctuate the extremity between Cash’s past and present state, and the harsh reality of his present tense. Without a chronological sequence to settle in, the sense of urgency rises, as the audience is prompted to muse the fleetingness of time, its slipping reality... Begging the question: what will we have in the end?
The pace of the ever-changing images is brought to its peak like a whirlwind, partnered with the build-up of the music, to punctuate the extremity between Cash’s past and present state, and the harsh reality of his present tense. Without a chronological sequence to settle in, the sense of urgency rises, as the audience is prompted to muse the fleetingness of time, its slipping reality... Begging the question: what will we have in the end?
"I think that's what grabs people: Mortality is a very unusual topic for this medium. But I ascribe most of the power to the Johnny Cash-ness of it all." - Romanek (Binelli, 2003).
The semiotics of Cash's 'Hurt' video clip, along with the song, provided an eerie precursor to Cash's soon-to-be passing. Johnny was to pass seven months after the filming of the clip, with his wife, June, preceding him by four months. The song and its film clip became a perfect epitaph for a career that lasted over fifty years, and remains a beautiful centrepiece among a lifetime of Cash's passionately honest creativity.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad6UBAwbNsE
The clip's importance has not weakened with age, and still stands out as an anarchic debunk of the frequent dependance on falsity within music. Unlike many today, the clip did not conform to the escapism fuelled by the industry, in the need to glorify and beautify, to produce an idealistic image of the famous.
The reality is shown in 'Hurt' - eventually life turns stale, and nothing, and no one, is exempt from the mortality and infirmity of life... In the astute words of Cash himself:
The reality is shown in 'Hurt' - eventually life turns stale, and nothing, and no one, is exempt from the mortality and infirmity of life... In the astute words of Cash himself:
"The money, the clothes, the furniture...
It's all fleeting.
As fame is fleeting, so are all the trappings of fame fleeting."
- Johnny Cash, 2002.
(D'Angelo, 2003).
It's all fleeting.
As fame is fleeting, so are all the trappings of fame fleeting."
- Johnny Cash, 2002.
(D'Angelo, 2003).
References:
Academy Of Achievement. (1998). Johnny Cash Interview: Music’s Man in Black. Retrieved 9 November 2016, from http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/cas0int-3
Atkin, A. (2010). “Peirce's Theory of Signs”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved 6 November 2016, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/peirce-semiotics/#BasSigStr
Binelli, M. (2003, February 20). “Johnny Cash Makes 'Em Hurt”. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 November 2016, from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/johnny-cash-makes-em-hurt-20030220
Burnett, Z. (2013, July 29). “‘Hurt’: That Time When Johnny Cash Stole Trent Reznor’s Best Song”. The Thought Catalog. Retrieved 6 November 2016, from http://thoughtcatalog.com/zaron-burnett-iii/2013/07/hurt-that-time-when-johnny-cash-stole-trent-reznors-best-song/
Cash, Johnny. (2003). Cash: The Autobiography. New York: HarperOne.
D’Angelo, J. (2003, August 3). “Johnny Cash Says Unlike Most Videos, ‘Hurt’ Wasn’t Too Painful”. MTV Music News. Retrieved from http://www.mtv.com/news/1477648/johnny-cash-says-unlike-most-videos-hurt-wasnt-too-painful/
Garza-Cuarón, B. (1991). Connotation and Meaning. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter.
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Giardina, C. (2012, October 1). “Company 3 Grows Its Talent Roster With Veteran Film Colorist Beau Leon”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 10 November 2016, from http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/company-3-beau-leon-colorist-375516
Hooten, C. (2015, October 7). “The story behind Johnny Cash’s ‘Hurt’, still the saddest music video of all time”. Independent. Retrieved 5 November, from: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-story-behind-johnny-cash-s-hurt-still-the-saddest-music-video-of-all-time-a6683371.html
Hudak, J. (2014, July 24). “Flashback: Johnny Cash's 'Hurt' Feels MTV Love”. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 5 November 2016, from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-johnny-cashs-hurt-feels-mtv-love-20140724
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Kaufman, G. (2003, February 26). “Johnny Cash’s ‘Hurt’ Delves Into Life of Former Hell-raiser: VMA Lens Recap”. MTV News. Retrieved 8 November, 2016 from http://www.mtv.com/news/1470173/johnny-cashs-hurt-delves-into-life-of-former-hell-raiser-vma-lens-recap/
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van Dijk, T. A. (1998). Ideology: A Multidisciplinary Approach. London: SAGE Publications.
