'American IV: The Man Comes Around' is easily one of Johnny Cash's best records. Cash died in 2003, and this came out around the time of his death. But it's a true masterpiece. Read on.

Here, Johnny covers everything, from Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt' to Hank Williams' 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' to Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' to Simon & Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.' He also covers an Eagles song ('Desperado') and a country music standard ('Streets of Laredo') here as well.

But man, can Johnny sing! In his early seventies when this was recorded, Johnny proves his voice is every bit as good as it was thirty years before. It's more raspy and deeper, sure, but it's just as good.

Overall, this is highly recommended for any Johnny Cash fan, casual or die-hard. This is easily one of the best records of the 21st Century, and it shows Johnny's true love of music, whether it be country, rock or alternative.

Highly recommended for any Johnny Cash fan. A masterpiece, plain and simple.

ENJOY!!!

This album is my very first time completely listened to Cash ! I was shocked & moved by 'First time ever I saw your face ' , never expect one can express this song like that . Then , Give my love to Rose , In my life , Hurt , Personal Jesus , changed my point of view too .

Since I have this cd , I played it hundred times & I get addicted to it . I started to collect his other works . Now I got more than 20 of his cds.

I'm still addicted & guessed it last in my lifetime !

'When the Man Comes Around' is the triumphant culmination of everything Cash exemplified in a life that revolved around living under the umbrella of grace. His songs here reflect that he was very much in touch with the idea that we are all frail, broken creatures, but that God is ever present. This is never more present than in his collaboration with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails on the song 'Hurt', a song that had different meanings for both the artists.

To Cash, 'Hurt' reflected a life spent mostly in fighting the demons of his past while living within a myriad of current loss and disappointment. The last lines to the song, "If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find a way."

The video that corresponds to the song tells the full story, that Cash felt with another chance to live, he would live more wisely and make different decisions, but that it is too late now. Camera shots of Jesus being murdered and his late wife June reflect a man who feels his failures have not only pained himself, but his wife and God as well. An empty, derelict Cash museum which reads "Closed to the public" only heightens the way Cash views his past achievements.

The rest of album resounds of everything Cash was. From the mornful tone of 'Streets of Laredo' to the flamboyant nature of 'Sam Hall', Cash shows us why he was not just a great lover of life, but a genius of bringing to life songs that would otherwise rot to death on the shelves of the American past.

The opening track also speaks of the idea that Cash was very much still a man of hope and faith. 'When the Man Comes Around' features a forewarning on the immnent return of Christ. Cash's inclusion of his favorite verse in the thanks area of the CD booklet also shows that Cash was firmly holding onto a faith that often times tried to allude his efforts. His friendship with Reznor, however, offered insight that Cash's faith was not small-minded enough to discard those who wistfully sat on the other side of the faith. In this way, Cash offered an example to millions of Christians who so smugly have forgotten the long-lost principle of loving and befriending those who have dissenting opinions on the things we might consider most important to us.

This is an incredible album! I absolutely love his version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" which is one of my all time favorite songs. Also "Personal Jesus" and "Desperado" are good listens. Don't even think twice about buying this album, it's incredible!!

A cryptic hypnotic album full of ruminations on his life savoring it's pain with it's melancholy pleasure rewriting them as ONLY Cash can by turning cover songs into his own creations giving them new meaning as he also revisits some of his older classics once again on this volume of Rubin/American recordings.
Truth be told you need all of the Lost Highway/American recordings including the UNEARTHED box set to get the full view of this magic moment in this artists life.

As for the newer fans start with his Sun and Columbia recordings then latch onto this to understand this life cycle of this uniquely American hero that spoke to all.
Highly underrated and a great cover LP is the CD version of "Now, There Was A song"..short and very sweet.