Johnny Cash's version of the Nine Inch Nails song "Hurt" is one of the most iconic cover songs of all time - but the Man in Black needed some convincing before agreeing to record it.
Producer Rick Rubin told Mojo that the first time he played the song for Cash, "Johnny just looked at me like I was insane."
He thinks Cash just "didn't hear the song in there" until Rubin recorded his own demo with an acoustic guitar. Cash then told him "Okay, I see what it is... It's like folk song lyrics."
Cash's 2002 cover was so unforgettable that NIN's Trent Reznor has said he felt like the song doesn't belong to him anymore.
Source: https://www.loudersound.com