Hurt was written by Trent Reznor, first released on Nine Inch Nails album The Downward Spiral in 1994. Later, Johnny Cash covered the song in 2002, which became one of his final hits before his death. The lyrics deal with pain, remorse, and the burden of regret, reflecting Reznors own struggles with depression and substance abuse at the time.
Key: Am
Introduction:
Am
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
I hurt myself today to see if I still feel
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
I focus on the pain the only thing that's real
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
The needle tears a hole the old familiar sting
C
D
Am
C
D
G
Try to kill it all away but I remember everything
Am
F
C
G
What have I become? My sweetest friend
Am
F
C
G
Everyone I know goes away in the end
Am
F
G
And you could have it all My empire of dirt
Am
F
G
Am
I will let you down I will make you hurt
(
Am
)
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
I wear this crown of thorns upon my liar's chair
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair
C
D
Am
C
D
Am
Beneath the stains of time the feelings disappear
C
D
Am
C
D
G
You are someone else I am still right here
Am
F
C
G
What have I become? My sweetest friend
Am
F
C
G
Everyone I know goes away in the end
Am
F
G
And you could have it all My empire of dirt
Am
F
G
I will let you down I will make you hurt
Am
F
G
If I could start again a million miles away
Am
F
G
I would keep myself I would find a way (single strum)