Pulp release cover of Johnny Cash classic ‘The Man Comes Around’
Britpop legends Pulp have released a cover of the classic Johnny Cash tune ‘The Man Comes Around’.
The band had been working on the song as part of the soundtrack to the ITV series The Hack. They have also announced that the song will also be featured on an EP with bonus tracks from their latest album, which is set to be released later in 2026.
Having been in the studio for their most recent project More, the band’s record label Rough Trade said that the song was “a cover of a song by another JC: Johnny Cash, no less.”, which is set to come out in February 2026.
The song itself has become a mainstay in pop culture ever since ‘The Man In Black’ performed it on the album of the same name, which was the fourth instalment in the American series of recordings that he had done with Rick Rubin shortly before his passing in 2003.
While this was the final album that came out during Cash’s lifetime and featured the iconic rendition of Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Hurt’, ‘The Man Comes Around’ has also become one of his most recognisable songs from this era, having been used in the background of various films ever since.
In this latest rendition, the acoustic guitar foundation that had begun Cash’s original is replaced with a synthesiser, along with frontman Jarvis Cocker’s distinctive vocal, delivering an almost spoken-word rendition of the original.
This comes at the end of a productive year for Pulp as well. After the release of their first album in 24 years, the band embarked on a tour throughout the UK, including a surprise slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and eventually announced their plans for a major tour down under in 2026, playing select shows in both Australia and New Zealand.
The band have also kept up their habit of surprises with their appearance on NPR’s Tiny Desk series in November 2025. Their small set covered a variety of songs from throughout career, including material from their most recent album as well as classics like ‘Something Changed’ from Different Class.
However, the band have also announced plans to be taking a break from any touring in the UK in the new year, saying that their one gig at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester in August 2026 will most likely be their only show in the UK that year.
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