Ring of Fire

Johnny Cash

About Ring of Fire

"Ring of Fire", or "The Ring of Fire", is a song written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore and popularized by Johnny Cash in 1963. The single appears on Cash's 1963 album, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash. The song was originally recorded by June's sister, Anita Carter, on her Mercury Records album Folk Songs Old and New (1963) as "(Love's) Ring of Fire". "Ring of Fire" was ranked No. 4 on CMT's 100 Greatest Songs of Country Music in 2003 and #87 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In June 2014, Rolling Stone ranked the song #27 on its list of the 100 greatest country songs of all time. The song was recorded on March 25, 1963, and became one of the biggest hits of Cash's career, staying at number one on the country chart for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on January 21, 2010, by the RIAA and has also sold over 1.2 million digital downloads.  


Year:
1988
2:43
41 

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Love is a burnin' thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire

I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild

I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

I fell into a burnin' ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire

And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire
The ring of fire, the ring of fire
The ring of fire

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Johnny Cash

John R. "Johnny" Cash (February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003), was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Although he is primarily remembered as a country music icon, his songs and sound spanned many other genres including rockabilly and rock and roll—especially early in his career—as well as blues, folk, and gospel. This crossover appeal led to Cash being inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Gospel Music Hall of Fame. more »

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Written by: June Carter, Merle Kilgore

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


12 facts about this song

Song Origin
"Ring of Fire" was written in 1963 by Merle Kilgore and June Carter Cash, the latter who eventually became Johnny Cash's wife.
Inspiration
The song was inspired by June Carter Cash's tumultuous relationship with Johnny Cash, who was still married when they met.
Authorship Controversy
There's some controversy surrounding the song's authorship, with some claiming that Johnny Cash wrote the song himself.
Chart Performance
"Ring of Fire" became one of Johnny Cash's biggest hits, reaching No. 1 on the Country charts for 7 weeks consecutively.
Popularity
It's now considered one of Cash's "signature songs", having been covered by several other artists, including Eric Burdon, Social Distortion, Frank Zappa, and Wall Of Voodoo.
Album Release
The song is included in Johnny Cash's album, "Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash", and was released by Columbia Records.
Unique Sound
The mariachi-style horn arrangement in the song was suggested by producer Jack Clement, which was unusual for country music during that era, but it added a unique sound to the song.
Biographical Films
"Ring of Fire" has been featured in several biographical films about Cash, including the 1980 TV film "Johnny Cash: The Man, His World, His Music" and in the 2005 biographical drama film "Walk the Line".
Musical Recognition
In 1999, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, recognizing its qualitative or historical significance.
Recorded Versions
Cash recorded two versions of the song: the original single version, and a live version for his 1967 album 'Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison'.
Chart Success
When the song was released in the United Kingdom in 1963, it reached number 17 on the charts. After being re-released in 1993, it did even better and climbed to number 6.
June's Feelings
While its not confirmed, some people believe June Carter Cash wrote the song to express her feelings of falling in love with Johnny Cash while knowing he was not capable of handling it at the time.

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    Ring of Fire

    44.7M
    259K     10,894

    Top Hot 100 Songs 1963

    Billboard #17


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