Ring of Fire

June Carter 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:
1999
3:39
270 
#2

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer

Love Is A Burning Thing
And It Makes A Fiery Ring
Bound By Wild Desire
I Fell Into A Ring Of Fire

CHORUS:
I Fell Into A Burning 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 Burning 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

CHORUS
I Fell Into A Burning 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 Burning 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 

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!


June Carter Cash

Valerie June Carter Cash (June 23, 1929 – May 15, 2003) was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedian, and author who was a member of the Carter Family and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash. She played the guitar, banjo, harmonica, and autoharp and acted in several films and television shows. Carter Cash was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame in 2009.[dead link] She was ranked No. 31 in CMT's 40 Greatest Women in Country Music in 2002. more »

0 fans

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.

Discuss the Ring of Fire Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Ring of Fire Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/2951917/June+Carter+Cash/Ring+of+Fire>.

    Missing lyrics by June Carter Cash?

    Know any other songs by June Carter Cash? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Ring of Fire

    615.3K
    2,768     68

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    "There's something about you, I stare in your _____ And everything I'm looking for I seem to find"
    A face
    B boots
    C eyes
    D tears

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    June Carter Cash tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Ring of Fire

    »