Though her recording career had begun in the late 1970s with her eponymous debut album, it was with 1990's I Fell in Love that Carter's career really took off, with the album and title song topping the US country albums and singles charts, respectively. The album, which featured straight-ahead, retro-sounding country (her prior work had combined country, rock and roll and pop sounds), was among the first successes of the 1990s "neotraditionalist" movement in country. 1993's Little Love Letters featured the hit "Every Little Thing", which was accompanied by one of the top-rated music videos of the year.
Carter's winning stream ended with 1995's Little Acts of Treason, which, while critically well received, failed to achieve the commercial success of the Carter's two previous releases.
She also found limited amounts of fame with the song "It takes one to know me", which was released on the albums "Johnny Cash the Legend" and "Johnny and June duets". Originally recorded in 1977 with a full string backing group, it was lost in a tape collection in Hendersonville and uncovered in 2003. It was then remastered by her brother John Carter Cash. In the remastered version, John added his and his wife Laura's backing vocals and a guest appearance from Carlene herself - more than 35 years after she wrote and recorded the song.
She was played by Victoria Hester in the movie Walk the Line.
The track 'Every Little Thing' is also featured in the pinball machine 'Red and Ted's Road Show' released by Williams Electronic Games in 1994. Carter also does the voice of one of the main characters in the pinball game
Ring of Fire
Carlene Carter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And it makes a firy ring
Bound by love`s desire
I fell into the ring of fire
[Chorus]
I fell into your burnin` ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
Taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Ooh, but the fire went wild
[Chorus]
[Chorus]
Love is a burnin` thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into the ring of fire
[Chorus]
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The song "Ring of Fire" by Carlene Carter is a love song that uses the metaphor of a burning ring of fire to describe the passionate, intense nature of falling in love. The opening lines, "Love is a burnin' thing, and it makes a fiery ring," set the tone for the entire song. The singer explains that she fell into the ring of fire, which is a clear indication that she's talking about falling in love. The second verse mentions how sweet the taste of love is, but also acknowledges that love can be wild and overwhelming. The chorus repeats the idea that falling in love is like falling into a burning ring of fire, and the flames only grow higher.
The use of fire as a metaphor for love is not new, but "Ring of Fire" amplifies the intensity of that metaphor. The song's lyrics suggest that love can be both beautiful and dangerous, and that the passion of love can ignite a fire that's difficult to contain. While the song's lyrics describe the thrill of falling in love, they also hint at the potential for that love to burn out of control.
Line by Line Meaning
Love is a burnin` thing
Love can be intense and passionate
And it makes a firy ring
Love can create a circle of flames that surrounds us
Bound by love`s desire
We are held together by our strong desire for each other
I fell into the ring of fire
I was drawn into this intense love and all-consuming passion
I fell into your burnin` ring of fire
I gave myself completely to this love, which engulfed me
I went down, down, down
The intensity of this love took me to new depths
And the flames went higher
As the passion grew, so did the intensity of the fire
And it burns, burns, burns
This love consumes and overwhelms me completely
The ring of fire
This intense love and passion is like a fiery circle that surrounds us and draws us in
Taste of love is sweet
Love feels wonderful and delicious
When hearts like ours meet
When two people with strong feelings for each other come together
I fell for you like a child
I fell head over heels in love with you in a very innocent way
Ooh, but the fire went wild
But the passion and intensity of our love quickly grew out of control
Love is a burnin` thing
Love can be intense and passionate
And it makes a fiery ring
Love can create a circle of flames that surrounds us
Bound by wild desire
Our strong desire for each other has taken us to a place of wild passion
I fell into the ring of fire
I was drawn into this intense love and all-consuming passion
And it burns, burns, burns
This love consumes and overwhelms me completely
The ring of fire
This intense love and passion is like a fiery circle that surrounds us and draws us in
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: June Carter, Merle Kilgore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind