Ring of Fire
Earl Scruggs & Billy Bob Thornton Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love is a burning thing
and it makes a firery ring
bound by wild desire
I fell in to a ring of fire...

I fell in to 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 our's meet
I fell for you like a child
oh, but the fire went wild..





I fell in to a burning ring of fire.....[etc]

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Earl Scruggs's song "Ring of Fire" are a metaphor for the passionate and intense experience of falling in love. The first stanza describes the overwhelming feeling of desire that comes with love. The imagery of a burning ring symbolizes the all-consuming power of love, which can be both exhilarating and dangerous. The singer falls into this ring of fire, unable to resist the intense pull of his emotions.


The second stanza speaks to the overwhelming nature of love. The singer is consumed by this fiery passion and feels as though he is falling deeper into its burning center. The repetition of "down" emphasizes the feeling of being swept away by emotions beyond his control. Despite the danger and pain that may come with love, the singer continues to be drawn to the flame. The final line of the chorus, "the ring of fire," brings the metaphor full circle and reinforces the idea that love can be both beautiful and destructive.


Line by Line Meaning

Love is a burning thing
Love can be intense and all-consuming


and it makes a fiery ring
Love can create a fiery ring of passion around two people


bound by wild desire
The passion between two people can be intense and uncontrollable


I fell into a ring of fire...
The singer fell deeply in love with someone and got caught up in their fiery passion


I fell into a burning ring of fire
The singer's love became too intense and overwhelming


I went down, down, down and the flames went higher.
The singer's love led them down a dangerous path and the passion only grew stronger


And it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire, the ring of fire.
The singer's intense love is like a ring of fire that never extinguishes and continues to burn


The taste of love is sweet
Love is pleasurable and enjoyable


When hearts like our's meet
When two people with similar love interests meet, it can be magical


I fell for you like a child
The singer's love for their partner was pure and innocent


oh, but the fire went wild..
However, the passion between them soon became uncontrollable




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: June Carter, Merle Kilgore

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@cherylrobinson2341

Billy Bob is multi talented all the around. He's a remarkable man

@samerahsaad3290

I’m in love with Billy Bob Thornton, still, after all these years

@DaveMoller1965

I like this version... Added to my playlist.

@chalked3

love Billy Bob!

@jimwisnefski605

One of the best cover songs

@samerahsaad3290

I love his twist on it, it sounds really cool

@jonathanfunnell4167

LOVE MUSIC WITH ALL MY HEART

@carolconway6927

delighted to come across this,
thanks.
i like his style:)

@harveyprockiw6635

Well said Dawn. I just watched the OWN show about Billy and gained a lot of respect for this man. Although this is not my favourite version of Ring of Fire, at least it is not noise as most of the new music is.

@amijensen4747

I dedicate this song to Eric. It burned, the ring of fire.

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