Ring of Fire
Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery 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

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 ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild

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

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
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

Overall Meaning

Joaquin Phoenix's interpretation of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" makes for a hauntingly beautiful rendition. The first verse of the song carries the central theme: love is a burning thing that creates a fiery ring of desire. It is an intense and powerful feeling, and the singer falls deep into this intensity - bound by wild desire, he falls into a ring of fire. The repetition of the line "I fell into a burning ring of fire" and the images of "down, down, down" and "the flames went higher" create a feeling of being trapped and consumed by the passion of love - a theme that is echoed throughout the entire song.


The second verse explores the sweet taste of love, a feeling that is matched only by the feeling of the fire that burns within the singer. The lines "I fell for you like a child" and "but the fire went wild" express the idea of losing control and giving in to the flames of passion - a sense of being unable to resist, no matter where it might lead. The final two verses of the song are a repetition of the first two, solidifying the idea that love is indeed a "ring of fire" that one can either dance within or be consumed by.


Line by Line Meaning

Love is a burning thing
Love is a passionate and intense feeling that can ignite like fire.


And it makes a fiery ring
When love burns passionately, it can create an all-consuming circle of flames.


Bound by wild desire
The force of desire can bind us tightly and make us feel powerless.


I fell in to a ring of fire
I became completely engulfed by this fiery passion.


I fell in to a burning ring of fire
The flames of my love and desire consumed me completely.


I went down, down, down
My intensity of emotion pulled me further and further into this circle of flames.


And the flames went higher
As my passion grew stronger, the flames intensified.


And it burns, burns, burns
The heat and intensity of this love cannot be extinguished.


The ring of fire, the ring of fire
This inferno of emotion continues to surround me.


The taste of love is sweet
The feeling of love can be just as delicious as a sweet treat.


When hearts like ours meet
The intensity of our love can only be matched by the intensity of our hearts.


I fell for you like a child
I became completely entranced and lost in my love for you, like a child who is fascinated by something new.


Oh, but the fire went wild
But my passion and desire for you quickly grew out of control.


The ring of fire
This inferno of emotion.


And it burns, burns, burns
The heat and intensity of this love cannot be extinguished.


The ring of fire, the ring of fire
This inferno of emotion continues to surround me.




Lyrics © Shapiro Bernstein & Co Inc, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: June Carter, Merle Kilgore

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@UCqkdtMiE5ZquD_lF9prae4Q

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you're mine, I walk the line

I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when each day is through
Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you
Because you're mine, I walk the line

As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I've known proves that it's right
Because you're mine, I walk the line

You've got a way to keep me on your side
You give me cause for love that I can't hide
For you, I know I'd even try to turn the tide
Because you're mine, I walk the line

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
Because you're mine, I walk the line



All comments from YouTube:

@wandererbeats3488

Johnny Cash was not a lefty. This clip is mirrored.

@doneveringham5997

Playing or showing a reversed image does not violate the copyright. Why some images or videos are reversed at times on Public Sites.

@amydong2586

Joaquins older brother would have been so proud

@samkresil6011

I DID used to think Joaquin was older,though.

@atrainofthought99

Sam Kresil now to think of it Joaquin is older than river. I know Joaquin is technically younger. Rivers life unfortunately was cut short.

@Jay_B1azin

Still his older brother and always will be, loved his acting in Indiana Jones & the last crusade

@hcctendeep7047

@@Jay_B1azin stand by me

@williampowell4422

Damn right he would have been.

13 More Replies...

@disco7379

The faces he did while singing were very accurate, great acting.

@DavidMoviez

When you discover that June Carter wrote this song

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