"Ring of Fire" is a country music song popularized by Johnny Cash and co-wr… Read Full Bio ↴"Ring of Fire" is a country music song popularized by Johnny Cash and co-written by June Carter (wife of Johnny Cash) and Merle Kilgore. The song was recorded on March 25, 1963 and became the biggest hit of Cash's career, staying at number one on the US charts for seven weeks.

Although the phrase "Ring of Fire" sounds somewhat ominous, the term refers to falling in love - which is what June Carter was experiencing with Johnny Cash at the time. Some sources claim that June had seen the phrase, "Love is like a burning ring of fire," underlined in one of her uncle A. P. Carter's Elizabethan books of poetry.

The song was originally recorded by June's sister, Anita Carter, on her Mercury Records album Folk Songs Old and New (1962) as "(Love's) Ring of Fire". It was released as a single and was a featured "pick hit" in Billboard magazine. When the song failed to become a major hit for Anita, Cash recorded it his own way, adding the mariachi-style horns. Mother Maybelle Carter and The Carter sisters feature prominently singing harmony.

Ring of Fire
Johnny Cash Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

Overall Meaning

Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" is a song about the passion and intensity of romantic love. The opening lines of the song, "Love is a burnin' thing / And it makes a fiery ring," suggest that love is both powerful and all-consuming. The phrase "fiery ring" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the intensity of the emotions involved in romantic love, as well as the potential danger and risk of getting too close.

The lyrics go on to describe how the singer fell into this "ring of fire" as a result of "wild desire." The repetition of the phrase "I fell into a burnin' ring of fire" throughout the song emphasizes the idea that the singer is completely consumed by this love.

Further, the last stanza of the song, "I fell for you like a child / Oh, but the fire went wild," highlights the vulnerability and naivete of the singer. The imagery of the fire going wild suggests that love has the power to transform and even overpower someone who is not prepared for its intensity.

Overall, "Ring of Fire" is a powerful and evocative song that captures the passion and intensity of romantic love.

Line by Line Meaning

Love is a burnin' thing
Love is an intense, passionate emotion

And it makes a fiery ring
Love can be all-consuming and overwhelming

Bound by wild desire
The desire and passion in a relationship can be uncontrollable

I fell into a ring of fire
I became engulfed in the passionate and intense love of this relationship

I went down, down, down
I became completely immersed in this love

And the flames went higher
The intensity and passion of this love continued to grow

And it burns, burns, burns
The feelings and emotions of this love are all-consuming and unrelenting

The taste of love is sweet
Love can be a delightful and pleasurable experience

When hearts like ours meet
When two people are deeply in love, it can feel like destiny

I fell for you like a child
I fell in love with you in a innocent and pure way

Oh, but the fire went wild
But this love quickly grew into an intense and passionate relationship

The ring of fire, the ring of fire
The emotions and intensity of this love are like a ring of fire that cannot be contained

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Anonymous

on Wayfaring Stranger

Wayfaring Stranger - The New Appalachians - Lyrics

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
Traveling through this world alone

There will be no sickness, toil or danger
In that grand land to which I roam

Well I'm going home to see my mother
I'm going home to a morning rose
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home

Musical Interlude

I know dark clouds will gather 'round me
I know my way is rough and steep
And beautiful fields lie just before me
Where God's redeemed there vigils keep

Well I'm going home to see my brothers
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I'm only goin' over home

Musical Interlude

I'm going home to see my Father
I'm going home no more to roam
I'm only goin' over Jordan
I’m only goin’ where no one roams

I want to wear that crown of glory
When I get to that good land
I want to shout out salvation story
In concert with that blood washed band.
I'm going there to see my saviour
I’ll see his face no more to roam
I'm only going over Jordan
I'm only going over home
I'm only goin' over home