About the Song
Before Johnny Cash turned “Ring of Fire” into a chart-topping hit, his career had seen its share of ups and downs. His 1957 debut album, Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar, created early buzz, but by the early 1960s, Cash faced a lull in his career. While his 1958 album The Fabulous Johnny Cash peaked at No. 19 on the charts, his string of Top 10 hits was waning, and he struggled to maintain momentum.
During this time, Cash’s personal life became increasingly complex. His tours with the Carter Family not only enhanced his creative collaborations but also deepened his bond with June Carter, a talented performer, singer, and writer. This growing relationship brought both inspiration and turmoil, as it strained Cash’s marriage to Vivian Liberto, his first wife, and mother of his young family.
The song “Ring of Fire” was born from this period of creative and emotional intensity. June Carter, inspired by a line from an old poetry book owned by her uncle A.P. Carter, co-wrote the song with Merle Kilgore. Initially titled “(Love’s) Ring of Fire,” it depicted the consuming nature of passionate love. However, Carter didn’t originally offer the song to Johnny. Instead, her sister Anita Carter recorded a folk-style version, which received modest praise but didn’t achieve significant success.
Months later, Johnny Cash decided to record his version, transforming the song into a fiery anthem with the help of Columbia producers Don Law and Frank Jones. Cash added mariachi-style horns, a bold choice that gave the track its iconic sound.
June Carter later reflected on their early love story, describing it as both thrilling and daunting. “When I first fell in love with Johnny Cash, it was a scary thing,” she shared. “I never knew what he was going to do… But God was truly good, and [Johnny] became a great husband and father. He’s just a nice man, and I wanted you to know that.”
Cash’s rendition of “Ring of Fire” became one of his biggest hits, solidifying his place in country music history and forever linking the song to the intense love story between Johnny and June.
Lyrics
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
The ring of fireAdvertisement
