Ring of Fire
“Ring of Fire” was originally co-written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore.
“Ring of Fire”, initially titled “Love’s Ring of Fire”, was first recorded by June Carter’s sister, Anita Carter in 1963 and debuted in the album Folk Songs Old and New.
The title for the song is said to some from a poem June Carter read in one of her uncle’s poetry books. In these books, Carter found the phrase “Love is a burning ring of fire”.
“Ring of Fire” is considered somewhat autobiographical because it describes the agonizing feelings Carter had for Cash while Cash was recovering from his drug addiction and both Carter and Cash were involved in marriages to other people.
Anita Carter’s version for “Ring of Fire” did not become a major hit. It is said Cash gave Anita six months for the song to become a hit and if it didn’t “I’m (Cash) gonna record it the way I feel it”. It was then that Cash added the Mexican horns.
Rosanne Cash stated “The song is about the transformative power of love and that’s what is has always meant to me and that’s what it will always mean to the Cash children”.
Anita Carter’s version can be heard at :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPkxPGBun2E&feature=related
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yd0Uc7bI7w&NR=1
The lyrics follow:
Love is a burnin’ thing and it makes a fiery ring
Bringing her to the heart’s desire, I fell in the ring of fire
I fell into into the burnin’ ring of fire
I fell down down down down into the deepest mire
And it burns burn burns burns the ring of fire, the ring of fire, the ring of fire
The taste of love it sweet when two burning hearts meet
I believed you like a child, oh, but the fire went wild
I fell into into the burnin’ ring of fire
I fell down down down down into the deepest mire
And it burns burn burns burns the ring of fire, the ring of fire, the ring of fire
Lauren Morrow, MT-BC