Original Johnny Cash version
Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down, and the flames went higher
And it burns, burn, 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 burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down, and the flames went higher
And it burns, burn, 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, burn, burns, the ring of fire, the ring of fire
And it burns, burn, burns, the ring of fire, the ring of fire
The ring of fire, the ring of fire, the ring of fire...
[Fades out]
RING OF FIRE is a song written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore and released by Johnny Cash as a single in 1963. The above lyrics are for the original Johnny Cash version of RING OF FIRE as released in 1963.
RING OF FIRE became one of the biggest hits of Johnny Cash's career, staying at number one on the country chart for seven weeks. However, the song was originally recorded by June Carter's sister, Anita Carter, and released on her Mercury Records 1963 album Folk Songs Old And New under the title "(Love's) Ring of Fire", but it was Johnny Cash who popularized the song.
Bruce Springsteen performed RING OF FIRE a few times in 1973 and 1974, and once in 2009. See Bruce Springsteen's live 12 Jan 1974 version for more details. Springsteen's WE ARE ALIVE borrows the horn riff from Johnny Cash's RING OF FIRE.
List of available versions of RING OF FIRE on this website:
RING OF FIRE [Live 12 Jan 1974 version]