The story of the writing of (Love's) Ring Of Fire is much better known than the title by which it was originally recorded. June Carter went on her first tour with Johnny Cash in 1962; also on that tour was singer-songwriter Merle Kilgore. On the tour and afterwards they worked on writing songs. The two lived only about four blocks apart in the Nashville suburb of Madison, and would meet each day in the late morning to write together. As Kilgore calls it ''we were grinding out songs then.'' Before (Love's) Ring Of Fire, Kilgore says several of their joint compositions "were recorded but no big hits."June had a book of Elizabethan poetry that had been her uncle A.P.'s. and had noticed that he had underlined the words Love is like a burning ring of fire. She explained to Kilgore that her uncle would often write songs from such phrases, and suggested they try to get a song out of it. They started on the song but couldn't finish it. Kilgore's mind was on supper and they lost their creative direction. While he was on the way home, Anita [Carter] called from the studio and told June that she needed another another song for the session. June called Kilgore and told him to come back quickly so they could finish the song. Within 15 minutes of his return, they had finished it and it was promptly recorded [Nov 1962]. Billboard magazine accorded the record a spotlight pick in its country section, describing it as follows: "a most unusual tune is sold in winning fashion by the thrush who shows off her own individual and exciting style here, supported by blue grass guitar work. Could go pop, too."
Johnny Cash heard Anita's record and awoke one morning from a dream in which he had heard Mexican horns on the record. He told Anita "I'll give you about five or six more months, and if you don't hit with it, I'm gonna record it the way I feel it." In fact, he recorded it in March 1963 (with Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters singing harmony) and it became an international hit for him, starting in June 1963.
Otto Kitsinger, liner notes for "Anita Carter -- Ring of Fire" (Bear Family Records BCD 15434, 1989)
© Painted Desert Music Corp., BMI.
Transcribed by Manfred Helfert.
Love is a burnin' thing,
An' it makes a firy ring.
Brought from 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, that ring of fire, that ring of fire.I fell into a burning ring of fire.The taste of love is sweet
I went down, down, down, and the flames went higher.
And it burns, burns, burns, that ring of fire, that ring of fire.
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 they went higher.
And it burns, burns, burns, that ring of fire, that ring of fire.