Additional cmnt: You can read about extraordinary, true love here.
Johnny Cash was born and reared into the Christian faith. Even as June Carter wrote the lyrics attempting to compare true love to a burning ring of fire Johnny knew it wasn’t so. A ring of fire is an apt description of the burning sensation of lust not love. We can easily fall into and out of lust, not so with love. Love is very little about feelings and much more about a commitment to doing right regardless of how one feels or the personal price one might have to pay. So to June the lyrics (might) have been about Love but to Johnny Cash and the passion with which he sang the song it was about falling into a burning Hell compelled by lustful desire not love.
Q: Is ‘the ring of fire’ about johnny cash falling into hell? A: Google Ai:
No, “Ring of Fire” isn’t about Johnny Cash falling into hell, but it describes the intense, hell-like, yet passionate experience of falling in love, specifically June Carter’s feelings for Cash while they were both married. The lyrics, written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore, compare the overwhelming feeling of love to being in a “burning ring of fire,” a concept June got from a friend’s letter describing love as a consuming, inescapable fire, like hell.
- The “Hell” is Love: The “hell” refers to the turmoil and consuming passion of their forbidden love, not literal damnation.
- Source of the Idea: June Carter was inspired by a friend’s description of love as a “burning ring of fire” and felt it mirrored her own feelings for the married Cash.
- The Lyrics: Lines like “There’s no way to extinguish the flame that burns, burns, burns” capture this intense, overwhelming feeling.
- The Song’s Significance: It became a massive hit for Cash, symbolizing the powerful, transformative, and sometimes dangerous nature of love that defined his relationship with June.
Burning Ring of Fire
Written by June Carter and Merle Kilgore
[Verse 1]
Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell in to a ring of fire
[Chorus]
I fell into a burning 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 burning 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
[Verse 2]
The taste of love is sweet
When hearts like ours meet
I fell for you like a child
Oh, but the fire went wild
[Chorus]
I fell in to a burning 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 burning 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
[Outro]
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
The ring of fire
Johnny Cash’s soon-to-be-second-wife June Carter wrote “Ring of Fire” in 1963 with Merle Kilgore to express the experience of falling in love with the married Man in Black. Cash would continue to walk the line with his first wife, Vivian Liberto, until 1966. June Carter finally became June Carter Cash in 1968.
After being originally recorded by June’s sister Anita Carter as “(Love’s) Ring of Fire”, the song was recorded by Cash on March 25, 1963. It became the biggest hit of his career, staying at number one on the charts for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on January 21, 2010 by the R.I.A.A. and has also sold over 1.2 million digital downloads.
In 2002, shortly before his death, Cash sang another cover, “Hurt”; the perfect bookend to “Ring of Fire”. In it Cash acknowledges his failures as a husband and friend. If “Ring of Fire” was the first warning sign of an obsessive-compulsive personality, “Hurt” is the final apology.
Q: Was johnny cash tormented with guilt over his affair with June Carter and callously abandoning his first wife and children without just cause? A: Google Ai:
Yes, Johnny Cash experienced significant guilt and emotional turmoil over his affair with June Carter and the subsequent breakup of his first marriage to Vivian Liberto. His struggles with addiction and the breakdown of his marriage were intertwined, and he spoke later about the “hell” they all went through.
Details of the Turmoil
- Public and Private Struggle: While the love story of Johnny and June became legendary in country music, its origins were messy and painful for those involved. Vivian Liberto’s memoir, I Walked the Line: My Life with Johnny, details her heartbreak over his continuous infidelity and drug use.
- Confession to the Church: The depth of his guilt was demonstrated when Vivian was temporarily excommunicated from the Catholic Church following their divorce. Johnny Cash himself wrote to the archdiocese, confessing his own failures as a husband to advocate for Vivian’s reinstatement, acknowledging his role in the marriage’s failure.
- Addiction as an Escape: Cash’s drug and alcohol abuse were at their worst during the period when his first marriage was collapsing and his relationship with June was developing. Sources suggest his addictions were a way to cope with the exhaustion of touring, but also the personal chaos and guilt he felt.
- Acknowledging the Pain: In a Rolling Stone interview, Cash admitted the difficulty of the situation, stating, “We knew what was going to happen. That eventually we were going to be divorced, and we were going to go through hell. Which we did”.
- Redemption and Forgiveness: After marrying June in 1968, their relationship was rooted in redemption, resilience, and faith. Their son, John Carter Cash, noted that while their marriage wasn’t a fairy tale, they learned to forgive and stayed together, with their love growing stronger by the end of their lives.
Ultimately, Johnny Cash’s life was a mix of dark periods of addiction and infidelity, followed by periods of deep devotion to June and a strong religious faith that helped him seek forgiveness and redemption.
I Walk the Line
Written by Johnny Cash
[Verse 1]
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
[Refrain]
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
[Verse 3]
As sure as night is dark and day is light
I keep you on my mind both day and night
And happiness I’ve known proves that it’s right
[Refrain]
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
[Refrain]
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
[Verse 5]
I keep a close watch on this heart of mine
I keep my eyes wide open all the time
I keep the ends out for the tie that binds
[Refrain]
Because you’re mine, I walk the line
One of his most famous songs, “I Walk the Line” is Johnny Cash’s promise to remain faithful to his first wife, Vivian, while he is on the road. It seems a certain ring of fire interfered with this pledge.
According to Cash, he was often tempted to stray from “the line” during his early days on tour:
Wasn’t no problem, finding a beautiful girl. Look, I’d say to myself, there’s a couple. I’d say, Look, there in the third row.” In Quebec, he almost fell in love. “They pulled them dresses up, and I hollered, ‘Pull it up a little bit higher, baby,’ and they did. Man, they just laid it on you. And they kept on just layin’ it on you, night after night, city after city.
The song became Cash’s first #1 Billboard hit. The single remained on the record charts for over 43 weeks, and sold over 2 million copies.
The song also gave its name to the Johnny Cash biopic film starring Joaquin Phoenix, and a Gregory Peck film about the infidelities of a married sheriff.
This song’s influence on the music world is palpable. In his autobiography, Bob Dylan makes strong mention of its effect on him:
“I Walk the Line” [is] a song I’d always considered to be up there at the top, one of the most mysterious and revolutionary of all time, a song that makes an attack on your most vulnerable spots, sharp words from a master.
“I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.” Indeed. I must have recited those lines to myself a million times… When I first heard “I Walk the Line” so many years earlier, it sounded like a voice calling out, “What are you doing there, boy?” I was trying to keep my eyes wide opened, too.
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Q: Was johnny cash reared in the Christian faith? A: Google Ai:
Yes, Johnny Cash was raised a Christian in the Southern Baptist tradition, baptized as a child, and remained a lifelong, though often struggling, believer who expressed his faith through his music and public life, even undergoing a later baptism in the Jordan River. His faith was central to his identity, helping him navigate addiction and personal struggles, and he became a prominent figure in Christian evangelism, working with Billy Graham.
Early Life & Baptism:
- Southern Baptist Roots: Cash’s parents raised him in the Southern Baptist church in Dyess, Arkansas, where he grew up surrounded by gospel music.
- Baptism in Arkansas: He was baptized in the Tyronza River as a member of the Central Baptist Church in 1944, after his older brother Jack’s tragic death.
A Lifelong, Troubled Faith:
- Struggles & Redemption: Despite periods of intense personal struggles with addiction and a chaotic lifestyle, Cash consistently returned to his faith for strength, viewing it as a path to redemption for outcasts.
- Public Witness: He spoke openly about his belief, participated in Billy Graham’s crusades, and even produced the film Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus.
Later Spiritual Renewal:
- Second Baptism: In 1971, around age 40, Cash answered an altar call and was baptized in the Jordan River in Israel, a significant moment symbolizing his renewed commitment to Christ.
Deeply Integrated Faith:
- “Man in White”: Cash wrote the Christian novel Man in White, focusing on the apostle Paul, further demonstrating his deep engagement with scripture.
- Christian Identity: He famously rejected being confined to a single box, declaring himself a Christian who believed in Jesus and was grafted onto the covenant with Israel, a testament to his expansive view of faith.
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Artists, actors, musicians, business men, traveling salesmen – anyone who spends time on the road is tempted into another’s arms for solace. Journey had two hit songs talking about lust and love.
Faithfully
[Verse 1]
Highway run into the midnight sun
Wheels go ’round and ’round, you’re on my mind
Restless hearts, sleep alone tonight
Sendin’ all my love along the wire
[Chorus]
They say that the road ain’t no place to start a family
Right down the line, it’s been you and me
And lovin’ a music man ain’t always what it’s supposed to be
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I’m forever yours
Faithfully
[Verse 2]
Circus life under the big-top world
We all need the clowns to make us smile
Through space and time, always another show
Wonderin’ where I am lost without you
[Chorus]
And bein’ apart ain’t easy on this love affair
Two strangers learn to fall in love again
I get the joy of rediscovering you
Oh, girl, you stand by me
I’m forever yours
Faithfully
[Outro]
Woah-oh, oh-oh
Woah-oh, oh-oh, oh
Woah-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh
Faithfully
I’m still yours
I’m forever yours
‘Ever yours
Faithfully
Don’t stop believing..
… Just a small town girl
Livin’ in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train going anywhere
… A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
… Strangers waitin’
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searchin’ in the night
… Streetlights, people
Livin’ just to find emotion
Hidin’ somewhere in the night
… Workin’ hard to get my fill
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
… Some’ll win, some will lose
Some are born to sing the blues
Whoa, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
… Strangers waitin’
Up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searchin’ in the night
… Streetlights, people
Livin’ just to find emotion
Hidin’, somewhere in the night
… Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to that feelin’
Streetlights, people
… Don’t stop believin’
Hold on
Streetlights, people
… Don’t stop believin’
Hold on to that feelin’
Streetlights, people
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Stephen Ray Perry / Neal Joseph Schon / Jonathan Cain
Don’t Stop Believin’ lyrics © Lacey Boulevard Music, Weed High Nightmare Music, Hipgnosis Songs Fund Limited, Son Of Leon Music, Schonasized, Jonathan Cain/so Much Music/frisco Kid M
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