This song has always been one of John's most requested. It was written by his wife June and Merle Kilgore.

Commentary From John Cross:

On the liner note of Anita Carter's Ring of Fire CD (bear family) She says that June/Merle Kilgore (cousin) had been writing songs all day and had called it quits for the day. Anita called from the studio where she was recording an album and told June they needed another song. June called back Merle Kilgore and they wrote it in 15 minutes. The original title on Anita's version was Love's Ring Of Fire.

Although Anita's recording got excellent reviews, (most notably from billboard) it's wasn't a "smash" and John ended up recording it. Anita also said that at John's session for the song they worked all night, everyone separately on their own parts, and all of a sudden it just came together.

June got the idea for Ring of Fire out of a book of Elizabethian poetry that had belonged to her Uncle, A.P. Carter. I think I got this all straight. The rest is history!