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Ring Of Fire
by June Carter and Merle Kilgore, as performed by Johnny Cash
Note: This song has some tricky time signature issues. It’s in cut time (2/2), but for clarity, I’ve notated it as if it’s in 4/4 (with occasional measures of 2/4). I’ve also “dashed out” the verses because of the complex rhythm.
Strum Guide | |
Four-beat Strum: D D U U D U 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
Two-beat
Strum:
D D U 1 + 2 + |
Chorus Strum w/alternating bass: B D U B D U 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + |
Intro: / G - - - / C - / G - - - - / - - - - /
/ G - - - / D - / G - - - - / - - - - /
/ G - - - / - - C - / G - - - / C - / G - - - / - - - - /
Love is a burning thing
/ G - - - / - - D - / G - - - / D - / G - - - / - - - - /
And it makes a fiery ring
/ G - - - / - - C - / G - - - / C - / G - - - / - - - - /
Bound by wild desire
/ G - - - / D - / G - - - / - - - - /
I fell into a ring of fire
Chorus:
D (2) C G
I fell into a burning ring of fire
D (2) C G
I went down, down, down, and the flames went higher
G (2)
And it burns, burns, burns
/ G - C - / G - - - /
The ring of fire
/ G - D - / G - - - / - - - - /
The ring of fire
Intro x2
Chorus
/ G - - - / - - C - / G - - - / C - / G - - - / - - - - /
The taste of love is sweet
/ G - - - / - - D - / G - - - / D - / G - - - / - - - - /
When hearts like ours meet
/ G - - - / - - /- - - - / - - - - / C - / G - - - / - - - - /
I fell for you like a child
/ G - - - / - - D - / G - - - / - - - - /
Ohh, but the fire went wild
Chorus x2
Repeat last three lines of chorus
End on G
This file is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.