Name That Tune by The Ace of Hearts

Puzzle explanation

The answers in the perimeter ring were synonyms of “fire”, to represent the 1963 Johnny Cash hit Ring of Fire. The third ring comprised the song’s first two lines, “Love is a burning thing / and it makes a fiery ring”. The letters omitted from radial answers spelt out “Man in Black, Folsom Prison Blues, A Boy Named Sue” (Cash’s nickname and two of his other hits).

Clue explanations

Conventions: * = anagram, < = reversal

No Answer (omitted letter) Explanation
Perimeter
1 DISCHARGE DIRGE around CASH *
10 DETONATE DATE around ETON
18 IGNITE TING < in (K)IE(v)
24 SHOOT S + HOOT
29 ENLIVEN EN + LIVE + N
36 SACK SMACK − M
Radials
1 (M)ODESTY DO < + E- + STY
2 R(A)CIEST REST around CI
3 SECTIO(N) (tri)SECT IO(wa)
4 SCAND(I)C SCAN + DC
5 GA(N)ESHA (AGE HAS) *
6 (B)A(B)Y (B)LUES (SUE LAY) *
7 RO(LL)OUTS (studi)O in ROUTS
8 STR(A)V(A)IG S(kye) T(hrough) R(hum) V(isiting) I(ona) + G(igha)
9 SE(C)RETE RET in SEE
10 (K)IDDIES MIDDIES − M
11 STI(FF)ENS TIES * + NS
12 N(O)TITIA NI around TIT + A; ref. Letter to Titus
13 ORBITA(L) ((Duc)ATI BRO(nco)) <
14 LANGUE(S) LANE around GU(t)
15 AURE(O)LA AURA around EL
16 (M)ATINÉE (TIE ENA) *
17 A(P)ELIKE AE + LIKE
18 ULNA(R)IA U + L + NAIA
19 MUDG(I)NG DUNG * in (M’ + G(arden))
20 TANDEM(S) END * in MAT <
21 DISH(O)ME ME after DISH
22 TEGMI(N)A TEA around (GM + I)
23 GEE(B)UNG (getting)G (th)E (licenc)E (yo)U (begi)N (exportin)G
24 EGG CE(LL)S CE in EGGS
25 CRATH(U)R C + RAT + HR
26 CROWN(E)R (R + NOW) * in CR
27 (S)TORMED TERMED with O for E
28 ME(A)T PIE MET + PIE
29 (B)EEF TEA (AET + FEE) <
30 T(O)NE ARM NEAR in (T(he) M(anifest))
31 PA(Y)ROLL PA + ROLL
32 I(N)LOCKS CLOCKS with I for C
33 V(A)L(A)NCED (DE + CV) < around LN
34 (M)ESSINA (indulg)ES SIN A(lbeit)
35 ANA(E)MIA MIA after (AN + A)
36 MAST-FE(D) M + FEAST *
37 ARABI(S)E RABI in EA <
38 MARC(U)SE MARE around CS
39 (E)ARMARK ARM + ARK
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