Key: D
Introduction: D
D D7+ D6
It' s knowing that your door is always open
D7+ Em
And your path is free to walk
Em Em7+ Em7
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
A D
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
D D7+
And it' s knowing I' m not shackled
D6 D7+
By forgotten words and bonds
D D7+ Em
And the ink stains that are dried upon some line
Em Em7+
That keeps you in the backroads
Em7 A
By the rivers of my memory
Em A D
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
D D7+
It' s not clinging to the rocks and ivy
D6 D7+ Em
Planted on their columns now that bind me
Em Em7+
Or something that somebody said
Em7 A D
Because they thought we fit together walking
D D7+ D6
It' s just knowing that the world will not be cursing
D7+ D D7+ Em
Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find
Em Em7+
That you' re moving on the backroads
Em7 A
By the rivers of my memory
Em A D
And for hours you' re just gentle on my mind
D D7+
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines
D6 D7+ Em
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
Em Em7+ Em7
And some other woman' s cryin' to her mother
A D
' Cause she turned and I was gone
D D7+ D6 D7+
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my face
D D7+ Em
And the summer sun might burn me ' til I' m blind
Em Em7+ Em7 A
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads
Em A D
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
D D7+ D6
I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin'
D7+ Em
Cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
Em Em7+
My beard a roughenin' coal pile, and
Em7 A D
A dirty hat pulled low across my face
D D7+
Through cupped hands ' round the tin can
D6 D7+ Em
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
Em Em7+
That you' re waiting from the backroads
Em7 A
By the rivers of my memories
Em A D
Ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind