Key: C
Introduction: C C7M Am/C C7M
C C7M
It's knowing that your door is always
Am/C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
open and your path is free to walk
Dm Dm7M
that makes me tend to leave my sleeping
Dm7 G7 C C7M C
bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
C C7M Am/C
And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and
C7M C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
bonds and the ink stains that have dried upon some line
Dm Dm7M
That keeps you in the backroads by the
Dm7 G7 Dm
rivers of my mem'ry, that keeps you ever
G7 C C7M C
gentle on my mind
C C7M
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
Am/C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Planted on their columns now that bind me
Dm Dm7M
Or something that somebody said
Dm7 G7 C C7M C
Because they think we fit together walkin'.
C C7M Am/C
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or
C7M C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Forgiving, when I walk along some railroad track and find
Dm Dm7M
That you're moving on the backroads by the
Dm7 G7 Dm
Rivers of my mem'ry, and for hours you're just
G7 C C7M C
Gentle on my mind
C C7M
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the
Am/C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Junkyards and the highways come between us,
Dm Dm7M
And some other woman crying to her
Dm7 G7 C C7M C
Mother, 'cause she turned and I was gone.
C C7M Am/C
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my
C7M C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Face, and the summer sun might burn me 'till I'm blind,
Dm Dm7M
But not to where I cannot see you
Dm7 G7 Dm
Walkin' on the backroads, by the rivers flowing
G7 C C7M C
Gentle on my mind
C C7M
I dip my cup of soup back from the
Am/C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
Dm Dm7M
My beard a roughning coal pile and a
Dm7 G7 C C7M C
Dirty hat pulled low across my face.
C C7M Am/C
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I
C7M C C7M Dm Dm7M Dm7 Dm7M
Pretend I hold you to my breast and find
Dm Dm7M
That you're waving from the backroads by the
Dm7 G7 Dm
Rivers of my memory, ever smilin' ever
G7 C C7M C
Gentle on my mind.