Verse 1
It's [C]knowing that your [Cmaj7]door is always
[C6]open and your [Cmaj7]path is free to [Dm]walk [Dmmaj7] [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
that [Dm]makes me tend to [Dmmaj7]leave my sleeping
[Dm7]bag rolled up and [G7]stashed behind your [C]couch [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
And it's [C]knowing I'm not [Cmaj7]shackled by forg[C6]forgotten words and
[Cmaj7]bonds and the [C]ink stains that have [Cmaj7]dried upon some [Dm]line[Dmmaj7]line [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
That k[Dm]keeps you in the [Dmmaj7]backroads by the
[Dm7]rivers of my [G7]mem'ry, that[Dm]that keeps you ever
[G7]gentle on my [C]mind [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
Verse 2
It's [C]not clinging to th[Cmaj7]the rocks and ivy
[C6]Planted on the[Cmaj7]ir columns now t[Dm]hat b[Dmmaj7]ind me [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
Or so[Dm]something that some[Dmmaj7]somebody said
[Dm7]Because they think[G7]think we fit together wal[C]walkin'. [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
It's just[C] knowing that th[Cmaj7]e world will not[C6] be cursing or
[Cmaj7]Forgiving, whe[C]n I walk along some r[Cmaj7]ailroad track an[Dm]d fi[Dmmaj7]nd [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
That y[Dm]you're moving on [Dmmaj7]the backroads by the
[Dm7]Rivers of my [G7]mem'ry, and [Dm]for hours you're just
[G7]Gentle on my [C]mind [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
Verse 3
Thoug[C]Though the wheat fields[Cmaj7]fields and the clothes lines and the
[C6]Junkyards and [Cmaj7]the highways com[Dm]e bet[Dmmaj7]ween us[Dm7], [Dmmaj7]
And s[Dm]some other woman's[Dmmaj7]woman's crying to her
[Dm7]Mother, 'cause she[G7]she turned and I was go[C]gone. [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
I still m[C]ight run in sile[Cmaj7]nce, tears of jo[C6]y might stain my
[Cmaj7]Face, and the [C]summer sun might burn[Cmaj7]burn me 'till I'm bl[Dm]blind [Dmmaj7] [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
But no[Dm]not to where I can[Dmmaj7]cannot see you
[Dm7]Walkin' on th[G7]the backroads,[Dm]backroads, by the rivers flowing
[G7]Gentle on my [C]mind [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
Verse 4
I dip[C]dip my cup of soup ba[Cmaj7]back from the
[C6]Gurglin', crac[Cmaj7]klin' cauldron i[Dm]n som[Dmmaj7]e train[Dm7]yard[Dmmaj7];
My be[Dm]beard a roughning c[Dmmaj7]coal pile and a
[Dm7]Dirty hat pulled l[G7]low across my face. [C] [Cmaj7] [C9] [C]
Through c[C]cupped hands 'rou[Cmaj7]'round a tin can I [C6]
[Cmaj7]Pretend I hold[C]hold you to my breast and[Cmaj7]and find [Dm] [Dmmaj7] [Dm7] [Dmmaj7]
That y[Dm]you're waving fro[Dmmaj7]from the backroads by the
[Dm7]Rivers of my [G7]memory, ever[Dm]ever smilin' ever
[G7]Gentle on my [C]mind.[Cmaj7]mind. [C9] [C]
