Tuning: G C E A (G C E A) Intro: C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Verse 1: C Cmaj7 It's knowing that your door is always C6 Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 open and your path is free to walk Dm G7 that makes me tend to leave my sleeping Dm G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch C Cmaj7 C6 And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and Cmaj7 C Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 bonds and the ink stains that have dried upon some line Dm G7 That keeps you in the backroads by the Dm G7 Dm rivers of my mem'ry, that keeps you ever G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 gentle on my mind
Verse 2: C Cmaj7 It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy C6 Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Planted on their columns now that bind me Dm G7 Or something that somebody said Dm G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Because they think we fit together walkin'. C Cmaj7 C6 It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or Cmaj7 C Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Forgiving, when I walk along some railroad track and find Dm G7 That you're moving on the backroads by the Dm G7 Dm Rivers of my mem'ry, and for hours you're just G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Gentle on my mind Verse 3: C Cmaj7 Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the C6 Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Junkyards and the highways come between us, Dm G7 And some other woman's crying to her Dm G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Mother, 'cause she turned and I was gone. C Cmaj7 C6 I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my Cmaj7 C Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Face, and the summer sun might burn me 'till I'm blind Dm G7 But not to where I cannot see you Dm G7 Dm Walkin' on the backroads, by the rivers flowing G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Gentle on my mind Verse 4: C Cmaj7 I dip my cup of soup back from the C6 Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some trainyard; Dm G7 My beard a roughning coal pile and a Dm G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 Dirty hat pulled low across my face. C Cmaj7 C6 Through cupped hands 'round a tin can, I Cmaj7 C Cmaj7 Dm G7 Dm G7 Pretend I hold you to my breast and find; Dm G7 That you're waving from the backroads by the Dm G7 Dm Rivers of my memory, ever smilin' ever G7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 C Cmaj7 C6 Cmaj7 C Gentle on my mind.