[Intro]  D

D                      Dmaj7          D6
It's knowing that your door is always open
         Dmaj7           Em  Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
And your path is free to walk
     Em               Em(maj7)          Em7
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
              A                   D    Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch

         D               Dmaj7
And it's knowing I'm not shackled
   D6                  Dmaj7
By forgotten words and bonds
        D                   Dmaj7           Em   Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
And the ink stains that are dried upon some line
     Em               Em(maj7)
That keeps you in the backroads
       Em7          A
By the rivers of my memory
     Em             A            D   Dmaj7  D6
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind

Dmaj7    D               Dmaj7
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
D6               Dmaj7            Em      Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
Planted on their columns now that bind me
    Em            Em(maj7)
Or something that somebody said
Em7                     A            D      Dmaj7  D6
Because they thought we fit together walking

 Dmaj7    D                Dmaj7             D6
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing
   Dmaj7            D               Dmaj7              Em  Em(maj7)  Em7
Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find
Em(maj7)    Em            Em(maj7)
That you're moving on the backroads
       Em7          Em(maj7)
By the rivers of my memory
        Em                A            D    Dmaj7  D6
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind

Dmaj7      D                    Dmaj7
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines
         D6               Dmaj7          Em    Em(maj7)  Em7
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
Em(maj7)  Em                 Em(maj7)      Em7
And       some other woman's cryin' to her mother
           A                D    Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7
'Cause she turned and I was gone

  D                  Dmaj7            D6                 Dmaj7
I still might run in silence tears of joy might stain my face
        D                Dmaj7            Em   Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
And the summer sun might burn me 'til I'm blind
    Em              Em(maj7)      Em7             Em(maj7)
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads
       Em             A            D   Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind

  D             Dmaj7            D6
I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin'
          Dmaj7           Em        Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
Cracklin' caldron in some train yard
   Em               Em(maj7)
My beard a roughing coal pile, and
  Em7              A             D   Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7
A dirty hat pulled low across my face

        D                       Dmaj7
Through cupped hands 'round the tin can
  D6                  Dmaj7            Em  Em(maj7)  Em7  Em(maj7)
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
            Em               Em(maj7)
That you're waveing from the backroads
       Em7          A
By the rivers of my memories
     Em           A            D   Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7  D
Ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind