Gentle On My Mind
John Hartford

INTRO:
D  Dmaj7  D6  Dmaj7

     D                 Dmaj7
It's knowing that your door is always 
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Open and your path is free to walk
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That makes me tend to leave my sleeping 
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Bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
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And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and 
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Bonds and the ink stains that have dried upon some line
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That keeps you in the backroads by the 
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Rivers of my memory, that keeps you ever gentle on my mind

     D                   Dmaj7
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
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Planted on their columns now that bind me
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Or something that somebody said
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Because they think we fit together walkin'
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It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or
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Forgiving, when I walk along some railroad track and find
    Em                       EmM7
That you're moving on the backroads by the 
Em7          A7              Em                A7           D    Dmaj7  D9  D
Rivers of my mem'ry, and for hours you're just gentle on my mind
 
  D                             Dmaj7
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the
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Junkyards and the highways come between us
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And some other woman crying to her
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Mother, 'cause she turned and I was gone
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I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my
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Face, and the summer sun might burn be 'till I'm blind
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But not to where I cannot see you
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Walkin' on the backroads, by the rivers flowing gentle on my mind

  D              Dmaj7
I dip my cup of soup back from the
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Gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
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My beard a roughning coal pile and a 
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Dirty hat pulled low across my face
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Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I 
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Pretend I hold you to my breast and find
     Em                     EmM7
That you're waving from the backroads by the
Em7          A7           Em           A7            D    Dmaj7  D9  D
Rivers of my memory, ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind

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