Folk John Hartford
Gentle on My Mind

Song :
G
Intro :
C   Cmaj7   C6   Cmaj7

     C                 Cmaj7
It's knowing that your door is always 
C6            Cmaj7           Dm   Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
open and your path is free to walk
     Dm               Dmmaj7     
that makes me tend to leave my sleeping 
Dm7               G7                  C     Cmaj7  C9  C
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  
bonds and the ink stains that have dried upon some line
Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
      Dm              Dmmaj7    
That keeps you in the backroads by the 
Dm7          G7          Dm             
rivers of my mem'ry, that keeps you ever 
G7           C    Cmaj7  C9  C 
gentle on my mind

     C                 Cmaj7
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
C6            Cmaj7           Dm   Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
Planted on their columns now that bind me
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Or something that somebody said
Dm7               G7                  C     Cmaj7  C9  C
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  
Forgiving, when I walk along some railroad track and find
Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
      Dm              Dmmaj7    
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    Cmaj7  C9  C 
Gentle on my mind

     C                 Cmaj7
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the
C6            Cmaj7           Dm   Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
Junkyards and the highways come between us,
     Dm               Dmmaj7     
And some other woman crying to her
Dm7               G7                  C     Cmaj7  C9  C
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  
Face, and the summer sun might burn be 'till I'm blind
Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
      Dm              Dmmaj7    
But not to where I cannot see you
Dm7          G7          Dm             
Walkin' on the backroads, by the rivers flowing
G7           C    Cmaj7  C9  C  
Gentle on my mind

     C                 Cmaj7
I dip my cup of soup back from the
C6            Cmaj7           Dm   Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7
Gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some trainyard;
     Dm               Dmmaj7     
My beard a roughning coal pile and a 
Dm7               G7            C   Cmaj7  C9  C
Dirty had pulled low across my face.
         C               Cmaj7          C6
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can I
Cmaj7         C                    Cmaj7 Dm  
Pretend I hold you to my breast and find
Dmmaj7 Dm7 Dmmaj7 
      Dm              Dmmaj7    
That you're waving from the backroads by the
Dm7          G7          Dm             
Rivers of my memory, ever smilin' ever
G7           C    Cmaj7  C9  C  
Gentle on my mind.