Gentle On My Mind Chords & Tabs

by John Hartford

[Content]
In the verses, there's a pedal G.
Intro and 4 verses.

[INTRO]
C | | | |

[VERSE 1]
     C                 Cmaj7           C6 
It's knowing that your door is always open
         C                   Dm
And your path is free to walk
Dm               Dmmaj7            Dm7
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
              G                  C     
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
         C               Cmaj7   
And it's knowing I'm not shackled
     C6                C    
By forgotten words and bonds
        C                   C               Dm  
And the ink stains that are dried upon some line
Dm               Dmmaj7
That keeps you on the back  roads
       Dm7          G     
By the rivers of my memory
     Dm             G            C   
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind

[VERSE 2]
         C                    Cmaj7       
It's not clinging to the rocks     and ivy
C6               C                Dm      
Planted on their columns now that binds me
Dm                 Dmmaj7
Or something that somebo  -  dy said
  Dm7                   G            C      
Because they thought we fit together walking
          C                Cmaj7             C6            C     
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgiving
       C                                  Dm7 
when I walk along some railroad track and find
Dm                Dmmaj7
That you're moving on the back      roads
       Dm7          G     
By the rivers of my memory
        Dm                G            C   
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind

[VERSE 3]
           C                    Cmaj7        
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines
        C6                C               Dm7     
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
Dm            Dmmaj7        Dm7
And some other woman's cryin' to her mother
           G                C     
'Cause she turned and I was   gone
  C                  Cmaj7             C6                 C   
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my face
        C                                 Dm7  
And the summer sun might burn me 'til I'm blind
Dm             Dmmaj7         Dm7            G
Oh, but not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the back roads
       Dm             G            C   
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind

[VERSE 4]
  C             Cmaj7            C6       
I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin',
          C                Dm        
Cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
Dm                  Dmmaj7
My beard a rustling, a cold  towel,
      Dm7              G             C   
and a dirty hat pulled low across my face
        C                       Cmaj7   
Through cupped hands 'round the tin  can
     C6               C                Dm7 
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
Dm               Dmmaj7
That you're waiting from the back roads
       Dm7          G7      
By the rivers of my memories
Dm            G            C   | Csus4 | C | C7sus4 | C |
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind