GENTLE ON MY MIND
(John Hartford)
Glen Campbell - 1967
Tammy Wynette - 1967
Dean Martin - 1968
Roger Miller - 1968
John Hartford - 1968
David Houston - 1968
Leonard Nimoy - 1968
Bobby Bare - 1968
Jan Howard - 1968
Waylon Jennings - 1968
Flatt & Scruggs - 1968
Patti Page - 1968
Jack Greene - 1968
Jim Ed Brown - 1968
Connie Smith - 1968
Frank Sinatra - 1968
Ray Conniff Singers - 1968
Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell - 1968
Elvis Presley - 1969
Aretha Franklin - 1969
Bill Anderson - 1969
Henson Cargill - 1969
Paul Anka - 1969
Lou Rawls - 1969
Hank Snow - 1969
Andy Williams - 1969
Billy Eckstine - 1969
Don Gibson - 1970
Boots Randolph - 1971
Buck Owens & The Buckaroos - 1971
Engelbert Humperdinck - 1977
Terry Eldredge - 1992
Johnny Cash & Glen Campbell - 1992
Kathy Mattea & Tim O'Brien - 2000
Also recorded by: Eddy Arnold; Tompall Glaser;
Foster & Allen; Bruce Foulke; Roger Whittaker;
Burl Ives; Al Lopaka; Benny Martin; Mills Bros;
Buddy Merrill; Johnny Mercer; Phyllis Newman;
Lawrence Welk; Bobby Jameson; Roger Williams;
Wally Whyton; Floyd Cramer; Tony Borders.
It's knowin' that your door is always open
And your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch.
And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you in the backroads by the rivers of my memory
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind.
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy planted
On their columns now that binds me.
Or something that somebody said because they thought
We fit together walkin'.
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgiving
When I walk along some railroad track and find
That you're moving on the backroads by the rivers of my memory
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind.
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines
And the junkyards and the highways come between us.
And some other woman crying to her mother
'Cause she turned and I was gone.
I still might run in silence, tears of joy might stain my face
And a summer sun might burn me till I'm blind.
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind.
I dip my cup of soup, back from the gurgling cracklin' cauldron
In some train yard
My beard a roughning coal pile and a dirty hat
Pulled low across my face.
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can
I pretend I hold you to my breast and find
That you're waving from the backroads by the rivers of my memory
Ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind.
*****
GENTLE ON MY MIND
(Female Version)
(John Hartford)
Patti Page - 1968
It's knowin' you don't try to buy my freedom
With some promise made of gold
That for you my door stays open
And our love becomes a simple two-way street
And it's knowin' we're not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you on the back roads
By the rivers of my mem'ry
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clingin' to the rocks and ivy
Planted on some column now that binds us
Or somethin' that somebody said because
They thought we fit together walkin'
It's just knowin' that the world
Will not be cursin' or forgivin'
When I drift in through the market place and find
That you're movin' on the back roads
By the rivers of my mem'ry
For hours you're just gentle on my mind
Oh the wheat fields and the clothes lines
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
And some other woman cryin' to her mother
'Cause she turned and you were gone
I still might walk for hours
Tears of joy might stain my face
And the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see
You movin' on the back roads
By the rivers flowin' gentle on my mind
The shutters creak and Autumn winds
That make me draw inside myself in silence
Cross-legged now I sit and watch
The endless chase of leaves across my garden
And layin' down my hairbrush
I lean backward in my window seat and find
That you're movin' on the back roads
By the rivers of my mem'ry
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind
(Transcribed by Mel Priddle - December 2003)
