It's [C] knowing that your [Cmaj7] door is always [C6] open
And your [Cmaj7] path is free to [Dm] walk [F ] [F] [F ]
That [Dm] makes me tend to [F ] leave my sleeping [F] bag rolled up
And [G7] stashed behind your [C] couch [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
And it's [C] knowing I'm not [Cmaj7] shackled by forg[C6]otten words and [Cmaj7] bonds And the [C] ink stains that have [Cmaj7] dried upon some [Dm] line [F ] [F] [F ]
That [Dm] keeps you in the [F ] back roads by the [F] rivers of my [G7] mem'ry
That [Dm] keeps you ever [G7] gentle on my [C] mind [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
It's not [C] clinging to the [Cmaj7] rocks and ivy
[C6] Planted on their [Cmaj7] columns now that [Dm] binds me [F ] [F] [F ]
Or [Dm] something that some[F ]body said
Be[F]cause they thought we [G7] fit together [C] walkin' [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
It's just [C] knowing that the [Cmaj7] world will not be [C6] cursing or for[Cmaj7]giving When I [C] walk along some [Cmaj7] railroad track and [Dm] find [F ] [F] [F ]
That you're [Dm] waving from the [F ] back roads by the [F] rivers of my [G7] mem'ry And for [Dm] hours you're just [G7] gentle on my [C] mind [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
Though the [C] wheat fields and the [Cmaj7] clothes lines and the [C6] junkyards And the [Cmaj7] highways come be[Dm]tween us [F ] [F] [F ]
And some [Dm] other woman’s [F ] crying to her [F] mother
‘Cause she [G7] turned and I was [C] gone [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
I [C] still might run in [Cmaj7] silence tears of [C6] joy might stain my [Cmaj7] face And the [C] summer sun might [Cmaj7] burn me 'till I'm [Dm] blind [F ] [F] [F ] But [Dm] not to where I [F ] cannot see you [F] walkin' on the [G7] back roads
By the [Dm] rivers flowing [G7] gentle on my [C] mind [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
I [C] dip my cup of [Cmaj7] soup back from the [C6] gurglin' cracklin' [Cmaj7] cauldron In some [Dm] train yard [F ] [F] [F ]
My [Dm] beard a roughnin’ [F ] coal pile
And a [F] dirty hat pulled [G7] low across my [C] face [Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7]
Through [C] cupped hands 'round a [Cmaj7] tin can I pre[C6]tend
I hold you [Cmaj7] to my breast and [Dm] find [F ] [F] [F ]
That you're [Dm] waving from the [F ] back roads by the [F] rivers of my [G7] memory Ever [Dm] smilin' ever [G7] gentle on my [C] mind Cmaj7] [C6] [Cmaj7] [C
