It′s knowin' that your door is always open

And your path is free to walk

That makes me tend to leave my sleepin′ bagRolled up and stashed behind your couch

And it's knowin' I′m not shackled by forgotten words and bonds

And the ink stains that have dried upon some line

That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory

That keeps you ever gentle on my mind

It′s not clingin' to the rocks and ivy

Planted on their columns now that bind me

Or something that somebody said

Because they thought we fit together walking

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 movin′ on the back roads 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′s cryin' to her mother

'Cause she turned and I was gone

Ooh, I still might run in silence, 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 walkin′ on the back roads

By the rivers flowin' gentle on my mind

Well, I dip my cup of soup back from a gurglin′ cracklin' cauldron

In some train yard

My beard a wrestling a cold towel

A dirty hat pulled low across my face

Yeah, across my face

Through cupped hands around a tin can

I pretend to hold you to my breast and find (find)

Oh-oh-oh, that you′re waitin' from the back roads

By the rivers of my memory ever smilin′, ever gentle on my mind

Gentle on my mind

You are gentle on my mind

Yeah