It's knowing 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
Or the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers are my memory
Keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clinging to the rocks or ivy planted on those columns now to bite me
Or something that somebody said cause they thought we'd fit together walking
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing or forgiving
When I stroll along some railroad track on fire
That you're waving from the back roads by the rivers are my memory
For hours you just chitle on my mind
Oh the reef hills and the coast lands and the junk cats and the howards come between us
And some model woman's crying to her mother cause she turned and I was gone
I steal my running sign and tears of jaw must in my face
And the summer sun might burn me till I die
I'm blind
A night to where I cannot see you walking through the back roads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
I dip my coupler suit back from a gurgling crackling cauldron in some train yard
My beer rough and a coke pile and a filthy hat drag low across my face
Through car pans run a tank and I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
That you're waving from the back roads by the rivers are my memory
Smiling never a gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind

Gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind
Gentle on my mind