It's knowin' that your door is always open
And your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleepin' bag rolled 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 lines
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory
And 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 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 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 coastlines
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
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
I dip my cup of soup
Back from a gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
My beard a roughenin' coal pile
And a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
That you're wavin' from the back roads by the rivers of my memories
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind
And your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleepin' bag rolled 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 lines
That keeps you in the back roads by the rivers of my memory
And 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 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 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 coastlines
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
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
I dip my cup of soup
Back from a gurglin', cracklin' cauldron in some train yard
My beard a roughenin' coal pile
And a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
That you're wavin' from the back roads by the rivers of my memories
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind
Lyrics submitted by faeriellen, edited by emen7, cageyH
Gentle on My Mind Lyrics as written by John Hartford
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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The fellow in this song (probably a hippie or a hobo) enjoys the company of a certain lady, maybe even cares about her in his way, but has no interest in having her or any other woman in his life as anything other than occasional company. He does NOT want to be exclusive with this woman or anyone else (It's knowin' that your door is always open And your path is free to walk = you are free to enjoy other people's company, as am I, and I like that). He does NOT want to live with anyone (It's not clingin' to the rocks and ivy Planted on their columns now that bind me = I don't want to share a home with anyone) and he definitely does NOT want to get married (