Tom: D
D
[Verse 1]
D
It's knowing that your door is always open
Em
and your path is free to walk,
A
That makes me tends to leave my sleeping bag rolled up
D
and stashed behind your couch.
[Verse 2]
D
It's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bars
Em
and the ink stains that have dried upon some lines,
A
that keeps you on the back roads by the rivers of my memory
D
and keeps you ever gentle on my mind.
[Verse 3]
D
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy, planted on the columns,
Em
now that binds me;
A
or something that somebody said
D
because they thought we fit together walkin'.
[Verse 4]
D
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursed or forgiven
Em
when I walk along some railway track and find
A
that you're waiting on the back roads by the rivers of my memory
D
for hours, you're just gentle on my mind.
[Verse 5]
D
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines and the junkyards
Em
and the highways come between us
A
and some other woman's crying to her mother 'cause she turned
D
and I was gone.
[Verse 6]
D
Well, I still might run in silence tears of joy might stain my face
Em
and the summer sun might burn me till I'm blind.
A
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the back roads
D
by the rivers flowing gentle on my mind.
[Verse 7]
D
Well, I dip my cup of soup back from a gurgling bubbling cauldron
Em
in some train yard;
A
my beard rough and the coal pile and a dirty hat pulled low
D
'cross my face.
[Verse 8]
D
Through cupped hand, drivin' tin can,
Em
I pretend to hold you to my breast and find
A
that you're waiving on the back roads by the rivers of my memory,
D
ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind.
