It's knowin' that your door is always open
And your path is free to walk
(Free to walk, free to walk, free to walk)
That makes me know that I can leave
My sleepin' bag behind your couch
(Be right there) Yes, it does
(Yes, I'll be right there)
It's knowin' I'm not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And your ink stains that have dried upon some line
Keeps you on the back roads (back roads)
By the rivers of my memory (memory)
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
(Gentle on my mind, yeah) Oh
(Gentle on my mind, yeah

It's not clingin' to some rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns now, that binds me
No, it don't
Or something that somebody said
Because they thought we fit together walkin'
(Don't walk on by, babe)
We didn't, baby
(Don't walk on by, babe)
It's knowing that the world
Will not be cursing or forgiving
When they turn around and find
That you're movin' on the back roads (back roads)
You're still on my memory (memory)
You're ever gentle on my mind
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
Yes, I'll be
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)

You're gentle
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
You're gentle
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
Gentle, gentle
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
You're gentle on the back roads
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
Yeah, yeah
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
You're gentle on my back
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
Be that way
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)
You're gentle on my back
(Gentle on my mind, yeah)

Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Writer(s): John Hartford