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Gentle on My Mind Lyrics by John Hartford

Earthwords & Music

1967

Oh, Benny Mart, now
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
Oh, Sam, Sammy Bush
It's not clingin' to the rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns now that binds 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 wavin' from the back roads
By the rivers of my memory
For hours you're just gentle on my mind
Although the wheat fields and the curled twines
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
And some other woman 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
Take Robin and Buddy Ellins
I dip my cup of soup back from the 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 memory
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind
Credits
John Hartford

John Hartford

About “Gentle on My Mind” by John Hartford

Read the complete lyrics to "Gentle on My Mind" by John Hartford from the album "Earthwords & Music" in 1967. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Country, Folk.

"Gentle on My Mind" is performed by John Hartford. from the album "Earthwords & Music" in 1967 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Gentle on My Mind", explore more songs by John Hartford using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Gentle on My Mind" is credited to John Hartford. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Gentle on My Mind" appears on "Earthwords & Music" in 1967.

Visit the John Hartford artist page at /artist/john-hartford for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.