In the verses, there's a pedal G.
Intro and 4 verses.


[INTRO]
 | | | |


[VERSE 1]
             
It's knowing t

         
hat your door 

           
is always open
             
And your path 

              
is free to wal

 
k
            
That makes me 

        
tend to leave 

            
my sleeping ba


g
              
Rolled up and 

             
stashed behind

     
 your couch
             
And it's knowi

           
ng I'm not sha


ckled
            
By forgotten w

         
ords and bonds
             
And the ink st

              
ains that are 

             
dried upon som

  
e line
            
That keeps you

        
 on the back  

roads
           
By the rivers 

      
of my memory
            
That keeps you

             
 ever gentle o

     
n my mind


[VERSE 2]
             
It's not cling

              
ing to the roc

  
ks     and ivy
            
Planted on the

             
ir columns now

      
 that binds me
            
Or something t

        
hat somebo  - 

 dy said
           
Because they t

             
hought we fit 

         
together walki

ng
             
It's just know

             
ing that the w

          
orld will not 

            
be cursing or 

   
forgiving
             
when I walk al

              
ong some railr

              
oad track and 


find
            
That you're mo

              
ving on the ba

  
ck      roads
           
By the rivers 

      
of my memory
            
And for hours 

             
you're just ge

           
ntle on my min

d


[VERSE 3]
             
Though the whe

              
at fields and 

    
the clothes li

nes
            
And the junkya

             
rds and the hi

              
ghways come be


tween us
            
And some other

         
 woman's cryin

        
' to her mothe

r
             
'Cause she tur

              
ned and I was 


  gone
             
I still might 

         
run in silence

            
, tears of joy

              
 might stain m

  
y face
             
And the summer

              
 sun might bur

              
n me 'til I'm 


blind
            
Oh, but not to

         
 where I canno

          
t see you walk

           
in' on the bac

k roads
            
By the rivers 

             
flowing gentle

       
 on my mind


[VERSE 4]
             
I dip my cup o

         
f soup back fr

     
om a gurglin',
             
Cracklin' caul

             
dron in some t


rain yard
            
My beard a rus

         
tling, a cold 


 towel,
           
and a dirty ha

             
t pulled low a

         
cross my face
             
Through cupped

              
 hands 'round 

    
the tin  can
            
I pretend to h

             
old you to my 

           
breast and fin

d
            
That you're wa

              
iting from the

 
 back roads
           
By the rivers 

      
of my memories
            
Ever smilin', 

             
ever gentle on

       |  |  |  |  |
 my mind