The verses of "Gentle On My Mind"

[Juan Luis]

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"Gentle On My Mind" by John Hartford

It's knowin' that your door is always open
And you path is free to walk
That makes me tend to keep my sleeping bag rolled up
And stashed behind your couch

It's knowin' I'm not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And the heat stains that have dried up on some lovin'

That keeps you in the back roads
By the rivers of my memory
It keeps you ever gentle on my mind

It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns mellowed by me
Or something that somebody said
Because they thought we'd fit together walking
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursin'
Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find

That you're moving 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 clothes lines
And the junk yards 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
Till' the join might stain my face
And the summer sun might burn me 'till I'm blind

But not to where I cannot see you
Walking in the back roads
By the rivers flowing gently on my mind

I dip my cup of soup from a gurgling,
cracking cauldron in some train yard
I'm barely runnin' cold how
Have a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Who cupped hands around the tin cans
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 smiling never changes on my mind


John Hartford's 1967 "Gentle On My Mind" (produced by Felton Jarvis) was covered by Glen Campbell to great success, becoming his signature Grammy Award winning hit (male vocal and best C&W recording) song for Campbell as well as for Hartford (Grammy) in the songwriter category and folk performance (Hartford recording) in the 1968 Grammy awards. Another favourite track of mine from the album "From Elvis In Memphis".

Recorded January 15, 1969 at the end of the wee hours to the morning session, with Elvis' voice in bad shape due to a cold. The song was taken up again on January 20, with a vocal replacement by Elvis and a harmony vocal as well. On March 18, post-production overdubs started for a few tracks including "Gentle On My Mind" with horns arranged by Glen Spreen. The following day, strings were overdubbed with arrangements by Mike Leech. On March 20, the band (including Bobby Emmons on organ) re-recorded their parts with Gene Chrisman's drums, Bobby Wood's piano (seeming all that remained intact from original Jan 15, recording). Tommy Cogbill overdubbed (possibly replacing Mike Leech or himself) his bass part, and the harmonica by Ed Kollis was recorded then as well with piano & vocals by Ronnie Milsap (possibly replacing or adding to Bobby Wood's recorded piano). On March 25, the background singer overdubs in Nashville were completed for this track that (among others), included "Kentucky Rain" and "Power Of My Love".

This is one of the songs such as "Power Of My Love", "Stranger In My Own Home Town", "After Loving You", that could have been released without much overdubbing... but nevertheless, the post overdubbing polished and enhanced the tracks immensely, in my opinion. Especially for this song comprised of verse after verse without a chorus. This polishing in my opinion, prevents the track from ever getting tiring to the listener. The "Gentle On My Mind" final mix master starts sparsely with Elvis Presley and band on the first verse. The strings make their entrance on the second verse. The third verse has the vocal harmony added followed swiftly by the background singers. "It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy" line of the fourth verse, is when the drums of Gene Chrisman are accented, alerting the listener. The end of the 7th verse bring on the trombones, and by the 8th verse, Wayne Jackson and company welcome the rest of the sparse, but effective horns.

Reggie Young's intricate guitar flows through the song without ceasing. And in my opinion, the star player of this track (without counting Elvis) is Tommy Cogbill on bass. His continuous rhythmic and melodious playing is the driving force and leader of this great track, in abstract just under the message conveyed through the written verses as sung by Elvis Presley! In hindsight, it would have been great to have a solo where fadeout harmonica began with Reggie Young/Tommy Cogbill providing the honors for at least a minute more. One can imagine that when listening to the unedited track. Oh well, cannot complain!
Great song, great track, produced by Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis.

Note: "Tommy Cogbill, bass player and producer at American, was a brilliant jazz musician whose rhythmic suppleness propelled the music while retaining a melodic quality that made his elaborate bass parts seem like simple commercial hook lines."- Ernst Jorgensen. Tommy Cogbill is my new favourite bass player!

Note (2): "The lyric begins by celebrating the pleasures of having an uncommitted relationship, free of any legally binding ties, but by the final verse an altogether sadder scenario is depicted; the narrator sipping soup in a lonely train yard, imagining that the warm cup he's holding is his lover. That Elvis' vocal is still somewhat hopeful makes the scene even more poignant."-Gillian G. Garr...Thanks all for reading!

[Ciscoking]

A fantastic recording...and a fantastic posting.....thanks Juan Luis.

Like the version of Dean Martin, too...btw..

[RKSNASHVILLE]

Just curious - where did you get those lyrics? They are wrong in several places.

Here are the correct lyrics:

GENTLE ON MY MIND

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 line
That keeps you in the back roads
By the rivers of my memory
That 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 something that somebody said because
They thought we fit together walkin'
It's just knowing that the world
Will not be cursing or forgiving
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 clothes lines
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 rustlin' 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 waitin' from the back roads
By the rivers of my memory
Ever smilin', ever gentle on my mind




RKS

[Steve Morse]

I think it's,

"My beard a roughnin' coal pile"

I bought the sheet music for this back in 1970 so that I could translate Elvis's version ! I still have it somewhere.

The Internet has a lot to answer for when it comes to song lyrics, but it's a magnificent interpretation by Elvis.

[Steve Morse]

A great commentary, Juan ! I've given it some room to breathe :

Now adjusted above.

[RKSNASHVILLE]

I think it's,

"My beard a roughnin' coal pile"

Steve, you are correct.




RKS

[wecanmakethemorning]

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..
..

"Gentle On My Mind" by John Hartford

It's knowin' that your door is always open
And you path is free to walk
That makes me tend to keep my sleeping bag rolled up
And stashed behind your couch

It's knowin' I'm not shackled
By forgotten words and bonds
And the heat stains that have dried up on some lovin'

That keeps you in the back roads
By the rivers of my memory
It keeps you ever gentle on my mind

It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns mellowed by me
Or something that somebody said
Because they thought we'd fit together walking
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursin'
Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find

That you're moving 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 clothes lines
And the junk yards 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
Till' the join might stain my face
And the summer sun might burn me 'till I'm blind

But not to where I cannot see you
Walking in the back roads
By the rivers flowing gently on my mind

I dip my cup of soup from a gurgling,
cracking cauldron in some train yard
I'm barely runnin' cold how
Have a dirty hat pulled low across my face
Who cupped hands around the tin cans
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 smiling never changes on my mind


John Hartford's 1967 "Gentle On My Mind" (produced by Felton Jarvis) was covered by Glen Campbell to great success, becoming his signature Grammy Award winning hit (male vocal and best C&W recording) song for Campbell as well as for Hartford (Grammy) in the songwriter category and folk performance (Hartford recording) in the 1968 Grammy awards. Another favourite track of mine from the album "From Elvis In Memphis".
Recorded January 15, 1969 at the end of the wee hours to the morning session, with Elvis' voice in bad shape due to a cold. The song was taken up again on January 20, with a vocal replacement by Elvis and a harmony vocal as well. On March 18, post-production overdubs started for a few tracks including "Gentle On My Mind" with horns arranged by Glen Spreen. The following day, strings were overdubbed with arrangements by Mike Leech. On March 20, the band (including Boby Emmons on organ) re-recorded their parts with Gene Chrisman's drums, Bobby Wood's piano (seeming all that remained intact from original Jan 15, recording). Tommy Cogbill overdubbed (possibly replacing Mike Leech or himself) his bass part, and the harmonica by Ed Kollis was recorded then as well with piano & vocals by Ronnie Milsap (possibly replacing or adding to Bobby Wood's recorded piano). On March 25, the background singer overdubs in Nashville were completed for this track that (among others), included "Kentucky Rain" and Power Of My Love".
This is one of the songs such as "Power Of My Love", "Stranger In My Own Home Town", "After Loving You", that could have been released without much overdubbing... but nevertheless, the post overdubbing polished and enhanced the tracks immensely, in my opinion. Especially for this song comprised of verse after verse without a chorus. This "polishing" in my opinion, prevents the track from ever getting boring to the listener. The "Gentle On My Mind" final mix master starts sparsely with Elvis and band on the first verse. The strings make their entrance on the second verse. The third verse has the vocal harmony added followed swiftly by the background singers. "It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy" line of the fourth verse, is when the drums of Gene Chrisman make their debut alerting the listener. The end of the 7th verse bring on the trombones, and by the 8th verse, Wayne Jackson and company welcome the rest of the sparse, but effective horns. Reggie Young's intricate guitar flows through the song without ceasing. And in my opinion, the star player of this track (without counting Elvis) is Tommy Cogbill on bass. His continuous rhythmic and melodious playing is the driving force and leader of this great track, in abstract just under the message conveyed through the written verses as sung by Elvis Presley! In hindsight, it would have been great to have a solo where fadeout harmonica began with Reggie Young/Tommy Cogbill providing the honors for at least a minute more. One can imagine that when listening to the unedited track. Oh well, cannot complain!
Great song, great track, produced by Chips Moman and Felton Jarvis.
Note: "Tommy Cogbill, bass player and producer at American, was a brilliant jazz musician whose rhythmic suppleness propelled the music while retaining a melodic quality that made his elaborate bass parts seem like simple commercial hook lines."- Ernst Jorgensen. Tommy Cogbill is my new favourite bass player! Note (2): "The lyric begins by celebrating the pleasures of having an uncommitted relationship, free of any legally binding ties, but by the final verse an altogether sadder scenario is depicted; the narrator sipping soup in a lonely train yard, imagining that the warm cup he's holding is his lover. That Elvis' vocal is still somewhat hopeful makes the scene even more poignant."-Gillian G. Garr...Thanks all for reading!

Whatever the correct lyrics - what a great song. Over the years this has become my favourite 1969 Elvis recording against some very strong contenders. A shame that no outtakes as such exist.

[Scarre]

What a great song.

[fn2drive]

For me this is the second best track on the album and my favorite version of this song. No doubt Campbell's is fantastic. But Elvis is on fire. This is an great example much like LBL where his voice is the most important instrument in the studio. Campbell's is so soft and gentle. Elvis' sweeps you up and takes you on the road the trip-verse by verse-his vocals paint the picture and give the words life. He makes you see and feel and become the protagonist. This was Elvis' gift-he didnt just sing songs- at his best he bleed them so we could live them.

As for Felton Jarvis' contributions at American and your elementary school games- Starbucks anyone? Elvis was that a Pumpkin Spice latte-grande? Ok E be right back. If only there were long lines at the Starbucks after 1970 and Elvis had sent him on coffee runs. Perhaps with that change alone we may have gotten better music from Elvis. Thanks Felton.

[Juan Luis]

I think it's,

"My beard a roughnin' coal pile"

Steve, you are correct.




RKS

Thank you and Steve. I got the lyrics from Google. Funny thing is last night I played the song while reading the lyrics and found them correct. Obviously it was late and I was tired!

[Juan Luis]

A great commentary, Juan ! I've given it some room to breathe :

Thank you sir!

[vbgt]

I much prefer Elvis' slower version to Campbell's faster version.it just fitsthe lyrics better. Funny, Elvis usually sped up the original version of songs.

[Juan Luis]

A fantastic recording...and a fantastic posting.....thanks Juan Luis.

Like the version of Dean Martin, too...btw..

Thank you and Yes! A major # 2 hit in the UK.
..

[Juan Luis]

Awesome post Juan! Thank you very much.

Over the years this has become my favourite 1969 Elvis recording against some very strong contenders. A shame that no outtakes as such exist.

Same goes for me. Especially the harmonica version that was available on the Purple Chick set.
Gentle On My Mind is my most played American recording.

Thank you Bob!

[Scarre]

Dean Martins version is almost as good as EP:s.

[fn2drive]

Gentle on Mind quickly became a country music standard in the late sixties, having been recorded numerous times and by some great singers. Elvis's version is certainly one of the best. He found new depths in the lyrics and an approach that was unique to his own musical sensibilities. It's darker in tone than John Hartford and Glen Campbell's recordings, incorporating soulful elements in his vocal and a slower pace behind an arrangement that's less busy. This removes the sense of urgency that's present in Harford and Campbell's versions, although Elvis isn't quite as wistful as Frank Sinatra and certainly isn't as carefree as Dean Martin, but he's sincere and assured in his vocal and wholly believable in the process of telling a story that rings vivid and true in his singing. Which is just marvellous here. I think it's one of Elvis's best recordings of the sixties.

Had Elvis gotten to this song before Campbell, he may have found a decent hit single on his hands. Produced in Nashville as opposed to Memphis, and with Jarvis instead of Moman, the tone and feel of the recording would surely have been different. But this is such a robust song that it's very much open to singular interpretations that may not be very different, but are unique enough to display individual musical and artistic facets. Elvis clearly had a penchant for this kind of material. Mature country and pop songs with evocative lyrics and genuine substance. Which is something that typified his sessions at American in 1969.

Little doubt if Jarvis and Nashville had a hand in it it would have come out sounding like another uninspired cover though i'm sure that together Elvis with Jarvis' encouragement would have figured out how to add a bombastic ending to it which many would delight in. That ending is a gas Elvis, a real gas.

There are many fine versions of this song. imo none take it remotely close to where Elvis does. Elvis doesnt just sing this song he also filmed the video that you watch in your mind. Dark and mysterious and lush with imagery. The others are just great versions of a great song.

[Liverbobs]

One of the most underrated heart felt songs that Elvis ever recorded, thanks JL.

[jetblack]

Dean Martins version is almost as good as EP:s.

I have always loved Deano's version which was alao the title of a LP released in 1968 which peaked at Number 9 here in the UK.

Andy

[Scarre]

Dean Martins version is almost as good as EP:s.

I have always loved Deano's version which was alao the title of a LP released in 1968 which peaked at Number 9 here in the UK.

Andy

Dean is one of my favorite entertainers. All the best to you, Andy.

[Scarre]

Greystoke, do you have any idea how many songs of Deans that Elvis did do covers of? As I am sure you know he did take influences from him. I'm too lazy to look it up myself but if you got it without trouble, please tell us.

[elvis1977br]

was a recent hit on the country charts:
..

[Ciscoking]

Dean Martins version is almost as good as EP:s.

Absolutely..I like this swinging rhythm which even increases in the progress of the song.

[elvari]

Thanks for the post! Excellent song, one of my Elvis favourites. In 1969 he was unbeatable.

[Scarre]

Greystoke, do you have any idea how many songs of Deans that Elvis did do covers of? As I am sure you know he did take influences from him. I'm too lazy to look it up myself but if you got it without trouble, please tell us.

Elvis and Dean covered the same song on a number of occasions, and whilst Elvis admired Dean and was certainly a fan, he wasn't always influenced by him when turning to songs previously recorded by Martin. Elvis recorded or sung some of the same songs before Dean, and with different lyrics regarding Come Back to Sorrento (Surrender), La Paloma (No More) and Brahms' Lullaby (Five Sleepy Heads). I've probably overlooked a few. But Elvis and Dean both sung and recorded the songs below.

I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine
Come Back to Sorrento
Brahms' Lullaby
Winter Wonderland
White Christmas
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Silver Bells
Silent Night
True Love
There's No Tomorrow
(Alla en) El Rancho Grande
La Paloma
I'm So Lomsome I Could Cry
Take Good Care of Her
Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)
Blue Moon
I'll Hold You in My Heart
Welcome to My World
Green, Green Grass of Home
Gentle on My Mind
Make the World Go Away
It Keeps Right on a Hurtin'
For the Good Times

Thank you, Greystoke!
One that you forgot is "Blue Christmas"...It's a wonderful version by DM.

[Lohmax]

One of my favorite Elvis songs. I like the upbeat versions but to be it just isn't an upbeat song, so Elvis was spot on in my opinion.