(Words & music by J. 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 mindThere's a lot of things I want
A lot of things that I'd like to be
But girl I don't foresee
A rags to riches story for me
There's just one little dream
I've got to make come true
There's just one round I've got to win
I can't be a loser with you
And baby baby
Just once in my life
Let me get what I want
Girl don't let me down
Just once in my life
Let me hold onto
A good thing I found
Don't let me down
Baby say that you'll be staying
' CauseI couldn't face the day
If you weren't here by my side
And if you went away
Then I'd be left without any pride
I've given up on schemes
Cause everyone fell through
I've given up so many things
Don't ask me to give up on you
And baby baby
Just once in my life
Let me get what I want
Girl don't let me down
Just once in my life
Let me hold onto
A good thing I found
Don't let me down
Baby say that you'll be staying
That old pot of gold
Ain't so easy to find
And if you'll stand by me
Girl I'll give you some of mine
I can't give you the world
But I will work hard for you girl
Well I'll work hard
Every day
Baby don't leave me
Now say you won't leave me
Just Do this for me baby
Once in my life
Let me get what I want
Girl don't let me down
Just once in my life
Let me hold onto
A good thing I found
Don't let me down
Baby say that