Band Perry Rivive Glen Campbell Classic

When I saw The Band Perry had cut Gentle On My Mind, I couldn't hip 'play' fast enough.

I'm not sure how the song is going to do. To tell you the truth, I don't care. I made sure we put it on Kickin' Country right away.

I grew up with Glen Campbell. His show on TV. I didn't know it at the time, but I was a big fan. Glen was a guitar wizzard. There wasn't a song he couldn't sing. But he had a knack for finding great songs. Songs with stories like nobody told. The story Gentle on My mind was penned by John Hartford,

 

He was a regular guest and contributor on the Glen Campbell Good Time Hour and the Smothers Brothers Show.  He added music and narration to Ken Burns’ landmark Civil War series, and was an integral part of the hugely popular "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack and Down From The Mountain concert tour.

If you know the tune, great. But do you remember the lyrics?  They are the butter on the bread!

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

The best part of this song?  Is knowing that The Band Perry, probably grew up listening to this song around the house. You can hear it in the honesty of the recording. They knew it was a great song. They knew their parents loved the song. They wanted to do it right. They did.

Classic.  For sure.  Thank you Band Perry for reminding me how great of a song it is.

Gentle on My Mind.