VAL DOONICAN - GENTLE ON MY MIND ( VINYL 1969 )

VAL DOONICAN - GENTLE ON MY MIND . This is the vinyl version of the song which was a track from the Album GENTLE ON MY MIND released in 1969 . GENTLE ON MY MIND is a song written by John Hartford, which won two 1968 Grammy Awards. Hartford himself won the award for Best Folk Performance. The other award, Best Country & Western Solo Vocal Performance, Male, went to American country music singer Glen Campbell for his version of Hartford's song, it was released in June 1967. Hartford reported that he was inspired to write the song after seeing the film Doctor Zhivago when his own memories took over, and that it took about fifteen minutes to write down.Val Doonican (born Michael Valentine Doonican, 3 February 1927) is an Irish singer. From 1965 to 1986 he was a regular fixture on the BBC Television's schedule with The Val Doonican Show, which featured his own singing performances and a variety of guest artists. A notably relaxed crooner, Doonican had 5 successive Top 10 albums in the UK Albums Chart in the swinging sixties.He often wore cardigans and jumpers, which became his trademark along with the rocking chairs from which he often performed, and he was sometimes compared to American singer Perry Como, though he has claimed his main influence was Bing Crosby.

LISTEN TO OTHER TRACKS FROM THE ALBUM ; GENTLE ON MY MIND :

LYRICS :

It's knowing that your door is always open and your path is free to walk
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag rolled up and stashed behind your couch
And it's knowing I'm not shackled by forgotten words and bonds
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
That keeps you in the backroads by the rivers of my mem'ry
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind

It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy planted on their columns now that bind me
Or something that somebody said because they thought we fit together walking
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 moving on the backroads by the rivers of my mem'ry
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind

Though the wheat fields and the clotheslines
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
And some other woman's crying 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 walking on the backroads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind

I dip my cup of of soup back from a gurgling, crackling cauldron in some train yard
My beard a roughened 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 backroads by the rivers of my mem'ry
Ever smiling, ever gentle on my mind

[KarenHackman-xz]

Val Doonican had a wonderful voice and I miss him so much RIP Val 🙏🏽

[Geoff]

Gentle on my mind, which was originally written and recorded by John Hartford is my most favourite song of all time. I have to say that I have never heard a bad version of this song, but I have to say that Val's version is something special.

[weskitten]

Elvis, Sinatra, Glen Campbell...they all recorded this one. Glen opened a concert in 2009 with it when I saw him. Favorite version of Gentle on my Mind is Dean Martin's- so laid-back. Val's a fine singer, and always liked.

[RedMaggs]

Listening now - in memory RIP Val such a big part of my childhood

[nicholaskelly]

Whilst Dean Martin had a big hit with his version in the UK in 1969 (He reached no 2) and it is excellent.
Val's version is its equal.
As I have said before.
Whilst A Veritable Storm of Rock'N'Roll Orbited Roumd Val
He Simply Sang On Oblivious To It All!
Certainly We Will Never See His Like Again.