Peyroux started singing at the age of fifteen, when she discovered street musicians in the Latin Quarter in Paris. She joined a group called the Riverboat Shufflers, first passing round the hat, and then singing. At sixteen she joined the The Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band, spending two years touring Europe performing songs by the likes of Fats Waller, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, which provided the basis for her first album, Dreamland.
Dreamland was released in 1996, and gained widespread attention. Time called it "the most exciting, involving vocal performance by a new singer this year". Dreamland, is a brilliant recording, as Peyroux's distinctive voice is not hindered by overly intricate arrangements. Most of the accompaniment on the record is light and sparse, the way it should be for a singer with such a unique voice. Peyroux soon found herself opening for Sarah McLachlan and Cesária Évora, and made appearances at jazz festivals and on the Lilith Fair tour.
In May 2002 she joined multi-instrumentalist William Galison, and together they appeared at such venues as the Bottom Line, Joe's Pub, and the Tin Angel. In 2003 the duo released a seven-song EP entitled Got You on My Mind, which they sold at shows and online. Got You on My Mind was re-released by William Galison in August 2004; the original EP was expanded by the addition of four tracks by Gallison.
Peyroux released her own sophomore effort, Careless Love, in September 2004. The album received generally positive reviews.
Her new album, Half the Perfect World, was released on September 12, 2006. She collaborated with several artists, including Jesse Harris, Walter Becker, Larry Klein (who also produced the album), and K.d. lang, with whom Peyroux duets on a cover of the Joni Mitchell song, "River".
On July 12, 2007, she was awarded Best International Jazz Artist at the BBC Jazz Awards.
Gentle On My Mind
Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
Planted on their columns now that binds 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 are 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 clothes lines
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
And some other woman 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 'til I'm blind
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
I dip my cup of soup back from the gurglin'
Cracklin' caldron in some train yard
My beard a-rufflin'cold cowl
A dirty hat pulled low across my face
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can
I pretend I hold you to my breast and find
That you're waving from the backroads
By the rivers of my mem'ry
Ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind
The lyrics to Madeleine Peyroux's song "Gentle On My Mind" portray a love that transcends time and distance. The singer cherishes the idea that they are free to come and go as they please, without any sort of obligation or expectation. The person they love is always there, like an open door or a free pathway, and this sense of freedom is what keeps them coming back. The singer does not feel tied down by past mistakes or commitments, and this allows them to remember their love in a gentle, uncomplicated way.
The lyrics emphasize the importance of simplicity and acceptance. The singer muses on the fact that it's not the material things in life that tie us down or bring us together - it's the intangible connections we make with other people. They acknowledge that distance and time may come between them, but they still hold onto the memory of their love. Even when the world is chaotic and unpredictable, there is a degree of comfort in knowing that the person they love is still out there, walking the backroads by the rivers of their memory.
In many ways, "Gentle On My Mind" is about the power of memory and imagination. The singer vividly describes scenes from their own life, but also envisions a future where they can be reunited with their love. In this way, the song becomes both a celebration of the past and a hopeful look towards the future. The melody is simple and sweet, like a lullaby, and it echoes the gentle, comforting tone of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
It's knowing that your door is always open
I feel welcomed and accepted by you because you leave your door open for me.
And your path is free to walk
I feel free to come and go as I please because you don't restrict me.
That makes me tend to leave my sleeping bag
I feel so comfortable with you that I don't mind sleeping on the floor using my sleeping bag.
Rolled up and stashed behind your couch
I leave my sleeping bag behind your couch because that's where I know I can find it next time I visit.
And it's knowing I'm not shackled
I feel free from any obligations or responsibilities towards you.
By forgotten words and bonds
I'm not held back by any past promises or commitments we made to each other.
And the ink stains that have dried upon some line
I'm not tied to any written agreements or contracts that we signed in the past.
That keeps you in the backroads
Thoughts of you keep me reaching out to the paths we walked together.
By the rivers of my mem'ry
I remember you by the rivers that we visited together and the memories of our time there.
That keeps you ever gentle on my mind
Thoughts of you keep me calm and content.
It's not clinging to the rocks and ivy
I'm not holding onto any physical reminders of our time together like plants growing on walls.
Planted on their columns now that binds me
I'm not held by the emotions that remind me of a particular place or time where we were together.
Or something that somebody said
I'm not influenced by some opinion or view that others had about us as a couple.
Because they thought we fit together walking
People's opinions are not important as we enjoy simply walking together.
It's just knowing that the world will not be cursing
I do not have to worry about people gossiping or spreading rumors about us because we are confident in who we are.
Or forgiving when I walk along some railroad track and find
I'm not worried about making mistakes or wrong turns in life because I know I can always count on you to forgive me and be there for me.
That you are moving on the backroads
I know you are out there exploring the world and moving forward with your life.
By the rivers of my mem'ry
I remember you by the rivers that we visited together and the memories of our time there.
And for hours you're just gentle on my mind
Thoughts of you keep me calm and content for hours on end.
Though the wheat fields and the clothes lines
Although miles of countryside separate us.
And the junkyards and the highways come between us
Even amidst the roar of busy highways and discarded junk, my thoughts of you remain pure and strong.
And some other woman crying to her mother
Even if another woman cries for me, I know my love for you remains strong and unwavering.
'Cause she turned and I was gone
If I ever leave and end up somewhere else for a period of time, I know that you will still be in my thoughts.
I still might run in silence tears of joy might stain my face
When I think of you and our memories, they bring me so much happiness that I may shed tears of joy.
And the summer sun might burn me 'til I'm blind
Even if the stress of summer blinds me, you will still be the one constant that brings me peace.
But not to where I cannot see you walkin' on the backroads
Even when I'm under stress or blinded by the sun, I can still imagine you walking on the backroads.
By the rivers flowing gentle on my mind
I can still imagine you next to rivers that brought us peace and happiness.
I dip my cup of soup back from the gurglin'
As I take a sip of soup, I'm reminded of warmth and comfort - things that remind me of you.
Cracklin' caldron in some train yard
This unstable memory is one that I associate with my own past, and with you.
My beard a-rufflin'cold cowl
My physical appearance has changed with time, but my feelings for you remain the same.
A dirty hat pulled low across my face
I maintain vigilance over my emotions and internalize them, like in the days when we used to explore locales together.
Through cupped hands 'round a tin can
I've always clung to memories of simpler times that bring me closer to you.
I pretend I hold you to my breast and find
Memories can help me forget about everything else - even my lack of physical contact with you.
That you're waving from the backroads
I can still envision you and your happiness with life, walking slowly away on a dirt road.
By the rivers of my mem'ry
The river we shared those many moments of love and tenderness by comes back to mind.
Ever smilin' ever gentle on my mind
You are always so kind and make me feel loved, even if we are far apart.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN HARTFORD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kurt
on The Summer Wind
Unbelievable Saxophon solo!