For Free

I slept last night in a good hotel

I went shopping today for jewels

The wind rushed around this dirty town

And the children let out from their school

I was standing on a noisy corner

Waiting for the walking green

Across the street he stood, and he played real good

On his clarinet for free

Now, me, I play for fortune

And these velvet curtain calls

I got a black limousine and the finest lady

Escorting me to these halls

And I'll play if you have some money

Or if you're a friend to me

But that one-man band by the quick lunch stand

He was just playing real good for free

Now, nobody, nobody stopped to hear him

Though he played so sweet and so high

They knew he'd never been on the TV screen

So they passed his music by

I meant to go over and ask for a song

Maybe put on a harmony

I can still hear his refrain as the signal changed

He was just playing real good for free