For Free

I slept last night in a good hotel

I went shopping today for jewels

♪

The wind rushed around in the dirty town

And the children let out from their schools

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 fortunes

And those velvet curtain calls

I've got a black limousine and two gentlemen

Who escort me through these halls

And I'll play if you got the money

Or if you're a friend to me

But the one-man band by the quick lunch stand

He's been playing real good, for free

♪

Nobody stopped to hear him

Though he played so sweet and high

They knew he had never been on the TV

So they passed his music by

I meant to go over and ask for a song

Maybe put on a harmony

I heard his refrain as the signal changed

He was playing real good, for free