For Free

I slept last night in a good hotel

I went shopping today for jewels

Wind rushed around in the dirty town

The children let out from the school rest

Standing on a noisy corner

Waiting for the walk in green

'Cross the street he stood

And he played real good

On his clarinet for free

Now me, I play for fortune

In those velvet curtain calls

I've got a black limousine

And two gentlemen

Escorting me to the halls

I'd play if you have the money

Or if you're a friend to me

But the one man band

By the quick lunch stand

He was playing real good for free

Nobody stopped to hear him

Though he played so sweet and high

They knew he had never been on their TV

So they passed his music by

Man took over and asked for a song

Maybe he put on a harmony

Well, I heard his refrain

As the signal changed

He was playing real good

With me