For Free

I slept last night in a good hotel I went shopping today for jewels The wind rushed around this dirty town 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 And he was playin' real good for free Me I play for fortunes And these velvet curtain calls I got a black limousine and the finest ladies 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 playin' rеal good for free And nobody, nobody stopped to hear him Though he playеd so sweet and so high They knew he had 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 still hear his refrain as the signal changed He was just playin' real good for free