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 the 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 fortune  And those velvet curtain calls  I've got a black limousine  And two gentlemen  Escorting me to the halls  And I 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 T.V.  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.