| I slept last night in a good hotel
|
| I went shopping today for jewels
|
| The wind rushed around the dirty room
|
| 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 fortune
|
| And those velvet curtain calls
|
| I’ve got a black limousine
|
| And two ladies
|
| 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 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 heard his refrain
|
| As the signal changed
|
| He was still playing real good, for free |