the byrds
for free
Written by Joni Mitchell 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 .