He Played Real Good For Free
(Joni Mitchell)
I slept last night in a good hotel
I went shopping today for jewels
The wind rushed around the dirty town
and the children let out from their
schoolsI was standing on a noisy corner
Waitin' for the walking green
Across the street he stood, you know he
played real good
He was playing real good for free
Now me, I play for fortunes
and for those velvet curtain calls
I got a black limousine and about forty
criminals
escorting me to the 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 playing real good for free
Nobody stopped to hear him
though he played so sweet and high
They knew had never beeen on their TV
screen
So they passed his music by
Me, I meant to go over
and ask for a song
Maybe put on a harmony
I heard his refrain as the signals
changed
an' he was still playin' real good for
free
The Byrds "Byrds"
Asylum Records 1973
Crosby, Stills &
Nash "Allies"
1983
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