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 schools I was standing on a noisy corner I was waiting for the walking green Across the street he stood And he played real good He was playin' real good for free Me I play for fortunes And those velvet curtain calls I got a black limousine and about thirty-seven criminal 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' real good for free Nobody, I say nobody, nobody stopped to hear him Though he played so sweet and high They knew they had never seen him on their TV screen So they passed his music by Me I meant to go over ask for a song Maybe put on a harmony I heard his refrain as the signals changed He was still playin' real good for free