He Played Real Good For Free Lyrics

He Played Real Good For Free
by Joni Mitchell
sung by David Crosby on the Crosby, Stills and Nash album "Allies"

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 this 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 pa*sed 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