I slept last night in a good hotel
  I went shopping today for jewels
  The wind rushed around in the dirty town
  And the children let out from the 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 gentlemen
  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 their T.V.
  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 playing real good, for free.