lifeblood: songs: lyrics: for free

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 fortunes
and those velvet curtain calls
i got a black limousine and two gentlemen
they're 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

but nobody stopped to hear him
although he played so sweet and high
you know they know he'd never been on their mtv
so they passed his sweet music by
you know i meant to go over and ask for a song
or maybe put on a harmony
i heard his refrain as the signal changed
he was playing real good
for free

words and music by joni mitchell
as performed by emily saliers 1995-05-28: laguna seca recreation area - monterey, california (laguna seca daze)