For Free
Joni Mitchell

  G          F          Em
I slept last night in a good hotel
       Am           C     F   C
I went shopping today for jewels
    G            F            Em         Em7
The wind rushed around in the dirty town
        Am           C              F    C
And the children let out from their schools

      Am                  G
I was standing on a noisy corner
C               G       F Em D
Waiting for the walking green
G                      F             Em
  Across the street he stood, and he    played real good
       Am      C        F C   G D F C
On his    clarinet, for free

    G     F        Em
Now me, I play for fortune
          Am        C       F  C
And those    velvet curtain calls
        G                 F     Em         Em7
I got a   black limousine   and two ladies
  Em         C      F C
Escorting me to the hall

         Am                   G
And I'll play if you have the money
   C           G         F Em D
Or if you're a friend to me
G                       F        Em
  But that one-man band   by the quick lunch stand
       Am           C        F C   G D F C  G D F C
He was playing real good for free

G             F          Em
  Well nobody stopped to hear him
          Am          C         F C
Though he   played so sweet and high
G                  F                   Em        Em7
  They knew he had never been on their TV screen
        Am            C      F C
So they    passed his music by

      Am                   G
And I meant to go over and ask for a song
      C        G    F Em D
Maybe put on a harmony
G               F            Em
  I heard his refrain as the signal changed
             Am              C        F C  Em7(sustain)
He was still    playing real good for free