[MD] Joshua Bell piece in the Washington Post

[Mike Craghead]

He Played Real Good For Free
Joni Mitchell

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 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

Mike Craghead
humboldtmusic.com
humboldtmusic.com/mc
humboldtmusic.com/sarimike


Khaled Alkotob wrote:
> I have shared the story with a fried who is a local musician, I thought I
> would share his comments here. 
> Khaled
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Very interesting story. It does say a lot about American values -
> hardworking, on time, concentration and focus on where we're going. Also
> illustrates the weakness in those values. Yeah, you could be on time to
> work every day for thirty years, but one day you might just miss
> something like this.
>
> I liked the comments about context as well, with the painting in the
> coffee shop. In a big city like Washington, I'm sure you're bombarded by
> street musicians, artists, crazy people, what have you. When do you let
> your guard down enough to really pay attention? If you let your guard
> down all the time you'd go crazy in no time.
>
> I also like Bell's comments about his frustration with the audience-no
> audience. I've played to the backs of people sitting at bars, to people
> walking around a walk-a-thon. If  people don't pay for it up front, they
> find it has no little or no value, whether that be music, art, writing.
>
> -V-
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