This song is played with a capo on the 2nd fret in the key of D. James had his guitar tuned one half step low; his 

capo was on the 3rd fret. Capital letters are chords with small letters indicating where notes should be played.

Real Good For Free was recorded live at the Berkley Community Theatre in California on May 29, 1970.


Relevant Chords

A:  x02220 or x0222x
A4:  x02230 or x0223x
A9:  x02200
A9:  x02200
Bm7:  x24232
C:  x32010
C/G: 3x2010
C9:  x3203x or x32030
D:  xx0232
D4:  xx0233
D9:  xx0230
D/F#:  2x023x
Em:  022000
G: 320003 or 32000x


Introduction

D   A4    xx0232  x02230

Verse 1

       D         C9             Bm7    G    xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
Well I slept last night in a big hotel

D/F#   Em         Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
I went shopping today for

C  G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
jewels

b      D            C9           Bm7      G      xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
   The wind kicked around in the dirty town

D/F#    Em           Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
And the children let out from

C   G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
school


Refrain 1

D/F#  Em           A    2x023x  022000  x02220
I was standing on a noisy

a  D9 > D  D9 > D    xx0230 > xx0232   xx0230 > xx0232
corner

     G               D    320003  xx0232
Just waiting for the walking

C9   Bm7   A < A9 > A  b    x3203x  x24232  x02220 < x02200 > x02220
green

d’  D              C9    xx0232  x3203x
All alone there he stood

       Bm7           G    x24232  320003
And he played real good

D/F#  Em    Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
On his clarinet for

C    G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
free now

a  Bm7  A < A9 > A   b   d’    x24232  x02220 < x02200 > x02220


Verse 2

    D    C9         Bm7    G    xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
Now me I play for a fortune

D/F#   Em      Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
For the velvet curtain

C  G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
call

  b    D            C9     Bm7          G      xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
I got a black limousine and two fine friends

D/F#    Em        Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
Just escorting me to the

C   G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
hall


Refrain 2

D/F#     Em          A    2x023x  022000  x02220
Well I'll play if you have

a   D  D9 > D    xx0232   xx0230 > xx0232
the money

    G         D       320003  xx0232
Or if you're a friend to

C9   Bm7   A < A9 > A    x3203x  x24232  x02220 < x02200 > x02220
me

b   d’   D       C9         xx0232  x3203x
But that one man band by the

Bm7           G    x24232  320003
quick lunch stand

D/F#  Em         Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
He was playin’ real good for

C    G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
free now

a  Bm7  A < A9 > A   x24232  x02220 < x02200 > x02220


Verse 3

b   d’  D      C9              Bm7     G    xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
Hey now nobody stopped just to hear him

D/F#      Em       Bm7        2x023x  022000  x24232
Though he played so sweet and

C               G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
high, sweet and high

b       D                C9                 Bm7    G      xx0232  x3203x  x24232  320003
   They knew that he had never been on the TV screen

D/F#    Em             Bm7              2x023x  022000  x24232
So they passed his good music straight on 

C           G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
by, pass on by


Refrain 3

D/F#   Em           A          2x023x  022000  x02220
Well I  meant to go over maybe

D      D4   D        G        xx0232  xx0233  xx0232  320003
ask for a   song maybe put on a

D    C9   Bm7   A < A9 > A    xx0232  x3203x  x24232  x02220 < x02200 > x02220
harmony

b  d’   D            C9      xx0232  x3203x
   But I heard his refrain as a

Bm7        G    x24232  320003
signal change

D/F#   Em         Bm7    2x023x  022000  x24232
He was playin’ real good for

C     G > C/G < G    x32010  320003 > 3x2010 < 320003
free now

                 Bm7    x24232
Mm mm mm mm mm…

End @ 3:44

Bpm: 98 – 102 variable