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The Second Half of the Bet (Hope Again) (reissue)

by Jason Luckett

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1.
One Step 04:40
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We are the ones we’ve been waiting for I heard that said out on campaign We believed it Tried to be it Now I just hear us complain Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step followed by the next Door to door we called them out We gave one man most of the clout He is one man We are many The peoples power’s not in doubt Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step followed by the next Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step, don’t neglect the rest It’s easy to think one season brings the change That one nation or one man can get it done But c’mon life ain’t easy You’ve got more brains than that It’s time we remember how to act We are the ones we are waiting on We did it before, let’s do it again The tea ain’t gospel The dream is possible (For) health and dignity Every woman Every man I laugh at egotism Every man has many guides The more the better We’re better together I hope you succeed Don’t you wish the same for me? Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step followed by the next Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step, don’t neglect the rest It’s easy to think one season brings the change That one nation or one man can get it done But c’mon life ain’t easy You’ve got more brains than that It’s time we remember how to act Hold up, hold up, there are places (where) I really hope you won’t succeed I want no success with war I want no successful exclusion My energy’s in peace My energy’s in love and fusion Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step followed by the next Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step, don’t neglect the rest Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step followed by the next Every little thing your heart desires Every little thing your heart desires Starts with one step, don’t neglect the rest Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
2.
Noonday Sun 03:27
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Do you know the way to make a rainbow? Do you know the way to make a smile? Do you know the way to make the sun shine bright? Stay awhile… ‘Cause you and me We’ve got something in the way we move They may love us They may want us They can’t help themselves ‘Cause we’re brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Little baby swinging on a tether Little baby rocking in his chair Why they looking at us, We’re just spending time? Stay awhile…. ‘Cause you and me We’ve got something in the way we move They may love us They may want us They can’t help themselves ‘Cause we’re brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Dream a dream for me And in time you’ll see You’re as free as me Oh I love my life won’t you be my… You and me We’ve got something in the way we move They may love us They may want us They can’t help themselves ‘Cause we’re brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Hello, obrigado, and I love you Noblesse Oblige We shine in kind Making sense of wonder is a craft for fools Stay awhile… ‘Cause you and me We’ve got something in the way we move They may love us They may want us They can’t help themselves ‘Cause we’re brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Brighter than the noonday sun when we combine Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
3.
Magic Trumps Reason 03:56
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Stepping from the dark into the light, Mid-conversation In an introspective mood Fashioning songs from debates Will this film go from paper to screen, Song to dance? And I love to see you smile when you’ve made your point I love to see you frown when magic trumps reason Every day we search Every day we find we can’t figure it out Yet somehow we dance My feet stand on wood joining wood The imperfections say I’m blessed Not the first Mirror on one wall I pull out my guitar The little box fills the larger one And I love to see you smile when you’ve made your point I love to see you frown when magic trumps reason Every day we search Every day we find we can’t figure it out Yet somehow we dance Solitude does not exclude community Though I’m certain I need a little time sometimes We stutter step on syllables Rope a dope Then embrace We spar in sport Make art in love And I love to see you smile when you’ve made your point I love to see you frown when magic trumps reason Every day we search Every day we find we can’t figure it out Yet somehow we dance Somehow we dance Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
4.
This Time 03:26
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Here we are They say there’s nothing left But we’ve got dreams and alphabet Turn this page into a London street A pale blue door A laugh from crooked teeth The countess still smokes spliffs all day And her little kids are now our age Turn the corner, meet a brand new friend and This time, you’re where you want to be I’m free Though some of you is in me I miss you Temperamental as an English Sky You were difficult and so was I Times have changed, I’ve got a little house And the songs seem to all work out And the girl with the same birthday? Our love’s as pure as in those days I guess I could say the same for you, ‘cause This time, you’re where you want to be I’m free Though some of you is in me I miss you Walking down the street in Holland Park Oh I miss you On Portobello Smiling from the truth Here we are They say there’s nothing left… This time, you’re where you want to be I’m free Though some of you is in me I miss you Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
5.
Season of Love 02:33
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Wake up, my sleepy head! The sunshine’s kissing the morning dew’s glisten I see it in your eyes caught ‘tween slumber and mischief summer We’ve got to live together it makes life so much better Can’t roll away from this season of love You burst out fit to go Egyptian Lilly just when you’re ready Sunrise till yellow moon I’ll put on the kettle I won’t get sentimental ‘cause We’ve got to live together it makes life so much better Can’t roll away from this season of love Tomorrow it’s all done We’re folding up tents then moving on But say the word I’m there I’ll fold my guitar I can work anywhere ‘cause We’ve got to live together it makes life so much better Can’t roll away from this season of love Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
6.
Odds & Ends 02:34
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We could be the dreams of children We could be the dreams of men We could be our father’s preferred sons We could be the unknown legends We could be the best of friends We may seem at loss for words in the end But what they say means less than what we make of the odds and ends on the way We could fret, we could roll over We could live two days ahead We could ask intriguing questions like “What’s the meaning of existence?” “What’s the point of being nice?” We could offer unrequested advice But all this hay means less than what we make of the odds and ends on the way In films we live forever but here, just eighty odd years Caesar seeks his payment Give him what you will He can’t take away this magic we feel We held a hand when we could reach it We made a meal, two friends shared it We laughed about who had the hardest time What we say means less than what we make of the odds and ends on the way In this race, we often break our pace for the odds and ends on the way Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
7.
Sunshine & Rain 03:44
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I’ve got trouble in myself Trouble in the world Trouble in the thought of Seven would-be lovers To try to count residuals Would waste my time But I’ve kept them all with me And that’s a fault of mine Back to the present One is tall and ageless A year more than me But I think that would be fine We’ve circled to the age Where a year makes a difference All the options knocked And we’ve yet to reach the door In my life I’ve seen changes Truth and lies, sunshine and rain No more time to worry ‘bout failure Wake up, wake up, this is your life! She was there years ago Remember how that went? She came back this birthday And did it all again I know the short one’s crazy The other’s hooked on Christ I won’t be the other guy Wear a habit, be a bride Well, one is just a friend The other gives good write One gives me laughter With sweetness on the side Then she gives me bitterness From out of the blue I don’t need that time bomb We haven’t even … Ooh, in my life I’ve seen changes Truth and lies, sunshine and rain No more time to worry ‘bout failure Wake up, wake up, this is your life! Ooh, how it worked for me then I won’t take it anymore Can’t take it anymore With all this trouble in the air I can’t clean my room I’ve got a little help but don’t know what to do I’m not helpless Just misdirected Pleasure’s not fancy In a life delayed So I’ll eliminate the angst not the girls Talk to the women Turn off my phone Get up in the morning Not the afternoon Now I’m just talking Tomorrow I’ll do In my life I’ve seen changes Truth and lies, sunshine and rain No more time to worry ‘bout failure Wake up, wake up, this is your life! Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
8.
Souvenir 02:52
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I think I’ve decided not to fall in love again I’m caught up in souvenirs of the first two, Listening to Court and Spark for the 685th time Thinking of the very first time we put that disc on repeat Before I sleep each night I shut the light you brought from Japan the time I thought you’d stay forever, the time when we said, “Yes, we’ve been in love. And, yes, we still love. No, but, we’re not really in love.” Soon we parted more in love than ever before. Wishing to spare each other a heavy burden we moved impassioned in silence Then she filled in the space you left Fit nicely in my queen sized bed I think I finally threw away the globe with hearts on a string tying Los Angeles to London, that you’d made with glue and twine, that you sent me that Valentine’s Day only two weeks before she and I undressed and made love for the first time. Wishing to spare each other a heavy burden we moved impassioned in silence Then she filled in the space you left Looked nice in that Japanese robe I think I’ve decided not to fall in love again The champagne’s down But that’s one less souvenir Hanging ‘round Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
9.
Untethered 03:28
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Songs of love, joy and sunshine Melancholy and pained nostalgia We’ve got it all if we are honest Don’t look at me as if I’m careless Freedom is less than you bargained for When all your tethers dangle in the wind Grab me and hold me, don’t let me go I don’t want to I ripped them all The ties that bound me Found a way to live on less No disappointments No obligations, So I thought, until I was caught pleasing a woman that I didn’t desire Trapped in a pattern, trapped in a life She grabbed me, she held me I wouldn’t let go But I want to My admirers, they think I’m lucky The think I’ve taken uncharted paths I don’t want children But I want a lover Who ages gracefully knows me by scent I’ve chosen the quick As bonds felt like thorns Pain dulled in stillness Bloodied by a shrug They grabbed me, They held me They threatened me so, ‘til I let go I ended up last summer indoors Stroking strangers without my home I live in pensive isolation Just a TV, guitar and pen Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
10.
Waste Away 03:49
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When you’ve reached that point and you want to go home But the door always squeaks and the dog’s there, so she’s not alone And you know you can’t be bothered So you stay another night in your car You’ll sleep a little rough, But it’s better than seeking shelter from any woman At any bar Some drop to their knees and pray, Some rush to the poison of hate But you just waste away You’ve got joy in your eyes, and you’re too smart to moan But there’s dust (and worse) on the table you set for love You wonder why you bothered but Chopin still makes you cry And you want to be held by her as you picnic in summer under English skies Some drop to their knees and pray, Some rush to the poison of hate But you just waste away How can I help you? You know the way home. And reconciliation’s not had alone I was going to say you must, but I know prescriptions irk you So take your time, you know why she cries Your silence is salt in her eyes Some drop to their knees and pray, Some rush to the poison of hate But you just waste away Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head
11.
When My Lover Calls 02:51
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My life is changed When my lover calls my name Like sugarcane, It’s a sweetness pure and strange She takes my hair And pulls me in her stare She smiles, she cries She holds me in her eyes My life is changed When my lover calls my name She tells me, “Now.” And time slows down somehow We’re moving fast We stay aligned She makes me warm Together, now’s the time My life is changed When my lover calls my name She asks me, “Yes?” “Yeah,” I agree. I drive her home Sun rises in the east And I’m aware My happiness is there My life is changed when my lover calls my name Jason Luckett © Lucky Masala Head

about

Featuring “Magic Trumps Reason,” “Noonday Sun” (with Nailah), and “When My Lover Calls.”

Lovingly crowdfunded on Kickstarter!

Originally released: 3/15/2011

Original Promo Bio:

Jason Luckett sits in a hardwood studio untouched by time, tapping rhythm on a foot stool used by Andrés Segovia, singing through vintage preamps used on a Spice Girls tour…. OK, the story’s getting weird, but it sets the scene for the recording of the singer/songwriter’s album, The Second Half of the Bet (Hope Again), a warm collection of songs traversing the afterglow of youthful wagers. With an eye toward hope, the sounds of jazz, samba, reggae, bluegrass, soul and folk blend seamlessly into a coherent whole.

Leading up to this recording, the Los Angeles based artist performed with classical Indian musicians in Kerala, toured the western United States to promote healthcare reform, was published in the groundbreaking literary anthology The Black Body, and read as part of the prestigious ALOUD series at the Los Angeles Public Library and Sit ‘n Spin at the Comedy Central Stage. He also contributed a solo theatrical piece to The Emmett Till Project at Highways Performance Space and twice featured at The Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival for his music and prose.

Jason recorded The Second Half of the Bet (Hope Again) in a home once owned by classical guitar pioneer Theodore Norman, layering guitars, bass, vocals and percussion in his magical wood-paneled studio, mostly solo, with a couple loving assists from vocalist Nailah Porter, bassist David Sutton and engineer Ted Blaisdell. As wide-ranging as his activities of the past couple years, SHOTB moves organically through folk, jazz, rock and world rhythm influences.

“A lot of the work I did during the past couple years dealt with the diverse cultural influence in my life and how I was able to create a coherent identity bumping through the ‘mulatto moments.’ This album takes the jazz and Brazilian sounds I heard growing up along with the classic rock and post-punk that I got in the ‘burbs and integrates them better than I ever have before.”

Another byproduct of his recent literary work is the freedom Jason felt to leave his biography behind and dig deeper into the situations and stories in these songs.

“After a couple years of seriously mining my history for different projects, I found a real freedom in searching for emotional truths within largely fictional constructs. I no longer needed to portray myself in my songs. Still, these songs represent the questions I’m still pondering. It’s called The Second Half of the Bet because I like that we make these grand wagers in youth, then we have to figure out what they all mean. Then when I considered Steven Simko’s beautiful cover image, I knew that I had to append the title to include ‘Hope Again.’ There’s beauty in retaining youthful wonder as we move ahead with a bit more wisdom. Grappling with the imperfection of where we are personally or politically after making euphoric and idealistic decisions, I consistently remind myself to choose hope.”

Jason’s played festivals all over the world from Glastonbury to South by Southwest, recorded or played with musicians as diverse as the Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge, Kenny Burrell, and members of Bauhaus and Red Hot Chili Peppers, been a staff writer for EMI and is a published poet. Check jasonluckett.com for discography, publications, tours and more info on Jason, Segovia and the Spice Girls.

He’s released eight discs on his Lucky Masala Head label.

credits

released October 21, 2022

Nailah Porter, vocals on "One Step" and "Noonday Sun"
David Sutton, bass on "One Step"
Ted Blaisdell, mixing on "One Step"
Dan Hersch, mastering
Jason did all the rest

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Jason Luckett Los Angeles, California

Jason’s performed music and read his work worldwide from the LA Library to the Glastonbury Festival. Joyfully obliterating his own comfort level, he writes, sings, and plays to break down barriers between cultures and genders with compassionate honesty. His new album is Document:Freedom:Spring (Live). ... more

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