Paul Kelly – How To Make Gravy

Here is a Christmas song that is good on any day of the year but one we don’t hear much in America. I looked up “Gravy Day” in Australia and this is what I found: Gravy Day is an unofficial Australian holiday as marked by Kelly in his song, How to Make Gravy. The song is written from the perspective of a recently incarcerated man, Joe, as he writes to his relative, Dan, from prison.

Paul Kelly: “I started thinking… maybe I’ll write it from the point of view of somebody who is missing Christmas, who can’t get to Christmas, why can’t they get there? Maybe they’re overseas and they can’t get home. Then I thought, ‘Oh, he’s in prison’. The song wrote itself from there.”

I like great storytellers…and Paul Kelly is one of them. His music touches on many styles. Country, rock, folk, reggae, bluegrass,  and touches of many more styles. He has been described as the poet laureate of Australian music. He writes about everyday life that many people can relate to. I’ve seen this stated about him… Paul Kelly’s songs dig deep into Australia’s culture.

As for who will make the gravy in the song, the question has been debated over the years, although most believe it to be Dan as Joe is sharing the recipe with him.

And yes the recipe in the song is real for gravy. 

Gravy Day

Paul Kelly: “It was a song that doesn’t have a chorus, it’s set in prison, so I never thought it would be a hit song or anything.”

How To Make The Gravy

Hello Dan, it’s Joe here
I hope you’re keeping well
It’s the 21st of December
And now they’re ringing the last bells
If I get good behaviour
I’ll be out of here by July
Won’t you kiss my kids on Christmas Day?
Please don’t let ’em cry for me

I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland
And Stella’s flying in from the coast
They say it’s gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe
But that won’t stop the roast
Who’s gonna make the gravy now?
I bet it won’t taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine
And don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce
For sweetness and that extra tang

And give my love to Angus, and to Frank and Dolly
Tell ’em all I’m sorry, I screwed up this time
And look after Rita, I’ll be thinking of her
Early Christmas morning when I’m standing in line

I hear Mary’s got a new boyfriend
I hope he can hold his own
Do you remember the last one? What was his name again?
Ahh, just a little too much cologne
And Roger, you know I’m even gonna miss Roger
‘Cause there’s sure as hell no one in here I want to fight

Oh, praise the Baby Jesus, have a Merry Christmas
I’m really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash
And later in the evening, I can just imagine
You’ll put on Junior Murvin and push the tables back

And you’ll dance with Rita, I know you really like her
Just don’t hold her too close
Oh, brother, please don’t stab me in the back
I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just my mind it plays up
Multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact

You know I love her badly, she’s the one to save me
I’m gonna make some gravy, I’m gonna taste the fat
Ahh, tell her that I’m sorry, yeah, I love her badly
Tell ’em all I’m sorry, and kiss the sleepy children for me
You know one of these days, I’ll be making gravy
I’ll be making plenty, I’m gonna pay ’em all back

Yeah, do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

25 thoughts on “Paul Kelly – How To Make Gravy”

    1. Thanks for listening and giving it a chance. I posted something about Kelly earlier and a friend sent me an email and reminded me of this song…

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  3. Nothing like a recipe in a song. Lou & Peter Berryman have a song in which Lou is a parent trying to give her friend a recipe over the phone (orange cocoa cake) while being interrupted constantly by her kids. By the end of the song she gets the whole thing out. If you can handle her voice, they are great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yODz-h6bmY

    Totally different vibe from this, which I also liked a lot. As a Christmas song, I love it – both because it doesn’t sound like a Christmas song and because it gets us to think about the people we tend to forget.

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    1. That is a lot of fun…and I went to their page…they are still cranking them out. Thanks..
      This is a different vibe with this song…what I like about it is no sleigh bells…something different.

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  5. I was commenting on Aphoristic’s take on Paul Kelly and he threw this at me and man am I glad he did. A beauty of a song. One of those story songs Max. Good post. Happy Gravy Day, “give my love to Angus .. tell them all I’m sorry, I screwed up this time”

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    1. This is a great one. I remember this song from our post before and loved it. One of the reasons is because yes…it can be any time of the year but it doesn’t have sleighbells…not that I hate them…but its refreshing and something new.
      lol I love the message and don’t forget the recipe.

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  7. Strange song, but I like it. Aussies are a bit out of key with their stuff, but it works nicely. Not sure about the Penfolds in gravy. I like gravy, Momo is a gravy hound and can whip up the best I’ve ever had. Pour in on everything, rub it on cuts and blisters, it’s magical. CB comes up with some off-the-wall picks. It’s good to have him back.

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  9. Paul Kelly’s music contribution to Australian folklore cannot be overstated. Also his tireless input of budding artists (when starting out) including producing and touring (with) the likes of Kasey Chambers, Archie Roach and Vika and Linda Bull is on another level. I liked this song a lot Max especially this time of year.

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    1. lol…I know! It is a cool song it really is. He is a legend there. I covered him earlier and liked this song…
      Randy…don’t feel you have to look at all of my posts…I ran out of time and I just let them fly….this one is new. Next year I’m starting a week earlier…I’m still going to bag some for next year. Tuesday I’ll start making sense again.

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