Hi peeps. Hope you’re all well.
It’s the 21st of December which is called ‘gravy day’ in Australia and this song gets played a lot. I’ve posted a live version of this track some years back but this is the covid version 2021 when everyone was in lock-down. Ironically, the song is about being in prison and the ‘lock-downs’ made everyone feel like they were in prison.
A few decades back, Paul Kelly was asked to write a Christmas song for the Salvation Army Appeal so he came up with this.
It’s not a typical Christmas song. It’s not about families coming together and celebrating. It’s about families split apart. It’s a song about a guy in prison who writes to his brother on the 21st December and, rather than talking about joy or blessings, his letter expresses his loneliness, fear and regret. The letter rambles from one thought to another from yearning to be with his kids to his fear his brother might make out with his wife. It’s a song about the writers frustration and his promise to redeem himself when he gets out by paying everyone one back by making his famous Christmas gravy next year.
Remember, Christmas falls in the middle of summer in this part of the world but the traditional roast still goes on.
Lyrics are in the tab below.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOWtK6HYCSE[/youtube]
[tab]How to Make Gravy - Paul Kelly
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?
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
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[/tab]
