| How to Make Gravy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | 4 November 1996 (1996-11-04)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Rock, pop | |||
| Length | 15:02 | |||
| Label | White | |||
| Producer | Paul Kelly, Simon Polinski | |||
| Paul Kelly chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternate cover | ||||
 US (Vanguard Records) release | ||||
How to Make Gravy is a four-trackEP by Australian singer-songwriterPaul Kelly and was originally released on 4 November 1996[1] onWhite Label Records in Australia. The title track was written by Kelly and earned him a 'Song of the Year' nomination at theAustralasian Performing Right Association (APRA)Music Awards of 1998. It tells the story of a newly imprisoned man writing a letter to his brother, in which the prisoner laments that he will be missing the family's Christmas celebrations. The same character appears in two of Kelly's earlier songs, "To Her Door" (1987) and "Love Never Runs on Time" (1994). The gravy recipe is genuine – Kelly learnt it from his first father-in-law. It wascovered byJames Reyne on a 2003tribute albumStories of Me: A Songwriter's Tribute to Paul Kelly, and on Reyne's 2005 acoustic albumAnd the Horse You Rode in On.
It has also been covered by David Miles,Luca Brasi, From Nowhere, Semicolon,Ghostwriters, Karl Broadie and Lawrence Agar. In September 2010, Kelly titled his memoirs,How to Make Gravy. On 29 September 2012 Kelly performed "How to Make Gravy" and "Leaps and Bounds" at the2012 AFL Grand Final. A film version was originally set for release as a Christmas movie by Warner Bros in December 2023; however, the movie was delayed to late 2024. It starsHugo Weaving and is directed by Nick Waterman.
"Gravy Day" (21 December, the day on which the prisoner in the song writes the letter) was created by fans and is celebrated by internet memes each year.
Paul Kelly's albumWanted Man was released in 1994 and reached No. 11 on theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA)Albums Chart.[2] Kelly also composed music for the 1994 filmEverynight ... Everynight, directed byAlkinos Tsilimidos; it is set in the notoriousH division of Victoria's Pentridge Prison.[3] Kelly's next solo releases wereDeeper Water in 1995 andLive at the Continental and the Esplanade in 1996.[4] Between March and May 1995 Kelly undertook a seven-week tour of North America, appearing on several dates withLiz Phair andJoe Jackson.[5]
By 1996, Paul Kelly Band members were Stephen Hadley (bass guitar, ex-Black Sorrows), Bruce Haymes (keyboards),Peter Luscombe (drums, ex-Black Sorrows) andShane O'Mara (guitar).[4]Spencer P. Jones (slide guitar,Beasts of Bourbon) guested on some performances.[6] This line-up issued theEPHow to Make Gravy, with the title track earning Kelly a 'Song of the Year' nomination at theAustralasian Performing Right Association (APRA)Music Awards of 1998.[7] In August 1996, Kelly performed the song at theEdmonton Folk Music Festival, with O'Mara onslide guitar, which was included onEdmonton Folk Festival Compilation Album (1996).[8] The song was included in 1998 as an extra track on the US release ofWords and Music byVanguard Records. That year, "How to Make Gravy" was also issued as a US single but with a different cover: it depicts a roasted fowl on a serving tray held by a smiling woman with the words 'Christmas Single' included. Kelly and his nephewDan Kelly recorded the song as part of Kelly's A – Z Tours from 2004 to 2010, it was issued on the 8× CD album,The A – Z Recordings (2010).[9] A drama film, based on the song, is due for release as a Christmas movie by Warner Bros in December 2023.[10]
"How to Make Gravy" is five minutes and ten seconds long.[11] The song is set in the key ofE major and has a mediumtempo with a piano range of B1–E5 and a vocal range of B3–E5.[12] Kelly is credited with both lyrics and music.[13] The lyrics tell the story of a newly imprisoned man writing a letter to his brother, in which the prisoner laments that he will be missing the family's Christmas celebrations.[9] The same character is the protagonist in earlier songs by Kelly, "To Her Door" (1987) (named "Jack" in the album version) and "Love Never Runs on Time" (1994).[14] All three tracks appear on Kelly's live 8× CDboxed set,The A – Z Recordings (2010).[15]
In 1996 Kelly was approached by Lindsay Field, the guitarist and backing vocalist forJohn Farnham, to perform a Christmas-themed song orcarol for a various artists charity record,The Spirit of Christmas, to raise money for theSalvation Army.[9] Kelly originally selected "Christmas Must Be Tonight" byRobbie Robertson (The Band); however, that had already been performed byJames Blundell onThe Spirit of Christmas 1994, so he told Field that he would have a go at writing one instead.[9] Kelly later recalled, "I had a rough tune I'd been kicking around with the band at sound check, but was having trouble getting started on the words.[9] Kelly's inspiration for the lyrics was subsequently drawn fromIrving Berlin'sWhite Christmas, where "Irving intensifies the feeling of Christmas by not being there".[9] He advised Field, "I have a Christmas song but it doesn't have a chorus and it's set in a prison".[9] Field was overcome with emotion when he first heard it and convinced the Salvation Army's selection group to accept it for the collection.[9]
The gravy recipe is genuine – Kelly learnt it from his father-in-law: "Just add flour, salt, a little red wine and don't forget a dollop of tomato sauce".[9]
Late in December 2017 Kelly explained to Luke Wong ofABC Radio Melbourne, "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... Once I start playing that song it lifts you up and takes you along with it." As for Joe, the protagonist, Wong asked, "whatever happened to Joe? Did he ever get out of prison on good behaviour?" with Kelly responding, "He seems to be like the character in some of my other songs; he's a bit like the guy in 'To Her Door'. I think he got out."[16]
In the lyrics Joe wrote his letter on 21 December, which led fans to dub the day "Gravy Day".[16] A parody account onX called The Gravy Man has helped to spread the word since 2015, posting humorous profanity-laden memes about the song, including about collecting royalties for it.[17]
It wascovered byJames Reyne on the 2003tribute album,Stories of Me: A Songwriter's Tribute to Paul Kelly and on Reyne's 2005 acoustic album...And the Horse You Rode in On.[13][18] It has also been covered by David Miles, From Nowhere, Semicolon,Ghostwriters, Karl Broadie and Lawrence Agar.[13][19]John Butler performed the song at a Kelly tribute show which was recorded on the related triple album,Before Too Long (2010).[20]Christine Anu covered the song on her 2014 Christmas album,Island Christmas. Tasmanian bandLuca Brasi covered the song in June 2016 for Triple J'sLike a Version segment. Australian folk groupAll Our Exes Live in Texas also covered the song forBloodshot Records's "13 Days of Xmas" compilation.
In October 2023, it was announced atFoxtel’s 2024 upfronts the song will be adapted into film which will feature actorsDaniel Henshall,Hugo Weaving,Agathe Rouselle,Brenton Thwaites,Damon Herriman andKate Mulvany.[21][22] The film will be the first original movie forBinge, which is filming on theGold Coast, Queensland, to be written byMeg Washington andNick Waterman, who will also direct.Schuyler Weiss will produce alongside Washington, Waterman andHamish Lewis. Produced byWarner Bros. Int. TV Production Australia.[23][24]
"How to Make Gravy" was nominated as 'Song of the Year' at the1997 Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA) Awards,[25] which was won bySavage Garden's "Truly Madly Deeply". Kelly was also nominated and won 'Best Male Artist' at that year'sARIA Awards on the success of the song.[26] It was also nominated as 'Song of the Year' at the 1998Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)Music Awards,[13] which was won byLeonardo's Bride's "Even When I’m Sleeping".
Allmusic's Tom Hallet praised the track in his review of the US version ofWords & Music, "cult maestro Kelly draws on a rich tapestry of characters and true to life situations, and has his finger firmly planted on the universal heartbeat with loose, catchy yarns ... [including one on] Christmas in jail".[27]
In 2008 John Butler selected the song as his favourite Australian song of the last 20 years:[28]
I just reacquainted myself with the lyrics online and I have to say it brought tears to my eyes again. What a wordsmith! This song is the perfect example of what we as artists try to do – to explain and convey the very emotion and feeling of a situation and setting in just a few words. It is an art and there is something divine about the process, and Paul has that gift. This song is steeped in modern Australian culture. How is it that I feel like I know Dan, Rita, Frank, Dolly and the kids? I can smell the roast and see the cars parked in the front yard. Thestubby holders, piles of wrapping paper, the heat rippling up from the road and the camaraderie in the busy kitchen. I’ve been at that Christmas … or have I? Either way, after hearing, feeling, experiencing that song, I have now.
On 29 September 2012 Kelly performed "How to Make Gravy" and "Leaps and Bounds" at the2012 AFL Grand Final although most of the performance was not broadcast onSeven Network's pre-game segment.[29] Nui Te Koha ofSunday Herald Sun declared "Kelly, an integral part of Melbourne folklore and its music scene, and a noted footy tragic, deserved his place on the Grand Final stage – which has been long overdue ... broadcaster Seven's refusal to show Kelly's performance, except the last verse of 'Leaps and Bounds', was no laughing matter".[29]
Late in December 2017 and early January 2018 the EP appeared on theARIA Singles Chart at No. 54.[30] A year later it re-entered the top 100 at No. 37.[31]
All tracks are written byPaul Kelly[13][32][33][34]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How to Make Gravy" | 5:10 |
| 2. | "I'd Rather Go Blind (Than See You with Another Guy)" | 3:12 |
| 3. | "I'll Be Your Lover Now" | 3:50 |
| 4. | "Glory Be to God" | 2:50 |
Paul Kelly Band members
Recording details
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[36] | 144 |
| Chart (2018–2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[37] | 34 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[38] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Country | Format | Label | Catalogue no. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | EP | White Label | D1513 | 1996 |
| United States | CD single | Vanguard(promotional release) | 740-2 | 1998 |
General
Specific
