How To Make Gravy – Paul Kelly
Guest post by Michael J Roberts,
Author of “33 Great Songs 33 Great Songwriters”
How To Make Gravy – Paul Kelly
Australia has produced some very fine songwriters and none better than Paul Kelly. If a measure of talent is to produce quality songs over the long haul, stepping up time and time again to provide authentic offerings in different genres with panache and individuality, then Kelly is in the top rank anywhere. Kelly started as a busker in the mid ‘70’s until he began playing in bands in Melbourne as a front man, eventually collecting his own backing band to flesh out his self-penned tunes. Kelly made some edgy and earthy rock with his Melbourne based combos before moving to Sydney for a time and making more commercial albums that were publicly well received.
Musically speaking…
The tone changes from regretful to bitter when Joe brings up his wife Rita, who he knows Dan is sweet on “And later in the evening, I can just imagine, You’ll put on Junior Marvin 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”. The song gets increasingly intense in delivery as the emotion pours out in the key of E major. Kelly uses a simple folk progression that ascends and descends in equal measure from the 1 to minor 2 to minor 3 and back again (E F#m G#m F#m ) broken up by a 4 to 5 section (A B). The listener is inexorably drawn into the tale and Kelly chooses to end on an optimistic note.
This is an excerpt from my 33 Great Songs 33 Great Songwriters book available everywhere eBooks are sold.
