The Return of Joe and Rita: Paul Kelly's Long-Awaited Sequel
Nearly three decades after introducing Australian music lovers to Joe, Dan, and Rita in his iconic Christmas song How To Make Gravy, Paul Kelly has brought the characters back to life - and death - in his latest musical creation. The Australian music legend has released Rita Wrote A Letter, a sequel many fans thought would never materialise, including Kelly himself.
The new song serves as the first single from Kelly's 30th studio album, Seventy, released this week. Interestingly, the original Gravy song wasn't an immediate commercial success when it debuted in 1996. "It wasn't a commercial song," Kelly admits. "It's quite long, it doesn't have a chorus, it's set in prison, and it was specifically about Christmas."
From Funeral Notice to Musical Ghost Story
The inspiration for Rita Wrote A Letter began with an unusual source - a funeral notice published on page 33 of The Age newspaper on August 11, 2025. The notice announced the death of Joe "by sudden misadventure" and painted a vivid picture of a man who "loved life and went hard at it."
Kelly reveals he'd long wanted to write a sequel to give Rita more voice. "I'd always wanted to write a sequel to How To Make Gravy, because I thought Rita didn't get much of a go in the first song," he explains. "I thought it would be good to have a song from her point of view."
The breakthrough came when Kelly's nephew and bandmate Dan Kelly brought over a New Orleans-style piano idea. "The very first lines I sang were 'I really don't know how I'm talking, six feet down and under the clay'," Kelly recalls of the creative process.
Creative Juxtaposition and Musical Influences
Despite the dark subject matter - Joe speaking from beyond the grave - the melody remains upbeat and lighthearted. This intentional contrast represents a signature Kelly technique. "It's kind of a ghost story and a black comedy," the songwriter describes. "The music is very upbeat, happy."
Kelly credits country music legend Hank Williams as a major influence for this approach. "He had these incredibly sad, bitter lyrics at times but the music is kind of cheerful, memorable; his band has always got a pep in its step. I love the contrast between upbeat music and sad lyrics."
In a surprising twist, Kelly found that even in death, Joe dominated the narrative. "Ironically, I was trying to write a song from Rita's point of view, but Joe just wouldn't stop talking. I couldn't shut him up," he laughs. "Indeed. Death itself couldn't shut him up."
A Legacy of Australian Storytelling
At 70 years old, with 17 ARIA awards and an Order of Australia to his name, Kelly remains creatively vital. His new album Seventy showcases an artist still at the peak of his powers, exploring themes relevant to his age while maintaining the innovative spirit that has defined his five-decade career.
The album features diverse influences, from setting WB Yeats' poem Sailing To Byzantium to music, to The Body Keeps The Score, inspired by Bessel van der Kolk's book about trauma and PTSD. "It's about how we carry our past in many ways that we don't always realise," Kelly explains of the latter.
When asked if he's become wiser with age, Kelly offers a characteristically humble response: "I still do dumb things. I'm not one of those people who thinks you get wiser when you get older."
Australian music fans can experience Kelly's latest work live when he headlines the Red Hot Summer Tour 2026 alongside Missy Higgins, The Cruel Sea, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers and Jess Hitchcock. The tour visits Mackay Park in Batemans Bay on January 10 and Berry Showground on February 14.
