As the sweltering December sun beats down on Australia, an unlikely tune captures the nation’s Christmas spirit. How to Make Gravy, penned by beloved musician Paul Kelly, has become the country’s festive anthem – despite its unconventional prison setting, melancholic longing, and complete lack of snow or sleigh bells. Released in 1996, the spoken-sung ballad has soared in popularity over the past decade, even spawning an unofficial holiday dubbed “Gravy Day” each December 21st.
A Slice of Australian Life Served Up in Song
In How to Make Gravy, Kelly masterfully weaves a tale of family dynamics, prison life, and the simple joys of a traditional Christmas roast. The lyrics unfold as a phone call from the incarcerated Joe to his brother Dan, complete with an apology, updates for the kids, and a gentle warning about holding his wife too close during the post-lunch dance. Between wistful reflections, Joe even shares his recipe for perfect gravy, based on a relative of Kelly’s own tried-and-true formula:
“Just add flour, salt, a little red wine, and don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce for sweetness and that extra tang.”
– Paul Kelly, How to Make Gravy
The understated, relatable storytelling struck a chord with Australians, who have streamed the track over 45 million times on Spotify alone. Kelly’s unadorned delivery and vivid lyrics paint an intimate portrait instantly recognizable to anyone who has navigated tricky family ties or felt the ache of separation during the holidays.
Tapping into a Rich Prison Song Tradition
How to Make Gravy also draws on Australia’s history as a former penal colony and the nation’s complex relationship with incarceration. Indigenous Australians, in particular, face staggeringly disproportionate imprisonment rates, with Indigenous men 17 times and women 25 times more likely to be jailed than their non-Indigenous counterparts. The song joins a long legacy of prison ballads from Indigenous artists like Vic Simms, Warumpi Band, and Roger Knox, giving voice to an often marginalized population.
An Anthem for Missing Loved Ones
Beyond its cultural significance, the song’s enduring appeal lies in its poignant capturing of the universal ache of missing family at Christmas. Whether due to distance, estrangement, or loss, Kelly’s words resonate with anyone yearning to be reunited with loved ones during the holidays. As musician Luke Daniel Peacock, who performs in the 2022 film adaptation, shared:
“If someone asked what Christmas is like in Australia, I think How to Make Gravy would be the perfect song to play them. It speaks not just to our holiday rituals, but to having that family member who’s absent for whatever reason.”
– Luke Daniel Peacock
A Flawed, Honest, and Utterly Human Christmas
In a sea of saccharine Christmas pop, How to Make Gravy stands out as a raw, honest, and quintessentially Australian holiday narrative. By eschewing snow-dusted fantasies for the realities of a scorching December, family tensions, and the pain of separation, Kelly crafted an anthem that speaks to the bittersweet beauty of the season. Its rising popularity is a testament to the power of storytelling to forge connection, stir compassion, and remind us of the ties that bind us, even through life’s most difficult chapters.
As the song’s imprisoned protagonist Joe teaches us, sometimes the greatest gift is simply holding our loved ones close, whether in memory or in our hearts. Year after year, Paul Kelly’s humble hit reaffirms that it’s the flawed, fragile, and utterly human moments – the lumps in the gravy, so to speak – that make Christmas a most cherished occasion in homes across Australia and communities around the globe.
