Almanac Music: How to Make Gravy reimagined
Many will know that yesterday was Gravy Day as December 21st is when Joe writes his Christmas letter to his brother in Paul Kelly’s much loved song.
I came across a link to a podcast that was released on Saturday in which two writers took the song and turned it into monologues from the perspectives of Dan and Mary, gave voice to some of the other characters and imagined more details around our first family of Christmas.
I’m generally nervous about sequels and dramatisations of novels and other assorted literary transformations, and have mixed views about this one too. But, it’s worth twenty minutes of your time, and like Bob Murphy on Twitter I do wonder at which point we’ll see a film version. It’s a shame Bill Hunter’s left us, for he’d make a tremendous Frank.
See what you reckon-
The podcast can be heard HERE.
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About Mickey Randall
Now whip it into shape/ Shape it up, get straight/ Go forward, move ahead/ Try to detect it, it's not too late/ To whip it, whip it good
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Personally I never want to see this song dramatised into TV, film or any other platform of that nature. It’s a great, uplifting song but each listener is doing as much work as the song to “tell the story”. As it should be.
Signed, Let It Be
Mickey,
And there I was stereotyping you as a kinda one trick pony who loved sausage rolls and the LRB.
With apologies to Johannes Bjelke-Petersen I was “wrong wrong wrong Jana!”
Very best Christmas wishes to you and your gang mate.
RDL
Mickey, even though a huge P Kelly fan, I am not ashamed to admit that I was initially a bit “Meh” regarding Gravy.
But this track has really seeped into me over the years, in no small part due to my three sons, who all love it dearly.
Thanks everyone.
Rick- I’m mostly in your camp on this, but there’s always exceptions with Apocalypse Now right at the top of successful transformations/ adaptations. And Terry and Julie from your beloved Waterloo Sunset have popped up across a range of songs, stories and radio plays. Not, that they necessarily should have!
Thanks RDL. As a fellow punter, I had a novelty bet a week or so back and had a collect. The horse was the terrifically named, ‘Juicing Carrots.’ All the best!
Smokie- I agree that Gravy’s central asset is to connect people. I remember teaching it to some Year 10 students around 2000. That was fun!