Almost 30 years after Paul Kelly released his Christmas classic How to Make Gravy, he has unveiled a sequel titled Rita Wrote a Letter. The new song reveals what became of Rita while Joe, the protagonist of the original, was in prison: she wised up and moved on.
In the original 1996 song, Joe writes a letter from prison to his brother Dan, expressing jealousy over Rita. The sequel confirms Joe's suspicions were correct. Despite the angst, How to Make Gravy became a holiday staple and was voted the ninth-best Australian song of all time. Last year, it inspired a film on streaming platform Binge.
Rita Wrote a Letter is told from Joe's perspective, though Rita's voice is heard. Kelly describes it as a "black comedy," with an upbeat tempo reminiscent of his 1987 single Dumb Things. The song reveals Joe's continued struggles, including a fatal relapse into heroin use, and is written from beyond the grave: "six foot down and under the clay."
The sequel serves as a teaser for Kelly's forthcoming album Seventy, set for release in November. The album's themes include "taking stock and celebrating continuity," with artwork featuring a current photo of the 70-year-old musician and a portrait from 1988.
