How To Make Gravy

(album: Paul Kelly's Christmas Train - 2021)

Hello Dan, it's Joe here
I hope you're keeping well
It's the 21st of December
Now they're ringing the last bells
If I get good behaviour
I'll be out of here by July
Won't you kiss my kids on Christmas Day?
Please don't let 'em cry for me

I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland
Stella's flying in from the coast
They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe
But that won't stop the roast
Who's gonna make the gravy now?
I bet it won't taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine
And don't forget a dollop of tomato sauce
For sweetness and that extra tang

Give my love to Angus, and to Frank and Dolly
Tell 'em all I'm sorry, I screwed up this time
And look after Rita, I'll be thinking of her
Early Christmas morning when I'm standing in line

I hear Mary's got a new boyfriend, uh-huh
Well, I hope he can hold his own
Do you remember the last one?
What was his name again? What was his problem?
He could never get Nina Simone
Yeah, Roger, well, I'm even gonna miss Roger
'Cause there's sure as hell no one in here I want to fight

Oh, praise the Baby Jesus, have a Merry Christmas
I'm really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash
And later in the evening, I can just imagine
You'll put on Junior Murvin 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
I didn't mean to say that, it's just my mind it plays up
It multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact

You know I love her badly, she's the one to save me
I'm gonna make some gravy, I'm gonna taste the fat
Ahh, tell her that I'm sorry, yeah, I love her badly
Tell 'em all I'm sorry, and kiss the sleeping children for me
You know one of these days, I'll be making gravy
I'll be making plenty
I'll pay 'em all back
I'll pay 'em all, pay 'em all
Pay 'em all, pay 'em all
Pay 'em all, pay 'em all
Pay 'em all, pay 'em all back

Ooh, yeah
Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do
I'll be making gravy
(Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do)
Gravy
(Do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do)
I'll pay 'em all back
Yes, I will, you'll see
Ooh
Mmm
Hey