Paul Kelly fans are mourning the death of one of Australia's most loved song characters
The wry storyteller posted a Public Notice in a Melbourne newspaper on Monday announcing the death of Joe from his treasured 1996 song 'How To Make Gravy'.
The death notice, also shared on Kelly's social media with a succinct 'RIP Joe' message, revealed the convict cook and star of the accidental Aussie Christmas anthem died of 'sudden misadventure'.
'With great sorrow, we announce the death of Joe by sudden misadventure. Much loved father, husband, brother, brother-in-law and uncle to Dan, Rita, Stella, Roger, Mary, Angus, Frank and Dolly,' read the notice.
'We'll miss you badly, Joe. You loved life and went hard at it. You loved music, food, football, celebration, tall tales and strong argument. We can still see you cooking up a storm in the kitchen at our big family gatherings, pots and pans on the go, BBQ smoking outside, glass of wine in hand, your beloved reggae music on the stereo, Junior Murvin, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Gregory Isaac and the like. You filling up everybody's drinks and teasing the little ones.'
Of course the notice also acknowledged that 'Christmas just won't be the same this year without you.'
And it begged the question which is the signature lyric of Kelly's beloved song: 'Who's gonna make the gravy?'
'But we know you'll always be with us, hovering above us, floating all around us, making sure we get it right. And laughing when we don't.'
Kelly seems to be setting up the release of the long-anticipated sequel to 'How To Make Gravy', which polled at No.9 on Triple J's Hottest 100 Australian Songs last month and was brought to life in the successful Nick Waterman and Megan Washington film last year.
'The funeral and service will be on August 14th. Followed by a wake to end all wakes!
Further details to follow,' the notice concluded.
The 70-year-old songwriter flagged in May during a Double J interview that he had completed the sequel to 'How To Make Gravy' and it was called 'Rita Wrote A Letter.'
Lovers of the song know that in his December 21 letter from prison to his brother Dan that he knew he had feelings for Rita and begged him not to make a move on his wife.
Kelly told Double J he had the idea for the song in his notebook for 'quite a while.'
'I always wanted to sort of have more, I guess, her point of view in that whole situation. It took a little dark turn, but I can't really say much more about that,' he told host Henry Wagons.'
Fans were quick to quote 'Gravy' lyrics and send their 'condolences' when Kelly shared the death notice on social media.
'I guess the brothers are driving down from QLD for the funeral?' commented one fan.
'Do you Rita and Dan will finally get together?' posed one astute observer.
'So sorry to read this. Poor Rita. She's been through a lot,' added another fan.
Others got the cryptic clues that new music is on the way from Kelly.
'Just like the gravy, the plot thickens,' wrote one fan.
Any new song Kelly drops soon will likely get its live premiere when he embarks on his headlining arena tour later this month.
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