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The Guardian
10 hours ago
- The Guardian
Rita Wrote a Letter: Paul Kelly's sequel to How to Make Gravy is an affectionate goodbye to Joe
'She's the one to save me,' errant protagonist Joe declares of Rita, his longsuffering partner and unpaid therapist, in the prison letter that forms the lyrics of Paul Kelly's 1996 single How to Make Gravy. The perennial Christmas classic was recently voted the ninth best Australian song of all time. Almost 30 years after he wrote it, Kelly has released a sequel, Rita Wrote a Letter, in which we finally learn what became of Rita while Joe was in jail: she wised up and moved on. Last year, Kelly told Guardian Australia, 'I have imagined, from time to time, that the protagonists of To Her Door [1987], Love Never Runs On Time [1994] and How To Make Gravy [1996] could be the same guy but I'm not definite about that.' Regardless of their identity, his knack of portraying the hapless underdog – plagued by bad timing and missed chances – has captured the public's imagination and his own; Kelly has clearly been unable to resist revisiting Joe. The recipient of Joe's letter in How to Make Gravy was Dan, the brother Joe feared might have designs on Rita. In the song, Joe quickly apologises and blames his overactive imagination on his jealousy, but – spoiler alert – it turns out he was right. Despite the angst (or maybe because of it), How to Make Gravy became the soundtrack to many a dreaded holiday season drive or a simmering turkey lunch. Last year, the song spawned a film – the first feature film commissioned by streaming platform Binge, with Daniel Henshaw as Joe and Agathe Rousselle as Rita. This week, in some inspired marketing, a death notice for Joe was published in The Age. Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning We might have imagined that Rita Wrote a Letter would take the form of a 'Dear John' missive, but Rita only gets eight lines and this new song is still very much from Joe's perspective. 'You hear Rita's voice loud and clear, but Joe talks even more. I couldn't shut him up,' Kelly admits. Upon his release from jail, Joe finds a job as a dish pig, sleeping in the spare room of a relative, Mary. He takes some pleasure in honest grunt work, but the old malaise still lies beneath: 'The day I walked out of prison / I knew that I was still in stir …' Musically, the nostalgia is as thick as Joe's gravy, with exactly the right amount of seasoning. Built over a 50s rhythm and blues piano line, which nephew Dan Kelly came up with, the verse melody has a ghost of the original song, and there's the odd familiar guitar flourish that seems to be a wink. Kelly calls Rita Wrote a Letter a 'black comedy', a sentiment that's underscored by the upbeat, stabbing tempo (reminiscent of his 1987 single Dumb Things). Kelly's obvious affection for Joe is echoed in the video, set in a St Kilda home with shabby furniture that's seen better days. Justine Clarke (Kelly's longtime friend and collaborator) plays Rita with a resigned smile. If Joe will be around to haunt her forever, as he promises, she's made her peace with it. As the lyrics go: 'Joe, I gave you good chances / But half a year turned into two / You could never hold your temper / And you always made it all about you.' Selfishness, particularly around heroin use, has popped up in Kelly's songs before, most notably in 1989's Careless ('How many times did you call my name / Knock at the door but you couldn't get in?'). In Rita Wrote a Letter, his protagonist caves in once more – this time, fatally: 'One day I went to see an old friend / And I brought a little package home / For old times' sake sweet oblivion / But some things you shouldn't do alone.' Joe, it's revealed, is writing this new song from 'six foot down and under the clay', which explains the obit and puts paid to any further pen-pal activity. Over the fade-out, there's a ghostly throwback to How to Make Gravy: 'I didn't mean to say that / It's just my mind, it plays up / multiplies each matter …' As teasers for new albums go, Rita Wrote a Letter is a poignant one. Kelly's forthcoming LP, Seventy, is released in November and has themes of 'taking stock and celebrating continuity'. The artwork features a photograph of 70-year-old Kelly on the front and a portrait from 1988 on the rear. His most enduring protagonist may now be dead, but Kelly's creative spirit is more alive than ever.
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Love Island's Liberty Poole SPLITS from boyfriend after pals warned star he was using her for ‘clout'
Pals of the star shared their Pals of the star shared their concerns over her relationship with her new man LOVE HURTS Love Island's Liberty Poole SPLITS from boyfriend after pals warned star he was using her for 'clout' LOVE Island star Liberty Poole and Joshua Raybould have SPLIT after a year of dating. The Sun can reveal that the pair have decided to go their separate ways after struggling to make their relationship work. Advertisement 5 Liberty Poole and Joshua Raybould have SPLIT after a year of dating Credit: Instagram 5 They struggled to make things work despite getting on really well in the early stages Credit: Instagram / @libertypoolex 5 They made the tough decision to end it and are focusing on themselves Credit: Instagram The pair, who went official last August, cooled things off a few weeks ago after they failed to see eye-to-eye on a few things. A source said: "Liberty and Joshua made the tough decision to end their relationship. "They had an amazing year together, especially in the early stages when they were attached at the hip and going on holidays. "They loved getting to know each other, despite concerns from her friends that he was using her for fame. Advertisement "But once the honeymoon period was over, it was clear that they weren't a compatible match long-term. "Liberty is focusing on her new business and only wants people around her that are truly supportive. "It was fun while it lasted, but they both have different priorities and they couldn't make it work." The Sun approached reps for comment. Advertisement Since the split, Liberty and Joshua have unfollowed each other on social media. Joshua has wiped his Instagram grid of all of his photos with Liberty, but has continued to post snaps of him on nights out and DJ'ing. Love Island's Liberty Poole hits back over claims about new boyfriend and reveals how she knows he's for real Meanwhile, Liberty has been busy promoting her new swimwear range Uplifted The Label. The star has taken to her TikTok to share videos about self love and body confidence. Advertisement It comes after pals of the star shared their concerns over her relationship with her new man. At the time, they noted that he has been involved in various high-profile TV projects and they are worried about what his true intentions were. A source previously told The Sun: "Liberty's pals are worried she's heading for more heartbreak. "Her new man has been on reality shows in the past and clearly likes the spotlight. Advertisement "But Lib is smitten and has insisted he's not using her for fame.' The insider also revealed that fans of her are worried that she might be heading for heartbreak yet again. "She's one of the most popular contestants to come from the Love Island franchise, fresh off her All Stars appearance and is very in demand. "She's been hurt by blokes in the past and the last thing she needs is to be hurt again." Advertisement Liberty shot to fame on Love Island 2021, where she famously walked away from the villa following her break up with ex-boyfriend Jake Cornish. She later went on to compete in 2023's Spin Off show Love Island Games where she was once again reunited with Jake. But after his exit, she started to explore a connection with Mitch Taylor. However, she was eliminated from the island on Day 13 after failing to find anything romantic with him. Advertisement 5 Liberty's pals raised concern that Joshua was using her for fame Credit: Instagram
Glasgow Times
16 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Scottish-American star announces Glasgow stop on special tour
John Barrowman, actor, author, presenter and singer, will be performing at the Royal Concert Hall in the city centre on Tuesday, December 16. The show comes as part of Barrowman's upcoming Camp As Christmas Tour. READ NEXT: Scots DJ Calvin Harris 'gutted' after beloved pet 'murdered' (Image: John Barrowman (Image: Archive)) For the tour, Barrowman - who was born in Glasgow before moving to America at the age of eight - is calling fans from across the UK to sing live with him on stage. The nationwide search, Sing With Barrowman, invites aspiring singers to submit a video of themselves performing a Christmas song of their choice. Selected participants will join Barrowman for a special on-stage performance at their nearest tour venue. All ages welcome. Fans can enter by recording a short video of themselves singing and posting it on social media, tagging the following: ○ @JohnScotBarrowman ○ @mkentertainmentuk ○ @Your local venue Participants should also use the hashtag #SingWithBarrowman If fans do not have social media, they can email entries to swb@ using "Sing With Barrowman" as their subject line and including their nearest tour venue in the email too. Entries are open now and the deadline for submissions is September 30, 2025. All information on the competition can be found HERE Speaking on the upcoming tour and competition, Barrowman said: 'I can't wait to see what festive magic you all bring to the stage. "Whether you're a seasoned performer or just love singing in the shower, this is your moment to shine. Let's make this the campest Christmas yet." READ NEXT: Glasgow restaurant loved by A-list stars to reopen THIS week Tickets for the upcoming Glasgow show are on sale now and can be purchased HERE Fans can also pay to attend Barrowman's soundcheck or meet him in person via pre or post show meet and greets. Pre-Show Q&A Soundcheck will cost £50, post-show meet and greet photo opportunity will be £40 and to get both a pre-show Q and A and post-show meet and greet costs £80.
