Paul Kelly Post

When Paul Kelly released his debut solo album in 1985, his reputation as one of Australia’s greatest songwriters had yet to crystallise. Instead, he was a struggling 30-year-old musician who’d released two poorly performing albums with previous outfit Paul Kelly and the Dots. Upon moving from Melbourne to Sydney he was also effectively homeless, temporarily staying with Cold Chisel keyboard player Don Walker. It was on the grand piano in Walker’s Kings Cross home that Kelly wrote “Satisfy Your Woman” and album opener “From St Kilda to Kings Cross”. Later he would shack up with Dragon keyboardist Paul Hewson, to whom the album was dedicated following his accidental overdose death. Having been dropped from Mushroom Records after the first two Dots albums, Kelly had to borrow money to make Post, which he recorded with Sherbet guitarist Clive Shakespeare. The result was bare-bones, Kelly’s acoustic guitar and vocals embellished with some tasteful electric guitar work from Steve Connolly, the odd burst of sax, and little more. Lyrically it’s threaded with autobiographical references: “Adelaide” reflects on Kelly’s upbringing and his father’s passing before delivering a final kiss-off to the city (“All the king’s horses, all the king’s men/Wouldn’t drag me back again”). “From St Kilda to Kings Cross” is timely given his recent move from Melbourne’s beachside suburb, and namechecks local landmarks such as Oxford Street, Sydney Harbour and his beloved St Kilda Esplanade (“I’d give you all of Sydney Harbour, all that land, all that water, for that one sweet promenade”). “Blues for Skip” is an account of writer’s block set to a haunting, Nebraska-esque backing; “Incident on South Dowling” is a harrowing account of the consequences of addiction; “Standing on the Street of Early Sorrows” is a wistful song to a former crush named Julie. Upon release, Post failed to set the world alight commercially, but it is the sound of a songwriter finding his voice and place in the world, setting the foundation for the accolades and success that would come. As Kelly would sing many years later, from little things, big things grow.