PAUL’S POST

It’s early 1985 and Adelaide born singer/songwriter Paul Kelly has just moved from Melbourne to Sydney. After staying temporarily with Don Walker of Cold Chisel, he moved into a flat with Dragon’s Paul Hewson. Both encouraged Kelly in his songwriting, and he scraped together enough money for a couple of weeks recording time in the studio of  ex-Sherbert guitarist Clive Shakespeare. The result was Post, released in May 1985 on White Records, a small independent label. The sound is stripped back, spare. Centred on Kelly’s acoustic guitar and voice, the arrangements are augmented by tasteful touches—occasional electric guitar (Steve Connolly), saxophone, keyboards—yet the overall feel remains raw and intimate. On the back cover is the dedication "For Paul Hewson" who had recently died from a drug overdose.

Quite a few of the songs on Post feature substance use, giving the record a grimly fatalistic undertone with overtones of deep loneliness. Yet what shines through the spaces is the glow of songwriting craft, and with that, hope. The opening song—“From St Kilda To Kings Cross”—captures Kelly’s sense of exile as he leaves St Kilda (Melbourne) for Sydney’s Kings Cross. The lyrics are evocative and specifically place-based. "I’d give you all of Sydney Harbour (all that land, all that water) for that one sweet promenade," he writes of yearning for St Kilda’s famous Esplanade.

"Incident On South Dowling" is haunting and bleak though, as with many Paul Kelly songs, there is the hint of a wry twitch at the corner of his mouth.

We lived on the first floor

We lived in two rooms

Now my poor baby

She lives with the worms

It is easy to imagine that with a larger production budget "Look So Fine, Feel So Low" could have been polished up into something very radio friendly; like much of the album it feels like a really good demo… especially when Kelly’s palm on the body of his acoustic guitar provides a percussive backbeat.

Some songs come across like stories, some like memories. That is part of the charm and intimacy of Post. "Standing On The Street Of Early Sorrow" is not as highbrow as the title might suggest; its images of teenage yearning conjure washed-out photos and the nostalgia of remembered summers. Loss and mortality pervade this songbook.

Dad’s hands used to shake but I never knew he was dying

I was thirteen, I never dreamed he could fall

(Adelaide)

Although not particularly successful in commercial terms, those who spent time with the LP appreciated its vignettes, stories, and exceptional craft. Indeed, Post laid the artistic foundation for what would become Kelly’s signature voice: storytelling rooted in place, heartbreak, resilience, and social observation. The simple acoustic palette and deeply personal yet universal songwriting became a template he would build on over subsequent decades and many fine albums. It is a vital step on Kelly’s journey towards becoming a much-loved and respected songwriter. On its 40^th anniversary Post can be celebrated as the courageous, vulnerable statement of an artist emerging from hardship, finding his voice, and pointing toward a long and influential career. How long? A new record—called simply 70—celebrates the anniversary of Paul’s 1955 birth. It was released on 7^th November 2025, his thirtieth album.

© Bruce Jenkins—November 2025