Paul Kelly Unveils Powerful New Single ‘The Body Keeps The Score’

Fresh from a phenomenal sold-out arena tour of Australia and New Zealand, Paul Kelly today releases ‘The Body Keeps The Score’, the deeply affecting second single from his forthcoming album SEVENTY (released November 7).

The track follows the runaway success of ‘Rita Wrote A Letter’ – Kelly’s long-awaited sequel to the beloved Australian classic ‘How To Make Gravy’ – and arrives as the master storyteller is announced as headliner for Red Hot Summer Tour 2026, with tickets on sale today at 9am AEST.

‘The Body Keeps The Score’ finds Kelly at his most contemplative, transforming Bessel van der Kolk’sgroundbreaking investigation into trauma into a haunting musical meditation. The song explores how complex trauma can become buried in our bodies, surfacing unexpectedly to affect not only those who experienced it but those who love them.

“On a road trip, years ago, from Mullumbimby to Melbourne, I listened to the audiobook ‘The Body Keeps The Score’ by Bessel van der Kolk,” Kelly explains. “It’s an investigation into the complex effects of trauma, how it can become buried in our bodies. How it can surface unexpectedly and cause harm not only to the person who experienced the trauma but to those who love them. I carried the title with me ever since that drive until one day last year at Bill Miller’s place, playing around with a tune, the words started to come out.”

The track features acclaimed Australian musician and APRA Song of the Year 2018 winner Bill Miller, who co-wrote the song and provides vocal harmonies and e-bow, adding atmospheric depth to Kelly’smasterful storytelling.

Kelly’s recent sold-out arena tour reinforced his position as Australia’s unofficial poet laureate, with Rolling Stone declaring: “He is one of the grand masters of songwriting and our unofficial poet laureate. This year he turned 70, and long may he run.” The Age reflected on his enduring cultural impact: “Kelly’s set got me thinking about how he’s baked into our national consciousness, and perhaps played a part in forming it.”

The announcement of Kelly as Red Hot Summer 2026 headliner promises another chapter in his extraordinary live performance legacy. Supported by Missy Higgins, The Cruel Sea, The Cat Empire, Kasey Chambers, and Jess Hitchcock, the outdoor festival series is set to be one of the summer’s hottest tickets. Click here for more information.

“The band and I have many great memories from our last Red Hot Summer tour. We’re looking forward to making some new ones!” Kelly says.

At 70, Kelly continues to prove why he remains Australia’s most treasured musical storyteller. His forthcoming album SEVENTY showcases an artist still at the peak of his powers, drawing from sources as varied as W.B. Yeats and Lord of the Rings while maintaining the intimate, deeply human touch that has made him the chronicler of modern Australian life. The album’s cover, featuring a striking portrait by photographer Dean Podmore, pays homage to the iconic 1988 Jon Lewis photograph of Paul – a visual echo that bridges nearly four decades of artistry and reflects the album’s themes of taking stock and celebrating continuity.

From the streets of St Kilda to the vast emotional landscapes of the human experience, Kelly’s four-decade career has created a songbook that spans everything from bluegrass to experimental dub, from Shakespeare sonnets to multilingual Christmas albums. His legendary compositions have become part of Australia’s cultural DNA, while his collaborations with Indigenous artists including Kev Carmody, Archie Roach and Yothu Yindi have seen him stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight for justice.

As The Age notes: “He’s forever connecting us back to memory, to place, to home.” With ‘The Body Keeps The Score’, Kelly once again demonstrates his unparalleled ability to transform the most complex human experiences into songs that resonate across generations.