The answer to 'favourite Grant Hart solo song' comes quickly and easily: 2541. Robert Forster covered it on the I Had A New York Girlfriend album. It's the one Forster album I don't own. I thought it unnecessarily defeatist that Forster made an album of covers as if to associate himself with the greats. He was - and remains - one of the greats.
His next album, Warm Nights, produced by Edwyn Collins, is warm and rich and dramatically intimate. I wonder if its sumptuous grandeur and quiet triumph suggested to Forster that the only way to improve was to reunite with Grant McLennan. Which is what happened.
I hope that Forster makes another solo album, although I was told he's not interested. Maybe when he's completed his book, Grant and I, and it's been published and he's done the promo...maybe then he'll find the time and passions will be rekindled.
The answer to 'favourite Grant Hart Husker Du song' is less simple. By instinct I'd go for Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely. But I can't overlook The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill or Pink Turns To Blue. And it would be remiss to ignore Diane. I'll leave Scott Miller to describe that. If you like music criticism written with a fan's heart and a musician's insight, then you must buy Music: What Happened?
Oh, and this acoustic version of 2541 is quite something, too:
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