A Letter from Anne Marie - Grant Hart
Songs that one loves are generally easy to categorize - those that were huge hits; those that feel like they should have been; and those that will only appeal to a smaller audience for whatever reason. I usually can sort my favorites into these buckets without a problem. But once in a while there's a song I could listen to endlessly on a loop and I can't quite grasp if it's something a lot of other people would like if they heard it or if it's just me.
"A Letter from Anne Marie" by Grant Hart is a prime example. To me, it could be a Phil Spector produced track for David Bowie from the 1970s that became an FM staple. Or maybe a lost Lennon track from the White Album. But that's not to say that it's a facsimile of other artists - it's a total original by Hart that he sings with real passion. It strikes home to me. Everyone can relate to waiting in vain for a letter that never comes - even though now, only 13 years after the song was released, a personal letter arriving via US Mail is a rare thing.
Below the jump: the music and some thoughts from Grant, who graciously responded to my queries with humor and great candor, as you will see.
