I forget where I read it, but Sullivan had complained that some of his music had been stolen. The more one listens to his 1969 album U.F.O., the easier it is to agree with the person who re-released it in 2010. The thing was a fricken masterpiece. That was despite the cheesy Hollywood styled ensemble band.
How much plagiarism takes place in the world? There's a lot of it. It wasn't just Denis Leary stealing from Hicks or Led Zeppelin shattering records for stealing the work of others.
I knew there was something to his song Highways when first listening to it. Spicoli in Fast Times said he knew that dude. Deep down I knew that song. And that's how plagiarism is usually revealed. There is a subconscious itch. It took a while but then I realised it was too similar to the Mary Tyler Moore song.
The album U.F.O. came out in 1969. The theme song to the t.v. show arrived in 1970.
I finally looked into this today. The t.v. song is attributed to Sonny Curtis. He was given a little synopsis of the show referred to as a treatment. He claimed to have written the song in two hours. Curtis knew exactly what the show was going after. A wholesome, friendly Midwest woman was off to the big city in Minnesota to embark on a t.v. news career.
The song was changed after one season. The original had been melancholy. It wasn't a given that Mary would succeed. It was sort of similar to Sullivan's predicament. He was a big shot as a local musician but just could never find a way to break through into the zeitgeist. He wasn't connected like Curtis although he was very popular. People liked Jim and pooled resources to get him a Hollywood styled band with production values to make an album.
Hmmm. Mary Richards took off on the highway chasing her dream.
Bits and pieces emerge about Curtis. He's also known for I Fought the Law.
Yeah, well, when you're writing songs the way that I do it, I just sit down with my guitar and see where my mind takes me. As I've told people a few times before when they say, "How did you write that?" I say, "You know, I think I dreamed it." It's hard for me to go back and say.
When I wrote "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" theme, I did have that little treatment to key into, and I must say that the fact that she had an apartment she couldn't afford, was having a hard time getting by and making it, I really remember.
That was an awfully good day for me. I remember enjoying writing that song. I just sat on my couch and took my guitar in hand and went for it. It came to me pretty quickly. "How will you make it on your own? This world is awfully big. Girl, this time you're all alone."
It is difficult for me to explain how I figure things out the way I do. Those two songs are just too damn similar in theme and ideas.
Jim Sullivan was a compassionate down to earth good guy capable of creating enigmatic lyrics and music with depth.
Sonny Curtis doesn't sound too bright in the interviews for example in the above with the Los Angeles Times.
Listen closely to both songs and the words. It's all about the first year version of Love is All Around. In my sincere opinion, it is a paraphrased version of Sullivan's Highways. Even the actual music part of it seems extremely similar. I suppose I'm sort of like the lady in the Star Trek sequel who can read emotions. I'm saying that both songs have the same music for DNA.
Listen to Stairway to Heaven compared to the song it ripped off. Those two were almost note for note. This comparison is a little different. It is not as obvious as plagiarism. Maybe it wasn't done on purpose. I think it was stolen. Judge Judy could usually figure out shite or it seemed that way. I have similar sort of skills.
Judge for yourselves. Below they have been edited for easier analysis.
Too bad he only made two albums. U.F.O. is the good one. The lyrics are exceptional if you absorb them as I think Curtis did. They felt authentic to him. He seemed to have felt the tune spoke to Mary's situation.
Schtick theft is real. But like Jim, I think it's better to have soul. We will be eternal while cheaters can't escape their rotten karma. Julian Assange won by default. Cheaters are grotesque pigs. Better to have been a Jim Sullivan or Julian. The elite are miserable lost souls. Sullivan had a good life and rest in peace, maybe he is out there somewhere incarnated in tune with Tao.
Jim Sullivan - U.F.O.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N__wplJkRTg
Was Highways Plagiarised by the M.T.M. Show? You be the judge judy?