THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE 1960s THAT NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD
1,306) Jim Sullivan — “Highways”
An eerie, prophetic and “beautiful . . . song . . . . What a voice, what a talent sadly lost to the desert forever. . . . Sublime genius.” (drumgold23)
Of “Highways”, James Allen tells us:
The [album’s] lyrics are those of a man with wandering on his mind, especially [“Highways”], in which Sullivan’s mind’s eye moves out among the stars. It’s probably this track that inspired the . . . alien abduction theories about Sullivan’s disappearance, and as unlikely as that scenario may seem, it’s nice to imagine Sullivan smiling down from some unearthly plane.
As to the LP — U.F.O. — it is a “lost folk-rock gem” (Steve Leggett, https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-sullivan-mn0002554706#discography) Patrick Lundborg opines:
Early singer-songwriter sounds with lots of personality and atmosphere. The setting is light folkrock with excellent vocals that seem almost too good for such an obscure title. This guy has lived, man, and seen a few things in life, which gives the album a certain country music vibe without actually sounding country at all. . . . A surprisingly good westcoast . . . Van Morrison feel.
The Acid Archives, 2nd Ed.
James Allen adds:
U.F.O. is one of those albums whose backstory looms so large that it threatens to overwhelm the actual music, which would be a shame, because it’s a bit of a lost classic of the singer/songwriter realm. Southern California troubadour Jim Sullivan . . . was a big man with a big voice who built up a small regional following in the late ’60s and convinced an old friend to start a label for the sole purpose of releasing his debut album in 1969. The limited-run release eventually became a high-priced holy grail for record collectors, partly because of its quality and rarity, and partly because of the mysterious Sullivan story. In a nutshell, after recording only one more album, Sullivan took off on a road trip in 1975, during which he literally disappeared, never to be seen again, despite the best investigative efforts of family, friends, and admirers. His car was found still containing his wallet, guitar, and other possessions, with no trace of their owner. Several theories about his fate sprung up, from murder to alien abduction. Despite the album’s humble origins, it sounds more like a major-label recording than a lo-fi D.I.Y. effort. This has a lot to do with Jim’s benefactor hiring top-flight L.A. Wrecking Crew musicians Don Randi, Earl Palmer and Jimmy Bond, and then there are Bond’s string arrangements, which bring an atmospheric, orchestral feel to Sullivan’s simply conceived, acoustic guitar-based tunes. Sullivan’s deep, bluesy singing falls somewhere between Fred Neil and Tim Hardin, as does his songwriting, which subtly tweaks conventional folk-blues templates without veering into psychedelic, post-Dylan excess.
Steve Leggett adds to the story:
Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Jim Sullivan only released two albums, one in 1969 and a second in 1972, but neither sold well, although his talent was obvious, and it’s easy to imagine that he would have eventually have had a commercial breakthrough had he not mysteriously vanished in New Mexico in 1975, a disappearance that has yet to be solved or explained. A fixture on the West Coast and Malibu music scene, Sullivan, a former high-school quarterback, rubbed shoulders with the hip and famous in the late ’60s and early ’70s . . . taking a bit part in the film Easy Rider, writing songs full of restless despair that he sang in a rich, Fred Neil-like voice, and winning over crowds wherever he played. . . . After a second album in 1972, Sullivan began to think his career might stand a better chance in Nashville, and he left California to drive to Tennessee in March of 1975. He checked into a Santa Rosa, New Mexico motel en route, although it was unclear whether he stayed there — his Volkswagen Beetle was found at a remote ranch 26 miles outside of town with his guitar, clothes, and wallet inside, and he was reportedly last seen walking away from the car. He was never seen again, and no trace of him was ever found. The whole thing eerily echoed some of the themes Sullivan had dealt with on his U.F.O album six years earlier, further giving a unique album an even odder resonance.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jim-sullivan-mn0002554706#discography
Pay to Play! The Off the Charts Spotify Playlist! + Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock Merchandise
Please consider helping to support my website/blog by contributing $6 a month for access to the Off the Charts Spotify Playlist. Using a term familiar to denizens of Capitol Hill, you pay to play! (“relating to or denoting an unethical or illicit arrangement in which payment is made by those who want certain privileges or advantages in such arenas as business, politics, sports, and entertainment” — dictionary.com).
The playlist includes all the “greatest songs of the 1960’s that no one has ever heard” that are available on Spotify — now over 750 songs. The playlist will expand each time I feature an available song.
All new subscribers will receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock magnet. New subscribers who sign up for a year will also receive a Brace for the Obscure 60s Rock t-shirt or baseball cap. See pictures on the Pay to Play page.
When subscribing, please send me an e-mail (GMFtma1@gmail.com) or a comment on this site letting me know an e-mail address/phone number/Facebook address, etc. to which I can send instructions on accessing the playlist and a physical address to which I can sent a magnet/t-shirt/baseball cap. If choosing a t-shirt, please let me know the gender and size you prefer.
Just click on the first blue block for a month to month subscription or the second blue block for a yearly subscription.
Brace for the Obscure (60s rock)! / Off the Charts: 60s Rock Revelations😊 