Martin Mull and Glen Campbell teamed up for a hilarious musical performance on The Tom and Dick Smothers Brothers Special II back in 1980. These two talented fellas really knocked it out of the park with Mull’s clever song “Licks Off Of Records”.
You could tell they were having a ball up there on stage. Mull’s witty lyrics about just imitating guitar licks he’d heard on records were the perfect setup for Campbell to show off his legendary pickin’ skills. The contrast between Mull’s self-deprecating humor and Campbell’s virtuoso playing had me grinning from ear to ear.
Remember when variety shows ruled the airwaves?
This performance took me right back to those days when musical comedy bits like this were must-see TV. Mull was riding high off his success on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” at the time. And of course Glen Campbell was a household name thanks to his hit records and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.
Watching these two trade licks and harmonize so effortlessly, you’d never guess Mull was primarily known as a comedian. His guitar chops were nothing to sneeze at. But next to a master like Campbell, well, anyone would look like they were just playing “licks off of records”!
The song itself is such a clever send-up of musicians who rely on recycling familiar riffs. Mull’s deadpan delivery selling lines like “I got no special style of picking, I’ll imitate a train or chicken” had me in stitches. And Campbell’s lightning-fast fills were the perfect punchline.
