Classical Gas - An Enigma Of Modern Music
In an episode of The Simpsons called "Last Exit to Springfield" Homer leads the workers of the nuclear power plant in a strike to recover their lost dental plan. While they picket the plant, Lisa plays a bleak worker's song. As she finishes, Lenny shouts, "Play Classical Gas". Lisa plays the guitar and everybody watching the episode on TV goes, "Oh, yeah, THAT tune!" Classical Gas is always asked for whenever a bunch of people and a nylon string acoustic guitar are in the same room. It is not really a great technical showcase for finger style guitarists but it is a great vehicle to show off the sound of the classical guitar.
Classical Guitar Photos
Mason Williams plays Classical Gas
The young composer does not know what he has unleashed
MASON WILLIAMS - CLASSICAL GAS
A BIG BIG BIG Hit from the late sixties...and still today a shining star composition. CLASSICAL GAS
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Classical Gas on Wikipedia
"Classical Gas" is an instrumental piece written by Mason Williams (made from 'about' three songs together). The title of the song was originally "Classical Gasoline" but was changed to "Classical Gas" by the music copyist. On the original recording, Williams plays guitar and is accompanied by an orchestral backing. The orchestral arrangements for this song were written by Mike Post. It was released in February 1968 from the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record. In August 1968 it reached Number 2 on the American charts and went on to sell over a million copies (the song also topped the Billboard Easy Listening survey). Williams re-recorded the tune as a solo guitar piece on his 1970 album Hand Made. In 1987, he recorded a version with Mannheim Steamroller.
The composer, Mason Williams, was the head writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the time of the piece's release. The song was premiered on the show and Williams performed it several times over several episodes. After the piece had reached the Top Ten, Williams asked an experimental filmmaker named Dan McLaughlin to create a video montage of classical art works edited in time to the music, using a visual effect now known as kinestasis. The pioneering work, "3000 Years of Art", premiered in the summer of 1968 and may have helped push the song high on the charts.The Original Classical Gas Video: "3000 Years of Art"Youtube Video of Mason Williams and full orchestra
There is a common misconception that Classical Gas was composed and performed by Eric Clapton, when in fact Clapton has never even recorded a cover of the song. This misconception may be attributed to the fact that Clapton was musical director of, and played much of the guitar music for the film The Story of Us, whereas the version of Classical Gas on the film's soundtrack is actually from Williams' album Hand Made.http://www.classicalgas.com/gasfaq.html Classical Gas FAQ on Williams' website www.classicalgas.com
The impact of Classical Gas
Classical Gas was released into the world in 1968
The impact of Classical Gas is way more than the sum of its parts. There are very few musical ideas in the tune. It is mainly repetition of a theme made up of a few notes. There are a few parts that are unforgettable "surprises" making use of syncopation, scales, strums, and abrupt time signature changes. Somehow all the bits link together like pearls on a necklace, and the final note adds a sublime resolution.
The composer, Mason Williams, states on his website, "I didn't really have any big plans for it, other than maybe to have a piece to play at parties when they passed the guitar around. I envisioned it as simply repertoire or "fuel" for the classical guitar, so I called it Classical Gasoline." Mason Williams' day job was as a comedy writer and stand-up comedian who had lots of other projects besides writing a classical guitar instrumental.
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A fortunate series of events
Classical Gas is released to give Mason Williams "a break"
At the Grammys it won Best Instrumental Composition and Best Instrumental Performance for Mason Williams and Best Instrumental Arrangement for Mike Post who has had a career full of triumphs in the field of TV theme music. His latest victory is the theme(s) for the "Law And Order" series.
Classical Gas rules the world
It is quite an easy piece to play, the challenge is to play it with passion and dynamics because it appears to non-guitarists, more difficult to play than it really is. Maybe this is the reason it is among the most requested guitar pieces ever.
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chemrat wrote...
I just heard the Tommy Emmanuel version played by the 17-year old who won "Australia's s Got Talent" with this tune. He played it, with a string quartet, at the 24th annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society's annual meeting in Nashville as described here:
http://www.squidoo.com/GuitarsByReallySlowHand
mulberry wrote...
It is still a wonderful piece, I remember we liked it as kids, my father and even older generations loved it. I guess that explains part of it's enduring appeal.













