Classical Gas - Mason Williams 1968
"Classical Gas" is an instrumental composed and performed by Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of the well-known L A Wrecking Crew session musicians. It was released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record. Initially titled "Classical Gasoline", the song was envisioned to be "fuel" for the classical guitar repertoire. The title was later shortened, possibly inadvertently, by a music copyist. The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Chart, and #3 on the US Easy Listening chart. The composition won Grammy awards in 1969 for Best Instrumental Composition, Best Contemporary Pop Performance, Instrumental, and Best Instrumental Arrangement. Mason Williams once stated the formula of the song was that he wrote it while sitting along the shores of The Williamette River in Oregon as he watched the river water go from calm, to a faster flow, then splash, to rapids, and back again.