Mason Williams - Classical Gas

Arion · #1 February 6th, 2006

Thank you and well done for doing a lesson on this brilliant song...
although it does miss out quite a bit of the original and the Clapton version, it does capture it in essence.

I would have likes to have seen the faster sequences of this piece played though because whenever I get to these parts, my fingering usually gets mixed up!
Appart from this,
thankyou.

6string · #2 February 6th, 2006

Did Clapton actually do a version? I know there were copies of it going around with his name on it on Naspter (when it was free) but I dont think it was him.

nagukush · #3 February 6th, 2006

hey 6string, you've gotta a cute avatar

(sorry for going off-topic

)

Arion · #4 February 14th, 2006

hehe, yes Clapton did do a version, all on guitar, search for a royalty free copy online... as i think when people do covers of songs the copywrite, in my mind anyway, comes into question.. err yes....
Az

Andy S · #5 February 14th, 2006

Arion,

I don't think he did.

I was just looking through a pretty comprehensive discography of his and it was not listed anywhere. The official clapton web site only goes back a few years.

This site , http://www.eric-clapton.co.uk/ goes back to the John Mayall & the Blues breakers time and goes clear to present day. I have heard this argument before and no one has ever been able to pinpoint it. I think someone got confused , couldn't think of Mason Williams name and credited Clapton as the performer. It is not his style of music anyway. At least I can't think of anything close that would sound like him.

Regardless, Classical Gas is a very exciting piece. If you want to hear someone do it REALLY well, track down a versiom by Tommy Emanuel.

Now THAT is impressive stuff!

Dugal · #6 February 14th, 2006

Yeah Clapton did do it. It's a really cool version. No accompanyment. Just Clapton on a nylon. I like it better than the original. He adds a couple extra licks, too.

6string · #7 February 14th, 2006

It seems to be debatable

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=glance&n=5174

Know Your Classical Gas, January 4, 2005
Reviewer: Les Ferch - See all my reviews

This album, released in 1987, may not be the one you want...

The song Classical Gas, by Mason Williams, has been recorded dozens of times. Mason Williams has recorded at least three different versions himself, so it's not too surprising that many people end up buying something different than they expected. Here is a list of some of the more notable versions:

Title: Classical Gas
Performer: Mason Williams
Album: Handmade
Year: 1970
Comment: This superb acoustic version is my favorite. It also appears on the 1999 "The Story of Us" soundtrack. Many MP3 files circulating the Internet incorrectly credit this version to Eric Clapton.

Andy S · #8 February 15th, 2006

Ok folks,

Seems to me and to some other folks that it was INCORRECTLY credited to Clapton. Like I mentioned, on two separate web sites the discography shows NO mention of Classical Gas. I guess until someone can give us the details on whether it was a single, an EP or an LP (the latter two usually being in CD or Cassette format, and the age of the song would not preclude it from being on a cassette), and the related info to that recording, AND since it is an instrumental, so there would be no vocals to point out it was Clapton, it is still not proven.
I'm sorry folks, I'm a believer in proof makes the conviction.His own web site doesn't show all of his stuff going all the way back, but the one I listed does. Call me an old geezer, but I'd need to see proof, not just " oh yeh! A buddy of mine has a recording of it" or, " It's a really cool version. No accompanyment. Just Clapton on a nylon. I like it better than the original. He adds a couple extra licks, too."
When and where did you hear it? Some details would be cool.

And Understand something, I'm not trying to argue for the sake of arguing. If it is a cool version, don't you think it would be good to share the info so more folks can hear it?

I know if I hear something that is difficult to find, or something new that I really think would be appreciated by others, I direct them to the source of it.

C'mon! Share the love!! Share the Music!!

OK .....QUICK ADDENDUM!!! I just went to Amazon.com and looked up the soundtrack for "The story of Us". Here is the listing of songs, please note the names of the performers. And also, think about this....how many different versions has CLAPTON done of some of HIS stuff? So why wouldn't Mason Williams adapt HIS stuff to a new recording? Hmm? Sorry this is so long.

1. Main Title/(I) Get Lost - Eric Clapton
2. A Spoon Is Just A Spoon
3. The Girl In The Pith Helmet
4. Fighting
5. Empty Nest
6. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now - Ruby Braff & His New England Songhounds
7. Touching Feet Under The Covers
8. Everything I Love Is In This Bed
9. Dry Cleaning/(I) Get Lost - Eric Clapton
10. The Sheik Of Araby - Teddy Wilson
11. Family Bed
12. Busy Baby Montage
13. Wonderful Tonight (Live Edit) - Eric Clapton
14. Silent Drive To Camp
15. Camp Montage
16. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree - The Andrews Sisters
17. Epiphany At The Bistro
18. I Hate The Kirbys
19. Love In Venice
20. Ben Takes The Apartment
21. Writing Montage
22. Pictures On A Wall
23. Classical Gas - Mason Williams
24. Let's Go To Chow Fun

And no, I didn't just tack on the names like that, That was the way Amazon had it.
I did make the font Bold on the particular titles.

So, Please let us know the info that would help us find this "Claptons version".

I repeat....C'mon! Share the love!! Share the Music!!

chuckswood2001 · #9 February 15th, 2006

hi guys & gasls

if u want to hear tommy emmanuel play classical gas to to www.woodsongs.com and click on old time radio hour then click on archives and #349 or # 245 and u can watch tommy play, i love his version, i have 4 diff tab versions of classical gas and everyone of them say eric clapton, ive never found it by clapton myself, ive found a couple midi files of it and they say clapton, google search comes up with masson williams but no eric clapton for that song

chuck

mcknett · #10 February 15th, 2006

I've got a vinyl copy of <i>Mason Williams Phonograph Record</i> in my hand which certainly credits Mason Williams with Classical Gas. Tabs being works of an individual - not an artist - I believe without a doubt those crediting the song to Clapton are in error.