"Classical Gas" is an instrumental musical piece composed and originally performed by Mason Williams with instrumental backing by members of The Wrecking Crew. Originally released in 1968 on the album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record, it has been re-recorded and re-released numerous times since by Williams. One later version served as the title track of a 1987 album by Williams and the band Mannheim Steamroller.

Originally named "Classical Gasoline", the song was envisioned to be "fuel" for the classical guitar repertoire. The title was later shortened by a music copyist.

Williams was the head writer for The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the time of the piece's release and premiered the composition on the show. 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 adjust a student video montage that he had created of classical art works using Beethoven's 5th Symphony and edit it in time to "Classical Gas", using the visual effect now known as kinestasis. The work, 3000 Years of Art, premiered in 1968 on the Smothers Brothers.

Classical Gas is a 1987 album by new age group Mannheim Steamroller and guitarist/composer Mason Williams. The album's title piece, Classical Gas, was originally featured on Williams's 1968 solo album The Mason Williams Phonograph Record.

Track listing

All tracks written by Mason Williams unless otherwise indicated.

Personnel

Performance Credits

Technical Credits

"Classical Gas" is a 1968 instrumental by Mason Williams.

Classical Gas may also refer to: