"Classical Gas" by Vanessa-Mae

Good evening, Dialophiles, and we sincerely hope we are finding you in good spirits tonight, as we welcome you to the second entry in our three chapter exploration of 1990’s cover tunes! Tonight’s track is also noteworthy for being the first instrumental featured on the blog, so without further ado, allow us to present Ms. Vanessa-Mae, and “Classical Gas”.

(Usually, we intersperse lyrics in our review, but for an instrumental, I’ll have to trust that you are playing the music while reading the article… it’s either that, or I type… “do-do-do-do-do-do…” every few paragraphs!)

A 17 year old violin prodigy, (at the time of Classical Gas’s release…) Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson released three LPs in Europe without much notice, until her commercial breakthrough with 1995’s “The Violin Player”.

Classical Gas is a cover of Mason Williams’ 1968 US #2 instrumental pop hit, the original of which fits firmly in the sub-genre of “baroque pop”, radio friendly pop/rock layered with orchestral, classically tinged arrangements and melodies. ‘60s groups like The Left Banke “Walk Away Renee”, and The Association “Cherish”, “Never My Love”, based large portions of their catalog on baroque sounds, while legendary groups like The Moody Blues, Procol Harum, and even The Beach Boys, and The Beatles recorded songs using elements of the genre.

Taken from the aforementioned “The Violin Player”, an impressive merging of classical, pop, and techno themes, Classical Gas was not released as a single in the US, but it did reach #41 on the UK singles chart. From the same LP, Vanessa scored a UK #16 hit with her rendition of Bach’s Toccata & Fugue, a song that always reminds me of the classic video game Gyruss due to Bach’s composition being used as background music for the game.

Though she never crossed over big in the US, nor had a major radio chart presence “across the pond”, Vanessa caught the eye (and ears) of many of the musical elite. She went on to work with Janet Jackson and Prince, in addition to Beatles producer George Martin on his 1998 Beatles tribute LP In My Life, in which she covered the Fab Four’s “Because”.

I recall hearing the original Mason Williams recording in the early 80s, as it was played during the “Metromedia Community Calendar” screen shown on WTTG channel 5 in Washington DC around 5:30 am weekday mornings, before the daily cartoons would start. The music accompanied a static image of the Metromedia logo, repeated ad infinitum, with information superimposed over top informing about upcoming events like the annual Ramblin’ River Raft Race on the mighty Potomac. (for instance… or maybe a nice RV show)

Even as I was impatient for Tom & Jerry or the Flintstones to begin, I grew to enjoy the upbeat, yet soothing melody of Mason’s tune, and when I heard Vanessa’s modern interpretation years later, I instantly got a flashback to those relaxed mornings and that community calendar on TV. Funny what the mind remembers isn’t it?

And even thought isn’t a holiday tune, I believe its classical instrumentation and upbeat melody wouldn’t sound out of place with a modern holiday music assortment that leans toward artists like Manheim Steamroller and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra… Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the ever lovin’ radio dial, and we’ll see you in the new year with our ONE HUNDREDTH review!

"Hello It's Me" by Groove Theory

Welcome, all you Dialophiles out there in the world of “the interwebs”! We humbly invite you on a musical journey as the Dial transmits three interesting cover tunes from the ‘90s that deserve a second look. Spaced out over our next three blog entries, together we’ll dabble in a progressive soul cover of a lite rock standard, then a modern classical interpretation of a 60s baroque pop instrumental, and finally we’ll wrap up with an alternative rock treatment of a late 70s pop/rock classic.

So without further ado, prepare to mellow out and relax with the first in this three cover song exploration… Snuggle up with something (or someone…) comfy and tune your mind to Groove Theory’s “Hello It’s Me”.

“Hello… it’s me. It’s me baby. I’ve thought about us for a long, long time…”

Firmly belonging to the “Neo Soul” genre (D’Angelo, Maxwell, Erykah Badu), Groove Theory comprised of singer-songwriter Amel Larrieux and songwriter-producer Bryce Wilson. The duo drew much inspiration from soul of the late 60s and 70s, projecting a greater sophistication and classier form of R&B than most of what was produced by the immensely popular hip hop and new jack swing camps at the time.

“Hello…” the story of a heartbroken protagonist, who is releasing their romantic partner from their dying relationship, is an interesting case of what we at the Dial consider a “third generation cover”. You see, Amel and Bryce were covering the 1974 Isley Brothers album track, the “quiet storm” arrangement of which was clearly the inspiration for Groove Theory’s mellow cover. However, the Isleys’ were covering an earlier hit version recorded by rock icon Todd Rundgren, which peaked at US #5 in 1972, and served as the prototype for mid-tempo soft rock throughout the 70s.

But the lineage doesn’t stop there… Rundgren, as part of his earlier group Nazz, first recorded the song as a psychedelic ballad in 1968, and this original version of “Hello” peaked at US #66 in 1969.

“Maybe I think too much, but something’s wrong… there’s something here that doesn’t last too long… maybe I shouldn’t think of you as mine.”

Given the unmistakable similarities between the Isley Brothers and Groove Theory versions, including the overall silky vibe and the repeated “hellos” sung at the opening (which existed in neither Rundgren’s solo or the Nazz’s versions), one speculates as to whether Amel and Bryce knew of those earlier rock versions when they set out to cover the track. Since Rundgren’s 1972 hit has always been a staple of classic rock and adult contemporary stations, it’s reasonable to assume that Groove Theory were at least passingly familiar with his recording, but it seems much less likely that they knew the obscure version that started it all, Nazz’s trippy original. Unless I can ask Bryce or Amel directly, we’ll all just have to ponder for now…In the words of Led Zeppelin… “It makes me wonder”.

Regardless of which version(s) they were familiar with at the outset, Groove Theory succeeded in making a truly classy, deeply soulful interpretation of the rock standard which deserved to be a big hit in its own right. Criminally, it wasn’t released as a single, and received zero airplay, so unless you owned the Groove Theory LP, this lovely remake passed you by.

“I take for granted that you’re always there… I take for granted that you just don’t care… sometimes I can’t help seeing all the way through.”

The Groove Theory LP produced one solid hit, 1995's delectable “Tell Me”, which peaked at #5 on the Hot 100, and #3 on the R&B charts, and was co-authored by Rick James due to the use of a sample from his 1983 Mary Jane Girls’ dance smash “All Night Long”. Two follow ups, the similarly classy “Keep Tryin”, and “Baby Luv”, stalled in the lower reaches of the pop charts, though each managed top 30 status on the R&B charts.

Give Amel and Bryce’s “Hello” a listen, and for a fun lesson in musical evolution, queue up all the versions on YouTube or whichever online music service you use and listen to the many ways the same song was interpreted over the years. Or if you’re a true hardcore Dialophile, cue up the Nazz, Todd Rundgren, and the Isley’s tracks on your original vinyl LPs, cassettes, or compact discs… “CDs” to those of us in the know! Physical media FOREVER!

“It’s important to me… that you know you are free… ‘Cause I never want to make you change for me.”