"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!