"3000 years of Art"

This "Classical Gas Video" started out as a student film with Beethoven's 5th Symphony as the original soundtrack. After seeing the film in early 1968, Mason Williams, a writer for the Smothers Brothers Show and composer of the instrumental Classical Gas, approached the film's creator about replacing the music. The revamped music video was shown on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, first during the summer of 1968 and several times more throughout the year. The video has since passed into legend while Classical Gas, due in part to the impact of the video, became one of the largest selling instrumental recordings of all time.

The actual video has not been seen since 1968 and, for a multitude of reasons, may never again see the light of day. This is one person's take on a recreation using the original student film (which, incidentally, was entitled "God is Dog Spelled Backwards"), and re-edited it to Classical Gas. Give or take a few frames, it is nearly identical to the actual video that aired on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour almost 40 years ago.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• gas
• mason
• williams
• smothers
• brothers
• art

[guyontheblackchair]

fantastic.

I remember the original being so much faster, though, as to be borderline subliminal.

It was mind-boggling.

What are the reasons the original may never again be seen?

[cateyemarble]

How many of the paintings and artists can you name? Remember seeing this in the original context. Enjoyed the Smothers Brothers tremendously.  We need less reality shows and more variety and comedy shows. We are getting so disrespectful of one another. All's you see are bickering and yelling -- how about a nice show of comedy?

[cypher24713]

so very beautiful, i have always remembered.

[MrFlashfly]

Bought this 45 rpm of Classical Gas for 50 cents .... And played it till my parents went crazy. Didn't the Smothers Brothers also do a Mason Williams video of 'Flight & the Space Race' back in 1969?

[nikkiposada]

Glad I found this. I've been treasuring the memory since 1968. I think I've watched it 5 times already. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

[Deaconblue2u]

Wow this brings me back to a magical time. Mason Williams a major talent his guitar playing is beautiful and flawless, haunting and uplifting. I never get tired of hearing this song it will remain a part of the fabric of the 60's

[DonoghueTina]

Is it true that after the video aired, Dick Smothers looked at the camera and said, "There...now you're cultured."?

[mevtcc2]

I watched this play on the Smothers Brothers as a 9-year-old in '68. I have been waiting for this nearly-exactly recreated version ever since. Thanks for bringing it to the light of day. Absolutely fantastic. :)