Flash Gordon (soundtrack)

Flash Gordon is the ninth studio album and first soundtrack album by the British rock band Queen, released on 8 December 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and on 27 January 1981 by Elektra Records in the US. It was one of two film soundtracks that they produced along with Highlander. It is the soundtrack to the science fiction film Flash Gordon and features lyrics on only two tracks. "Flash's Theme" was the only single to be released from the album, under the title "Flash". The album reached number 10 on the UK charts and number 23 in the US. The album was reissued worldwide on 27 June 2011 (excluding the US and Canada, where it was released on 27 September 2011) as part of the band's 40th anniversary.[9][10] The reissue adds an EP of related tracks.

Flash Gordon
Soundtrack album by
Queen
Released8 December 1980
RecordedFebruary–March; October–November 1980
StudioThe Town House, the Music Center, and Advision, West London
GenreRock
Length35:11 (LP and Remastered 2011 CD)
41:54 (1991 Hollywood Records Reissue CD)
Label
Producer
Queen chronology
The Game
(1980)		 Flash Gordon
(1980)		 Greatest Hits
(1981)
Singles from Flash Gordon
  1. "Flash"
    Released: 24 November 1980
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music[3]
The Guardian[4]
Record Mirror[5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[6]
Smash Hits2/10[7]
Uncut[8]

Unlike most soundtrack albums, audio from the film is prominently used in the theme song and the score selections of the album.

Track listing

All tracks are instrumental unless noted.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Flash's Theme"Brian MayFreddie Mercury, May3:31
2."In the Space Capsule (The Love Theme)"Roger Taylor 2:43
3."Ming's Theme (In the Court of Ming the Merciless)"Freddie Mercury 2:41
4."The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction of Dale)"Mercury 0:57
5."Football Fight"Mercury 1:28
6."In the Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise)"Taylor 2:25
7."Execution of Flash"John Deacon 1:06
8."The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash)"Mercury, Howard Blake 1:45
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
9."Arboria (Planet of the Tree Men)" (listed as "Man" on the 1982 US LP, 5E-518-B)Deacon 1:42
10."Escape from the Swamp"Taylor 1:43
11."Flash to the Rescue"MayMercury2:44
12."Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)"Mercury 1:13
13."Battle Theme"May 2:18
14."The Wedding March" (based on "Bridal Chorus")Richard Wagner, arr. May 0:56
15."Marriage of Dale and Ming (And Flash Approaching)"May, TaylorMercury2:04
16."Crash Dive on Mingo City"May 1:00
17."Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)"MayMercury, May1:24
18."The Hero"May, BlakeMercury3:31
Total length:35:11
Bonus track (1991 Hollywood Records CD reissue)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
19."Flash's Theme" (1991 remix by Mista Lawnge, 9.5)May6:43
Total length:41:54
Disc 2: Bonus EP (2011 Universal Music CD reissue)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Flash" (single version)May2:48
2."The Hero" (October 1980... Revisited)May2:55
3."The Kiss" (early version, March 1980)Mercury1:11
4."Football Fight" (early version, no synths! – February 1980)Mercury1:55
5."Flash" (live in Montreal, November 1981)May2:12
6."The Hero" (live in Montreal, November 1981)May1:48
Total length:12:49
Bonus videos (2011 iTunes deluxe edition)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."Flash/The Hero" (live at Morumbi Stadium, Sao Paulo, March 1981[11])May3:28
8."Flash" (Alternative Promo Video)May3:17
9."Flash" (Vanguard Mix) (Promo Video, 2003)May3:17
Total length:22:11

Personnel

Queen

Additional personnel

Charts

Weekly charts
Chart (1980–81) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[15] 29
Austrian Albums Chart[16] 1
Canadian Albums Chart[17] 10
Dutch Albums Chart[18] 7
German Albums Chart[19] 2
Norwegian Albums Chart[20] 25
Swedish Albums Chart[21] 29
UK Albums Chart[22] 10
US Billboard 200[23] 23

Year-end
Chart (1981) Position
Austrian Albums Chart[24] 13
German Albums Chart[25] 15

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Poland (ZPAV)[26] Platinum 20,000*
United Kingdom (BPI)[27] Gold 100,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Flash Gordon (soundtrack)". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  2. Kot, Greg (19 April 1992). "An 18-record, 80 Million-copy Odyssey". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 2248. ISBN 0-85712-595-8.
  4. Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  5. "1980.12.13 – Record Mirror – UK – Wham! Bam! Thank you Ma'am! - QueenCuttings.com – Welcome on board!". QueenCuttings.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  6. "Queen: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  7. Ellen, Mark. "Albums". Smash Hits (8 January 1981): 25.
  8. "Queen – Flash Gordon Soundtrack CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  9. "Press Release: Second Five Albums Re-Issued on 27th June". Queen. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
  10. Second Set of Re-issues: Out This Week! Queen. Retrieved 7 July 2011
  11. "Queen Miscellaneous Live Song Lyrics". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk.
  12. https://www.queensongs.info/album-statistics/queen/flash-gordon
  13. May, Brian (22 April 2003). "Jena, Lady Mercy, Playing piano on early albums, Mr Pavarotti". Letters. Retrieved 26 July 2007. Flash and The Hero (Flash Gordon) (plus organ on the WEDDING)
  14. https://www.queensongs.info/song-analysis/songwriting-analyses/modern-era-queen/flash-gordon/flash-s-theme#flash
  15. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  16. Steffen Hung. "Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  17. "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  18. Steffen Hung. "Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  19. "charts.de". charts.de. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  20. Steffen Hung. "Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  21. Steffen Hung. "Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  22. "Queen – Flash Gordon". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  23. "Queen – Charts & Awards". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
  24. "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in Austrian). Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  25. "Official German Charts: Album–Year Charts 1981". Offzielle Charts. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  26. "Polish album certifications – Queen – Flash Gordon" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
  27. "British album certifications – Queen – Flash Gordon – OST". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Flash Gordon – OST in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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