| Flash Gordon | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album / Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 8 December 1980 | |||
| Recorded | February–March; October–November 1980 | |||
| Studio | ||||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 35:11 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer | ||||
| Queen chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Flash Gordon | ||||
| ||||
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 is 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) as part of the band's 40th anniversary.[1][2] The reissue adds an EP of related tracks.
Unlike most soundtrack albums, audio from the film is prominently used in the theme song and the score selections of the album.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| Chicago Tribune | [4] |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [5] |
| The Guardian | [6] |
| Record Mirror | [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
| Smash Hits | 2/10[9] |
| Uncut | [10] |
Track listing
All tracks are instrumental unless noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Flash's Theme" | Brian May | Freddie Mercury and Brian May | 3:31 |
| 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)" |
| 1:45 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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" | May | Mercury | 2:44 |
| 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)" |
| Mercury | 2:04 |
| 16. | "Crash Dive on Mingo City" | May | 1:00 | |
| 17. | "Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)" | May | Mercury and May | 1:24 |
| 18. | "The Hero" |
| Mercury | 3:31 |
| Total length: | 35:11 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19. | "Flash's Theme" (1991 remix by Mista Lawnge, 9.5) | May | 6:43 |
| Total length: | 41:54 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Flash" (Single Version) | May | 2:48 |
| 2. | "The Hero" (October 1980... Revisited) | May | 2:55 |
| 3. | "The Kiss" (Early Version, March 1980) |
| 1:11 |
| 4. | "Football Fight" (Early version, no synths! – February 1980) | Mercury | 1:55 |
| 5. | "Flash" (Live at the Montreal Forum, November 1981) | May | 2:12 |
| 6. | "The Hero" (Live at the Montreal Forum, November 1981) | May | 1:48 |
| Total length: | 12:49 | ||
Personnel
Queen
- Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, synthesizers[12]
- Brian May – lead guitar, backing vocals, synthesizers, piano, organ,[13] co-lead vocals on "Flash's Theme"[14]
- Roger Taylor – drums, timpani, backing vocals, synthesizers
- John Deacon – bass guitar, guitar, synthesizers
Additional personnel
- Howard Blake – additional orchestral arrangements
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[27] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[28] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[29] | Platinum | 20,000* |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[30] | Gold | 100,000^ |
|
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- ↑ "Press Release: Second Five Albums Re-Issued on 27th June". Queen. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
- ↑ Second Set of Re-issues: Out This Week! Queen. Retrieved 7 July 2011
- ↑ "Flash Gordon (soundtrack)". Allmusic. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
- ↑ Kot, Greg (19 April 1992). "An 18-record, 80 Million-copy Odyssey". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 2248. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
- ↑ Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "Queen: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
- ↑ Ellen, Mark. "Albums". Smash Hits (8 January 1981): 25.
- ↑ "Queen – Flash Gordon Soundtrack CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
- ↑ "Queen Miscellaneous Live Song Lyrics". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk.
- ↑ "Flash Gordon :: Queen Songs". Archived from the original on 2 February 2019.
- ↑ 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)
- ↑ "Songwriting Analysis :: Queen Songs".
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0302". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
- ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Queen | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Queen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ↑ "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in Austrian). Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ↑ "Official German Charts: Album–Year Charts 1981". Offzielle Charts. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
- ↑ "Queen - Freddie Mercury's commemorative Canadian in-house sales award - 'Queen Rules Canada', 1992". 18 August 2023.
- ↑ "Queen – Freddie Mercury's Japanese in-house presentation awards". 18 August 2023.
- ↑ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2009 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. 8 July 2009.
- ↑ "British album certifications – Queen – Flash Gordon – OST". British Phonographic Industry.
External links
- Queen official website: Discography: Flash Gordon: includes lyrics of "Flash's Theme" (all versions) and "The Hero".
- Official Video (YouTube)
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