Flash Gordon (soundtrack)

Flash Gordon
Studio album / Soundtrack album by Queen
Released	8 December 1980
Recorded	February–March; October–November 1980
Studio	Townhouse (London) Music Center (London) Advision (London)
Genre	Rock [1] progressive electronic [1]
Length	35:11
Label	EMI Elektra
Producer	Brian May Reinhold Mack
Queen chronology
The Game (1980) Flash Gordon (1980) Greatest Hits (1981)
Singles from Flash Gordon
"Flash" Released: 24 November 1980

Flash Gordon is the first soundtrack album and ninth studio 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. ^[2] 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 on the US Billboard 200. ^[3]

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. ^{[4] [5]} The reissue adds an EP of related tracks. ^[6]

Unlike most soundtrack albums, audio from the film is prominently used in the theme song and the score selections of the album. ^[7]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Chicago Tribune	[9]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[10]
The Guardian	[11]
MusicHound Rock	woof! [12]
Record Mirror	[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[14]
Smash Hits	2/10 [15]
Uncut	[16]

Track listing

All tracks are instrumental unless noted.

Side one

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)"	Mercury Howard Blake (Film score, not credited)		1:45

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Arboria (Planet of the Tree Men)"	Deacon		1:42
2.	"Escape from the Swamp"	Taylor		1:43
3.	"Flash to the Rescue"	May	Mercury	2:44
4.	"Vultan's Theme (Attack of the Hawk Men)"	Mercury		1:13
5.	"Battle Theme"	May		2:18
6.	"The Wedding March"	Richard Wagner (arr. May)		0:56
7.	"Marriage of Dale and Ming (And Flash Approaching)"	May Taylor	Mercury	2:04
8.	"Crash Dive on Mingo City"	May		1:00
9.	"Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)"	May	Mercury and May	1:24
10.	"The Hero"	May Blake (Film score, not credited)	Mercury	3:31
Total length:				35:11

• Track 1 listed as "Man" on the 1982 US LP, 5E-518-B
• Track 6 based on "Bridal Chorus"

Bonus track (1991 Hollywood Records CD reissue)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
19.	"Flash's Theme" (1991 remix by Mista Lawnge, 9.5)	May	6:43
Total length:			41:54

Disc 2: Bonus EP (2011 Universal Music CD reissue)

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)	Mercury Blake	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

Bonus videos (2011 iTunes deluxe edition)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
7.	"Flash/The Hero" (live at Morumbi Stadium, São Paulo, March 1981 [17] )	May	3:28
8.	"Flash" (Alternative Promo Video)	May	3:17
9.	"Flash" (Vanguard Mix Promo Video)	May	3:17
Total length:			22:11

Personnel

Queen

• Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals, synthesisers ^[18]
• Brian May – electric guitar, backing vocals, synthesisers, piano, organ, ^[19] co-lead vocals on "Flash's Theme" ^[20]
• Roger Taylor – drums, timpani, backing vocals, synthesisers
• John Deacon – bass guitar, electric guitar, synthesisers

Additional personnel

• Howard Blake – additional orchestral arrangements

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for Flash Gordon Chart (1980–81) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report) [21] 29 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [22] 1 Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [23] 11 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [24] 7 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [25] 2 Japanese Albums (Oricon) [26] 12 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [27] 25 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [28] 29 UK Albums (OCC) [29] 10 US Billboard 200 [30] 23

Year-end Chart (1981) Position Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [31] 13 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [32] 15

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [33]	Gold	50,000^
Japan (RIAJ) [34]	Gold	100,000^
Poland (ZPAV) [35]	Platinum	20,000*
United Kingdom (BPI) [36]	Gold	100,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Bell, Max (8 December 2024). "'Flash Gordon': How Queen Soundtracked The High Camp Classic". uDiscover Music . Retrieved 9 August 2025. Now that synthesizers were in their armory, Queen embraced the opportunity to create a fervent mix of rock and progressive electronica, entirely suited to a movie soundtrack.
2. Prato, Greg, "Flash Gordon (OST) review", allmusic.com, retrieved 12 September 2024
3. Ross, Daniel (27 April 2009). "Flash Gordon, Queen And The Art Of The Rock OST". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
4. "Press Release: Second Five Albums Re-Issued on 27th June". Queen. 5 April 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
5. Second Set of Re-issues: Out This Week! Queen. Retrieved 7 July 2011
6. Snow, John (8 June 2021). "Queen – 'Flash Gordon' (1980) – Album Review (The Studio Album Series)". 2 Loud 2 Old Music. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
7. Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 12 September 2024.
8. "Flash Gordon (soundtrack)". Allmusic . Retrieved 16 February 2012.
9. Kot, Greg (19 April 1992). "An 18-record, 80 Million-copy Odyssey". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 19 April 2016.
10. Larkin, Colin (2011). Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th ed.). Omnibus Press. p. 2248. ISBN   978-0-85712-595-8.
11. Petridis, Alexis (15 December 2011). "Queen: Jazz; The Game; Flash Gordon; Hot Space – review". The Guardian . London. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
12. Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). "Queen". MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. pp. 909–910. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
13. "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.
14. "Queen: Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 11 June 2012.
15. Ellen, Mark. "Albums". Smash Hits (8 January 1981): 25.
16. "Queen – Flash Gordon Soundtrack CD Album". CD Universe . Retrieved 18 January 2018.
17. "Queen Miscellaneous Live Song Lyrics". www.ultimatequeen.co.uk.
18. "Flash Gordon :: Queen Songs". Archived from the original on 2 February 2019.
19. May, Brian (22 April 2003). "Jena, Lady Mercy, Playing piano on early albums, Mr Pavarotti". Letters. Archived from the original on 29 March 2008. Retrieved 26 July 2007. Flash and The Hero (Flash Gordon) (plus organ on the WEDDING)
20. "Songwriting Analysis :: Queen Songs".
21. 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.
22. "Austriancharts.at – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
23. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0302". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
24. "Dutchcharts.nl – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
25. "Offiziellecharts.de – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
26. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005 (in Japanese). Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
27. "Norwegiancharts.com – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
28. "Swedishcharts.com – Soundtrack / Queen – Flash Gordon". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
29. "Queen | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
30. "Queen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
31. "Jahreshitparade 1981" (in Austrian). Austrian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
32. "Official German Charts: Album–Year Charts 1981". Offzielle Charts. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
33. "Queen - Freddie Mercury's commemorative Canadian in-house sales award - 'Queen Rules Canada', 1992". 18 August 2023.
34. "Queen – Freddie Mercury's Japanese in-house presentation awards". 18 August 2023.
35. "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2009 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 26 November 2024.
36. "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)