Flash Gordon

Flash Gordon
(Original Film Soundtrack)

Released 8 December 1980, reached no 10, on chart for 15 weeks, achieved Gold status

Album Length 35:11

Tthe Hollywood Records 1991 remaster also adds Flash (1991 Remix).

Non-Album Tracks
Flash (single version) | Flash / The Hero (Fuji F1 TV Remix)

Produced by Brian May and Mack
Executive Producers - Queen
Mix Down Engineering by Mack and Alan Douglas
Original recordings engineered by Alan Douglas at The Townhouse, Advison and Music Centre Studios in London, England
except 'The Hero', engineered by Mack at Utopia Studios
Recorded in October and November 1980

Music by Queen
John Deacon (bass guitar, guitar, synthesisers)
Roger Taylor (drums, vocals, synthesisers)
Brian May (lead guitar, vocals, synthesisers)
Freddie Mercury (lead vocals, synthesisers)

Additional Orchestral Arrangements by Howard Blake: conducted by Howard Blake: recorded by John Richards and Eric Tomlinson at Anvil Studios

All other Arrangements by Queen
Queen Photos - Neil Preston
Artwork - Cream

Dialogue from the film appears in italics. The main characters who speak are:

Flash Gordon (played by Sam J. Jones), Dale Arden (Melody Anderson), Dr. Hans Zarkoff (Topol)
Ming The Merciless (Max Von Sydow), Prince Barin (Timothy Dalton), Prince Vultan (Brian Blessed)
Aura (Ornella Muti), General Kala (Mariangela Melato), Klytus (Peter Wyngarde)
Mings Aerial Controller (Max Von Sydow), Prince Of Ardentia (George Harris), Priest (Phillip Stone)

Singles

Flash / Football Fight (no 10, 24 November 1980)

Flash's Theme
Track 1. Written by Brian May. Album Version 3:31.
Note that the album track includes film dialogue and sound effects; the true time for the 'theme' is just 2:31.
This track was remixed for release as a single - click here for details of this and other related versions.

Live versions from 1982 use a backing track, which was specially produced to open the concerts; they do not include any 'live' parts. Performances prior to 1982 were fully live, usually as part of a 'Flash' medley.
Alternate Versions:
1. Original Theatrical Trailer (1:45) (on the UK DVD only) (this is a 'new' basic remix with few lyrics but more film dialogue and effects)
2. DVD Menu Edit (0:30) (on the UK DVD only) (this is a short edit of the album version, containing the section 1:34 to 2:04, fading out over 3 seconds) (click here for lyrics)
3. Live Version 1 (2:11) (on the 'Queen Rock Montreal' album only, from Montreal 1981) (click here for lyrics)
4. Live Version 2 (0:57) (on the 'Live In Japan' video, and the 'Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl' DVD, from Tokyo, 1982) (click here for lyrics)
5. Live Version 3 (1:52) (on 'Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl', recorded at Milton Keynes 1982) (click here for lyrics)
6. Live Cast Recording 1 (0:42) (on the 'We Will Rock You' cast album) (click here for lyrics)
7. Live Cast Recording 2 (0:52) (on the 'We Will Rock You' Spanish cast album)
Trailer Version Lyrics & Dialogue: (click here for album version lyrics)
Ming: Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today?
Klytus: An obscure body in the S-K System, your majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet Earth
Ming: I like to play with things while... before annihilation
Ming: Pathetic Earthlings - who can save you now?

Flash, a-ah, saviour of the universe
Agent: Strange object imaged in the Imperial Vortex.

Flash, a-ah, you saved every one of us
Ming: Remove the Earth woman. Prepare her for our pleasure

Flash, a-ah
Aura: Don't kill him yet, father. I want him
He's a miracle

Dale: Go Flash, go
Flash, a-ah

Barin: Flash

Flash, a-ah, king of the impossible

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand
Every man every woman
Every child - he's a mighty flash

Flash

Album Version Lyrics & Dialogue: (The DVD Edit contains only the lyrics in red)
Ming: Klytus, I'm bored. What play thing can you offer me today?
Klytus: An obscure body in the S-K System, your majesty. The inhabitants refer to it as the planet Earth
Ming: How peaceful it looks

Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Klytus: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, most effective your majesty. Will you destroy this.... Earth?
Ming: Later, I like to play with things while... before annihilation

Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha

Flash, a-ah, saviour of the universe
Flash, a-ah, you saved everyone of us (Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha)

Flash, a-ah, he's a miracle
Flash, a-ah, king of the impossible

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand (ahhh, ah)
Every man every woman (ahh, ah)
Every child - he's a mighty flash (ahh, ahh, ah)

Flash, a-ah

Flash, a-ah, you saved everyone of us

Just a man
With a man's courage
You know he's
Nothing but a man
He can never fail
No-one but the pure at heart
May find the Golden Grail
Ohh, oh
Ohh, oh

Flash

Dale Arden: My God we're moving
Hans Zarkoff: For God's sake, strap yourselves down

In The Space Capsule (The Love Theme)
Track 2. Written by Roger Taylor. Album Version 2:43
Dialogue:
Agent: Strange object imaged in the Imperial Vortex.

Agent: Object entering our control range, approaching the Sea of Fire
Klytus: Bring it through safely. Land it

Ming's Aerial Controller: Prisoners, march below me to the presence of Emperor Ming

Ming's Theme (In The Court Of Ming The Merciless)
Track 3. Written by Freddie Mercury. Album Version 2:41
Dialogue:
Crowd: Hail, Ming, hail!

Klytus: And now the tributes, from Ardentia
Ardentian Prince: We, the people of Ardentia, we have suffered since you blasted our kingdom. I can offer you nothing this year except my loyalty
Klytus: Excellent, we prize nothing more highly. And tell us, how great is this loyalty to your emperor?
Ardentian Prince: Without measure.
Ming: We are delighted to hear that. Fall on your sword

Ardentian Prince: Death to Ming

Klytus: Who are you?
Flash Gordon: Flash Gordon, quarter back, New York Jets
Dale Arden: Dale Arden, your highness
Ming: Pathetic earthlings, hurling your bodies out into the void. Let us see

The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction Of Dale)
Track 4. Written by Freddie Mercury. Album Version 0:58
Dialogue:
Flash Gordon: Forget it Ming, Dale's with me

Football Fight
Track 5. Written by Freddie Mercury. Album Version 1:29
Dialogue:
Ming: Klytus, are your men on the right pills? Maybe you should execute their trainer?

Flash Gordon: 41, 42

Dale Arden: Go Flash go, go Flash go, go Flash go, go Flash go

In The Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise)
Track 6. Written by Roger Taylor. Album Version 2:25
Dialogue:
Flash Gordon: This isn't happening Dale, we're not here, it's just a bad dream
Dale Arden: Oh, I agree completely, why we'll wake up any minute in Dark Harbour and have a laugh about all this

Aura: Look, water is leaking from her eyes
Ming: It's what they call tears, it's a sign of their weaknesses

Doctor: This will help you on your way

Execution Of Flash
Track 7. Written by John Deacon. Album Version 1:06
This track has no lyrics or dialogue.

The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash)
Track 8. Written by Freddie Mercury. Album Version 1:46
This track has no dialogue or proper lyrics, but features vocal improvisations by Roger and Freddie.

Arboria (Planet Of The Treemen)
Track 9. Written by John Deacon. Album Version 1:42
Dialogue:
Aura: I've bought you a present - Flash

Prince Barin: Welcome back from the grave

Prince Barin: You are playing with fire, Aura
Aura: Of course I am
Prince Barin: Harbouring a fugitive from Ming is treason
Flash Gordon: Prince Barin, I'm not your enemy, Ming is. Let's all team up and fight him
Prince Barin: Lower them into the swamp

Escape From The Swamp
Track 10. Written by Roger Taylor. Album Version 1:43
Dialogue:
Slave: You are to be prepared for your wedding

Flash To The Rescue
Track 11. Written by Brian May. Album Version 2:44
Lyrics & Dialogue:
Dale Arden: I'm lost Aura, nothing can save me now
Flash, a-ah

Commander: General Kala, Flash Gordon approaching
General Kala: What do you mean, Flash Gordon approaching?
Commander: On a Hawkman rocket cycle. Shall I inform his majesty?
General Kala: Imbecile, the emperor would shoot you, for disrupting his wedding with this news. Fire when Gordon's in range
Flash, a-ah

General Kala: He's escaping, idiots. Dispatch War Rocket Ajax to bring back his body

Captain: Charge the boosters.
Controller: Flash Gordon in range, Captain
Captain: Fire
Flash Gordon: Vultan, my trap plan worked, they'll follow me for sure
Vultan: Good, standby my Hawkmen

Captain: Fire capacitators
Vultan: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, they're trying to flush you out
Captain: OK, let's go in after him

Vultan: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, good, they're coming through.

Vultan: Squadron forty -

Vultan's Theme (Attack Of The Hawkmen)
Track 12. Written by Freddie Mercury. Album Version 1:13
Dialogue:
Vultan: - dive

Vultan: Second wave - dive

Captain: Stop all engines, propel borders

Battle Theme
Track 13. Written by Brian May. Album Version 2:19
Lyrics & Dialogue:
Flash Gordon: Biro's hit, I'm going in after him
Vultan: Uh, impetuous boy
Vultan: ah well, who wants to live forever? Ha, ha, ha, ha - dive

Flash

Biro: Detonate the mine
Flash Gordon: Right

The Wedding March
Track 14. Written by Brian May. Album Version 0:56
This track has no dialogue or lyrics.

Marriage Of Dale And Ming (and Flash Approaching)
Track 15. Written by Brian May and Roger Taylor. Album Version 2:05
Lyrics & Dialogue:
Vultan: Come on, it's time to bail out
Flash Gordon: Sorry Vultan, I'm not coming
Vultan: What? You'll be destroyed
Flash Gordon: You loony bird, get out of here, they need you on the ground
He saved everyone of us
Vultan: Onwards my brave Hawkmen, let peace be known forever as Flash Gordon's name

Priest: Do you, Ming the merciless, ruler of the universe, take this earthling, Dale Arden, to be your empress of the hour
Ming: Of the hour, yes
Priest: Do you promise to use her as you will?
Ming: Certainly
Priest: Not to blast her into space - until such time as you grow weary of her
Ming: I do
Dale Arden: I do not

Flash - a-ah
He's a miracle
King of the impossible
Priest: Recite after me your majesty, with this ring, I thee wed
Flash

Crash Dive On Mingo City
Track 16. Written by Brian May. Album Version 1:01
Dialogue:
Dale Arden: Flash!

Dale Arden: Flash, don't move

Ming's Aerial Controller: Hail Flash Gordon, saviour of the universe

Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)
Track 17. Written by Brian May. Album Version 1:24
Dialogue & Lyrics:
Flash Gordon: Yeah!

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand
Every man every woman
Every child - he's a mighty flash

Prince Barin: We owe everything to Flash. Hail Flash. From this day on, let every breed of Mongul live together, in peace.
Vultan: Hail Flash!
Dale Arden: Will we ever get out of here Hans?
Hans Zarkoff: I don't know, but we'll try
Prince Barin: We certainly invite you all to stay
Flash Gordon: What do you think?
Dale Arden: I'm a New York City girl. It's a little bit too quite around here for me
(No-one but the pure of heart may find the golden grail, ah, oooh)

Flash

The Hero
Track 18. Written by Brian May. Album Version 3:30
Alternate Versions:
1. Live Version 1 (1:37) (on the 'Queen Rock Montreal' album only, from Montreal 1981) (click here for lyrics)
2. Live Version 2 (1:44) (on the 'Live In Japan' video, and the 'Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl' DVD, from Tokyo, 1982) (click here for lyrics)
3. Live Version 3 (1:43) (on 'Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl', recorded at Milton Keynes 1982) (click here for lyrics)
Lyrics & Dialogue:
Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ming: Ha, ha, ha

So you feel like you ain't nobody
Always needed to be somebody
Put your feet on the ground
Put your hand on your heart
Lift your head to the stars
And the world's for your taking
Are you ready to save the world
Yeah, yeah

So you feel like it's end of story
Find it all pretty satisfactory
Well I tell you my friend
This might seem like the end
But the continuation is
Yours for the making
Yes, you're a hero
Ooh, yeah

Flash, a-ah

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved with a mighty hand)
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved with a mighty hand)
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved us)
Every man, every woman, every child, he's a mighty

Flash, a-ah

Flash
Written by Brian May.
This is the single version of 'Flash's Theme', similar to the album version but remixed and featuring different dialogue.
This track was later extensively remixed by Vanguard - click here for details of all of the mixes
Additional Assistance:
Mista Lawnge (Hollywood Records Remix)
Alternate Versions: (The Surround Sound Mix details can be found here)
1. Single Version (2:46) (on the 7", 'Greatest Hits', 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love' 3" CD and the Japanese CD 'Queen Jewels')
2. Instrumental Version (2:41) (on the Japanese Karaoke CD or Video only) (instrumental version of the single) (click here for lyrics)
3. Hollywood Records Remix (6:41) (on the US remaster only) (a dance remix, retains only some vocals) (click here for lyrics)
Lyrics & Dialogue:
Flash, a-ah, saviour of the universe
Flash, a-ah, you saved everyone of us
Reporter: Seemingly there is no reason for these extraordinary inter-galactical upsets (Ming: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha)
Dale Arden: What's happening Flash?
Reporter: Only Dr. Hans Zarkoff, formerly of Nasa, has provided any explanation
Flash, a-ah, he's a miracle
Reporter: This morning's unprecedented solar eclipse is no cause for alarm
Flash, a-ah, king of the impossible

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand (ahhh, ah)
Every man every woman (ahh, ah)
Every child - he's a mighty flash (ahh, ahh, ah)

Commander: General Kala, Flash Gordon approaching
General Kala: What do you mean, Flash Gordon approaching? Open fire. All weapons. Dispatch war rocket Ajax to bring back his body

Flash, a-ah
Vultan: Gordon's alive?
Flash, a-ah, you saved everyone of us

Just a man
With a man's courage
You know he's
Nothing but a man
He can never fail
No-one but the pure at heart
May find the Golden Grail
Ohh, oh
Ohh, oh

Dale Arden: Flash, Flash I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth

Flash

Flash / The Hero (High Octane Remix)
Written by Brian May.
This is a short remix, produced by Brian, used to promote the coverage of the 2007 Formula 1 season on the Japanese TV channel Fuji.
It features some of 'Flash' and then 'The Hero' from approximately 2:09 onwards, with narration about the Formula 1 season and other sound effects. Length 1:43.
This track was later released on the Japanese only 'In Vision 2008' album.
Lyrics & Dialogue:
The season opener will get underway halfway around the globe
At the world's most dangerous park
(Flash, a-ah, saviour of the universe) The Devil's Turn 16 is the turn that triggered the emperor's retirement
The most dangerous corner is Turn 1
(Flash, a-ah, king of the impossible) The Hillside Park, the fastest to conquer this turn will lead the new era

(Flash, a-ah)

He's for everyone of us
Stand for everyone of us
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved with a mighty hand)
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved with a mighty hand)
He saved with a mighty hand (he saved us)
Every man, every woman, every child, he's a mighty

Flash, a-ah