• AllMyVinyl #90
• Band: Queen
• Album Title: Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack
• Release Date: 8 Dec 1980
• Date purchased: Unknown
• Location purchased: Unknown
• Color of vinyl: black
• Number of discs: 1
• Links: [ Wikipedia | Discogs | Band Website | Complete album on Youtube ]

FLASH-  AHHHH – AAAAAAAAA!!

I mean that part of the title song for the 1980 Flash Gordon movie is probably more well known than the movie itself I would imagine.  There’s zero kid that’s my age that listened to rock music/radio and doesn’t know that.   It’s a legendary Queen track.  No doubt.

The Flash Gordon movie came out in 1980 when I was 15 years old, and man it was RIGHT up my alley.  My brother and I went to see it when it was brand new in the theatres, and from the moment we first saw it, we loved the hell out of it.  At 15 I wasn’t some great rock aficionado, but I was sucked in by the theme song, and it was a banger – so much so I had to run out and buy the soundtrack.  That’s what I’m playing today, my original 1980 vinyl that still survives in 2024 (another from my mom’s basement).  Back then I didn’t care so much about the entire album, but now as I’m older and have had a few decades to get educated on the band, I REALLY love this.

It’s supremely good stuff, and it harkens back to a time when we didn’t have everything available immediately on the touch of a button.  Back in those days, you’d listen to the album,, and visualize the movie in your head, which was easy because this soundtrack includes a fair amount of movie dialogue in the music.  But in the 80’s in the pre-VHS era, this was all you had. Soundtracks, so my having my OG 1980 copy today really feels like a slice of the past as I remember those days with my brother listening to this EXACT copy of the vinyl and acting like we were “seeing” the movie again in our house.  A radical concept in 1981 or so.

Musically, it’s not like a “proper” Queen album because there’s only two song on here with vocals.  The titular “Flash’s Theme” that everyone knows, and one called “The Hero” – which is basically the Flash theme turned into a longer song.  The rest of the album is all incidental music from the movie that’s mixed in with dialogue from the movie.  But it’s still enjoyable, because I love the movie so much.  When I listened to it today, I got into the atmospheric stuff as much the big bombastic rock stuff.  It’s a great mix of musical styles – something Queen always excelled at.  Of course it’s structured against the movie’s plot.   Some other highlights I liked from this included “Football March”, “The Wedding March”, and “Battle Theme”.  Great stuff here.  I especially loved hearing the traditional “Here Comes the Bride” played by Brian May on guitar. I should have played that at my own wedding.

Don’t mistake my lack of writing for a lack of enjoyment of the album.  It’s amazingly good.  I had a great time today listening to the music and re-living the past with my brother.  I do realize that one’s enjoyment of this soundtrack is probably predicated on having an appreciation of the movie as well.  I’m not ignorant of that.  Normally in these pieces I tell people to go listen to it.  I think you should, but also realize if you’re not a fan of the movie, only the title track might appeal – the rest is pretty heavily tied to the movie itself.

Speaking of the movie, a couple of years ago, a 4k restoration of the movie came out which is sadly out of print.  I picked it up immediately and can assuredly say it’s the best the movie has ever looked.  Was an amazing restoration.  If you can find a copy now, get it.

One fun story which is only sort of related to this.  In 2007, the US TV channel “Sci-Fi Network” produced a new TV version of Flash Gordon. It was radically different than anything that came before it.  It’s really hard to describe except to say it’s not that great.  The first few episodes were a complete tonal shift from everything we knew about Flash Gordon the character.  After the first half dozen episodes they shifted gears into what was known from the existing mythos, but the damage was done.  It actually had a full 22 episode first series, but it was the only series.  Here’s a teaser video and the opening titles to check out.  But the reason I’m writing about it is this. In the time leading up to the series debut, they ran a contest on the Sci-Fi Network.  They used the Flash Gordon theme by Queen  and used it get people excited. But they doubled down and ran a contest.  They solicited people send in tapes of themselves singing the famous “FLASH! AH – AAAAAA!”  They were going select the best and give them some prize (that I don’t remember what it is now).  I remember thinking at the time.. “I pity the poor intern who will have to sift through all of those to pick out a winner”.  That person would have needed some aspirin for sure.  I looked around for info on this  contest, but I can’t find anything.  No evidence that it happened, no evidence of who won, or any video showing those selected.  Damn – it’s been scrubbed out of existence, so I wanted to get this mentioned and out there – maybe someone reading this knows what happened.

Finally, I couldn’t really figure out a way to work this in, but didn’t want to leave it out. The official Queen site published an article this week.  It’s called “Flash Gordon – 44 Years on“.  Check it out.