Flash (Queen song)

"Flash" is a song by the British rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, "Flash" is the theme song of the 1980 film Flash Gordon.

"Flash (song)" redirects here. For other songs of the same name, see Flash§Songs.

"Flash"
UK single picture sleeve
Single by Queen
from the album Flash Gordon
B-side"Football Fight"
Released24 November 1980 (UK)
27 January 1981 (US)
RecordedOctober 1980
GenreHard rock[1]
Length
  • 3:29 (album version)
  • 2:48 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Brian May
Producer(s)
Queen singles chronology
"Need Your Loving Tonight"
(1980)		 "Flash"
(1980)		 "Under Pressure"
(1981)
Queen singles chronology
"We Will Rock You"
(2000)		 "Flash (Vanguard Mix)"
(2003)		 "Reaching Out"
(2005)
Music video
"Flash" on YouTube

There are two versions of the song. The album version ("Flash's Theme") is in fact the start to the movie, with all the dialogue from the first scene. The single version contains dialogue cut from various parts of the movie, most memorably, Brian Blessed's character exclaiming "Gordon's alive?!" This version was also included on the Greatest Hits compilation from 1981.[2]

Flash is sung as a duet between Freddie Mercury and Brian May, with Roger Taylor adding the high harmonies. May plays all of the instruments except for the rhythm section. He used an Imperial Bösendorfer Grand Piano (with 97 keys instead of 88, having an extra octave on the low range), Oberheim OB-X synth (which he plays in the video) and his homemade Red Special electric guitar.

On the U.S. charts, "Flash's Theme aka Flash" reached number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at number 39 on the Cash Box Top 100.[3] It fared much better in Europe, where it was a Top 10 hit in most nations, including number one in Austria.

Music video

The video for the song was filmed at Anvil Studios, London, in November 1980 and directed by Don Norman and shows the band performing the song to a screen showing clips from the film. An alternate version broadcast during the Concert for Kampuchea in 1981 with different clips included on the Flash Gordon 2011 iTunes edition.

Personnel

Charts
Chart (1980–81) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[5] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[6] 19
Canada RPM Top Singles[7] 24
Germany (Official German Charts)[8] 3
Ireland (IRMA)[9] 10
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[10] 18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 32
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 17
UK Singles (OCC)[14] 10
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 42
US Cash Box Top 100[16] 39

Sales and certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[17] Silver 250,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Vanguard remix

In 2002, German producers Vanguard released a single in collaboration with Queen. The cover peaked at number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, number two on the UK Dance Chart, and number 17 in Germany.

Charts
Chart (2003) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[18] 44
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[19] 2
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 44
Germany (Official German Charts)[22] 17
Scotland (OCC)[23] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[24] 15
UK Dance (OCC)[25] 2
UK Indie (OCC)[26] 1

Live recording

In other media

The song is played in The Flash episode "Into the Void" where Cisco Ramon plays it when Barry Allen / The Flash enters a black hole to save Chester P. Runk, mentioning that he has been saving the song "for the right moment".[27]

References
  1. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Flash's Theme - Queen | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  2. "Queen: Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 May 2012
  3. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 21, 1981". Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 243. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Austriancharts.at – Queen – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  6. "Ultratop.be – Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  7. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 21 March 1981. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – Queen – Flash". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Flash". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  10. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Queen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  12. "Charts.nz – Queen – Flash". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  13. "Swedishcharts.com – Queen – Flash". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  14. "Queen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  15. "Queen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  16. "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 21, 1981". Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  17. "British single certifications – Flash". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Flash in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  18. "Austriancharts.at – Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  19. "Ultratop.be – Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  20. "Ultratop.be – Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  21. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21 no. 15. 5 April 2003. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  22. "Offiziellecharts.de – Queen + Vanguard – Flash". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  23. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  24. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  25. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  26. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  27. "The Flash FINALLY Uses the Song We've Waited Five Years For". CBR. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
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