Flash (Queen song)

"Flash"
"Flash"
Single by Queen + Vanguard
B-side	"Jam" (Vanguard)
Released	10 February 2003
Length	3:03 (radio mix)
Label	Frisbee Tracks; Virgin; Nebula;
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Producer(s)	Vanguard
Queen singles chronology
Audio
	"Flash" on YouTube

"Flash"
"Flash"
	UK single picture sleeve
Single by Queen
from the album Flash Gordon
B-side	"Football Fight"
Released	24 November 1980
Recorded	October 1980
Genre	Hard rock
Length	3:29 (album version); 2:48 (single version);
Label	EMI
Songwriter(s)	Brian May
Producer(s)	Brian May; Reinhold Mack;
Queen singles chronology
Music video
	"Flash" on YouTube

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

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

The song's lead vocals are shared by May and Freddie Mercury, with Roger Taylor adding high harmonies. May plays most of the instruments, except for the bass guitar and drums. He used an Imperial Bösendorfer piano (with 97 keys instead of 88, having an extra octave on the low range), an Oberheim OB-X synthesizer (as seen in the song's music video), and his homemade Red Special electric guitar.

The song reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart and number three in Germany. 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]

Record World described the single version as a "supersonic cut with a chorus hook guaranteed to rescue tired holiday ears."^[4]

Music video

The music video was filmed at Advision 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 Flash Gordon.^[5] An alternative version broadcast during the Concert for Kampuchea in 1981 with different clips included on the Flash Gordon 2011 iTunes edition.

Personnel

Freddie Mercury – lead and backing vocals
Brian May – lead and backing vocals, guitars, piano, synthesizer
Roger Taylor – drums, backing vocals, timpani
John Deacon – bass guitar

Charts

Chart (1980–1981)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[6]	16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[7]	1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	19
Canada RPM Top Singles^[9]	24
Germany (GfK)^[10]	3
Ireland (IRMA)^[11]	10
Italy (Musica e dischi)^[12]	14
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[13]	18
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[14]	13
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[15]	32
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[16]	17
UK Singles (OCC)^[17]	10
US Billboard Hot 100^[18]	42
US Cash Box Top 100^[3]	39

Sales and certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[19]	Silver	250,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Vanguard remix

German producers Vanguard released a cover of "Flash", credited to "Queen + Vanguard", on 10 February 2003.^[21] The single 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
Australia (ARIA)^[22]	95
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[23]	44
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)^[24]	2
Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders)^[25]	12
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[26]	44
Germany (GfK)^[21]	17
Scotland (OCC)^[27]	15
UK Singles (OCC)^[28]	15
UK Dance (OCC)^[29]	2
UK Indie (OCC)^[30]	1

Live recording

In other media

The song is played during an ice dancing routine in the 2007 film Blades of Glory.^[31]

The song is played in The Flash sixth season episode "Into the Void" where Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) plays it when Barry Allen / The Flash (Grant Gustin) enters a black hole to save Chester P. Runk (Brandon McKnight), mentioning that he has been saving the song "for the right moment".^[32]

In 2016, a re-recording of the song was used to advertise Flash Multi Surface Concentrated Cleaner in the UK.^[33] It has since been used to promote other Flash products. In 2022, the song appeared in a Toyota Corolla Cross commercial in Australia but it used "Cross" instead of "Flash".^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Flash's Theme - Queen | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
^ "Queen: Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 May 2012
^ ^a ^b "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 21, 1981". Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 10 January 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
^ Hince, Peter (2015). Queen Unseen - My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century: Revised and with Added Material. Bonnier Zaffre.
^ 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.
^ "Queen – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 21 March 1981. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
^ "Queen – Flash" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Flash". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Queen".
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Queen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^ "Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Queen – Flash". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Queen – Flash". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "Queen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
^ "Queen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
^ "British single certifications – Flash". British Phonographic Industry.
^ Flash (UK CD single liner notes). Queen, Vanguard. Nebula, Frisbee Tracks, Virgin Records. 2003. NEBCD041.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ ^a ^b "Queen + Vanguard – Flash" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Issue 691" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
^ "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 15. 5 April 2003. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Blades of Glory (10/12) Best Movie Quote - Final Routine (2007)". YouTube. 18 January 2015.
^ "The Flash FINALLY Uses the Song We've Waited Five Years For". CBR. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
^ "Flash vows to 'Clean up the impossible'". Talking Retail. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

External links

Official original music video on YouTube
Lyrics at Queen official website Archived 2017-05-30 at the Wayback Machine (original version, reprise, single version)

[1] Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Flash's Theme - Queen | Song Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2018.

[2] "Queen: Greatest Hits". Allmusic. Retrieved 12 May 2012

[tropicalglen-3] "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 21, 1981". Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2018.

[rw-4] "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 10 January 1981. p. 1. Retrieved 23 February 2023.

[5] Hince, Peter (2015). Queen Unseen - My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century: Revised and with Added Material. Bonnier Zaffre.

[6] 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.

[sc_Austria_Queen-7] "Queen – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[sc_Flanders_Queen-8] "Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[9] "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 21 March 1981. Retrieved 12 November 2018.

[sc_Germany_Queen-10] "Queen – Flash" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[sc_Ireland2_Queen-11] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Flash". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[12] "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 28 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Queen".

[sc_Dutch40_Queen-13] "Nederlandse Top 40 – Queen" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 August 2020.

[sc_Dutch100_Queen-14] "Queen – Flash" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[sc_New_Zealand_Queen-15] "Queen – Flash". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[sc_Sweden_Queen-16] "Queen – Flash". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Queen-17] "Queen: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 March 2022.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Queen-18] "Queen Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 July 2016.

[United_KingdomFlashsingleCertRef-19] "British single certifications – Flash". British Phonographic Industry.

[20] Flash (UK CD single liner notes). Queen, Vanguard. Nebula, Frisbee Tracks, Virgin Records. 2003. NEBCD041.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[gervan-21] "Queen + Vanguard – Flash" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[ausvan-22] "Issue 691" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2 March 2023.

[autvan-23] "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[flavan-24] "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[beldvan-25] "Queen %2B Vanguard – Flash" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 5 November 2020.

[26] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 15. 5 April 2003. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[scotvan-27] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[ukvan-28] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[ukdvan-29] "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[ukivan-30] "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 March 2020.

[31] Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Blades of Glory (10/12) Best Movie Quote - Final Routine (2007)". YouTube. 18 January 2015.

[32] "The Flash FINALLY Uses the Song We've Waited Five Years For". CBR. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.

[33] "Flash vows to 'Clean up the impossible'". Talking Retail. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2023.

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v t e Queen songs
Queen	"Keep Yourself Alive" "Liar"
Queen II	"Seven Seas of Rhye"
Sheer Heart Attack	"Killer Queen" "Now I'm Here" "Flick of the Wrist" "Lily of the Valley" "Stone Cold Crazy" "Brighton Rock"
A Night at the Opera	"Bohemian Rhapsody" "You're My Best Friend" "Death on Two Legs (Dedicated to...)" "I'm in Love with My Car" "'39" "Sweet Lady" "The Prophet's Song" "Love of My Life" "Good Company" "God Save the Queen"
A Day at the Races	"Somebody to Love" "Tie Your Mother Down" "Teo Torriatte (Let Us Cling Together)" "Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy" "Long Away"
News of the World	"We Will Rock You" "We Are the Champions" "Spread Your Wings" "It's Late" "Sheer Heart Attack"
Jazz	"Bicycle Race" "Fat Bottomed Girls" "Don't Stop Me Now" "Mustapha" "Jealousy"
The Game	"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" "Save Me" "Play the Game" "Another One Bites the Dust" "Need Your Loving Tonight"
Flash Gordon	"Flash's Theme"
Hot Space	"Under Pressure" "Body Language" "Las Palabras de Amor (The Words of Love)" "Calling All Girls" "Staying Power" "Back Chat"
The Works	"Radio Ga Ga" "I Want to Break Free" "It's a Hard Life" "Hammer to Fall" "Is This the World We Created...?"
A Kind of Magic	"One Vision" "A Kind of Magic" "Princes of the Universe" "Friends Will Be Friends" "Pain Is So Close to Pleasure" "Who Wants to Live Forever" "One Year of Love"
The Miracle	"I Want It All" "Breakthru" "The Invisible Man" "Scandal" "The Miracle"
Innuendo	"Innuendo" "I'm Going Slightly Mad" "Headlong" "These Are the Days of Our Lives" "The Show Must Go On" "I Can't Live with You" "Ride the Wild Wind"
Made in Heaven	"Heaven for Everyone" "A Winter's Tale" "Too Much Love Will Kill You" "I Was Born to Love You" "Let Me Live" "You Don't Fool Me" "Made in Heaven" "Mother Love"
Queen Rocks	"No-One but You (Only the Good Die Young)"
Queen Forever	"Let Me in Your Heart Again" "Love Kills" "There Must Be More to Life Than This"
Other songs	"Thank God It's Christmas" "Face It Alone"
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Flash (Queen song)

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