Queen - Flash Gordon (1980)

While writing and recording 'The Game', Queen were asked by renowned movie director Dino DeLaurentis to provide the soundtrack for his upcoming sci-fi epic 'Flash Gordon', which the band accepted and promptly began working on both albums simultaneously. Although at first many fans criticized 'Flash Gordon', since it was issued as an official Queen release rather than a motion picture soundtrack, it has proven to be one of rock's better motion picture soundtracks over the years. The majority of the music is instrumental, with dialogue from the movie in place of Freddie Mercury's singing (only two tracks contain lyrics), but the song-writing is still unmistakably Queen. Highlights abound, such as 'Football Fight', 'Vultan's Theme (Attack Of The Hawk Men)', 'The Wedding March', and the heavy metal roar of 'Battle Theme'. But it was the two more conventional songs that were the album's best tracks, with the anthemic U.K. Top Ten hit 'Flash's Theme', and the woefully underrated rocker 'The Hero'. With Queen involved, 'Flash Gordon' is certainly not your average, predictable soundtrack, and in a recent comment, Anonymous suggested that a version of it without the dialogue and effects would be an interesting listen. As it was quite unusual at the time for a soundtrack album to include sounds from the film, I thought that it was a valid idea, and so here is the unadulterated version of Queen's soundtrack to the film 'Flash Gordon'.  

Track listing

01 Flash's Theme
02 In The Space Capsule (The Love Theme)
03 Ming's Theme (In The Court Of Ming The Merciless)
04 The Ring (Hypnotic Seduction Of Dale)
05 Football Fight
06 In The Death Cell (Love Theme Reprise)
07 Execution Of Flash
08 The Kiss (Aura Resurrects Flash)
09 Arboria (Planet Of The Tree Men)
10 Escape From The Swamp
11 Flash To The Rescue
12 Vultan's Theme (Attack Of The Hawk Men)
13 Battle Theme
14 The Wedding March
15 Marriage Of Dale And Ming (And Flash Approaching)
16 Crash Dive On Mingo City
17 Flash's Theme Reprise (Victory Celebrations)
18 The Hero