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Flash Gordon (film)
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For the 1936 film serial, see Flash Gordon (serial).
Flash Gordon
Theatrical release poster by Richard Amsel
Directed by
Mike Hodges
Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis
Screenplay by
Lorenzo Semple Jr.
Story by
Michael Allin
(Adaptation)
Based on
Characters
by Alex Raymond
Starring
Sam J. Jones
Melody Anderson
Ornella Muti
Max von Sydow
Chaim Topol
Timothy Dalton
Mariangela Melato
Brian Blessed
Peter Wyngarde
Music by
Queen
Howard Blake
Cinematography
Gilbert Taylor
Edited by
Malcolm Cooke
Production
company
Starling Films
Dino De Laurentiis Company
Distributed by
Universal Pictures
Release date
5 December 1980 (1980-12-05)
Running time
114 minutes[1]
Country
United Kingdom
Netherlands[2]
United States[3]
Language
English
Budget
$20 million[4]
Box office
$27.1 million (North America)[5]
Flash Gordon is a 1980 science fantasy film based on the King Features comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond. Directed by Mike Hodges and produced by Dino De Laurentiis, the film was shot in Technicolor and Todd-AO-35. It stars Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, Topol, Max von Sydow, Timothy Dalton, Brian Blessed and Ornella Muti. The movie was co-written by Michael Allin (known for Enter the Dragon) and Lorenzo Semple Jr. (who had previously scripted De Laurentiis's remake of King Kong). It uses a camp style similar to the 1960s TV series Batman (which Semple developed) in an attempt to appeal to fans of the original comics and serial films. Although a box office success in the United Kingdom, it performed poorly in other markets.[6] The film is notable for its soundtrack composed, performed and produced by the rock band Queen, with the orchestral sections by Howard Blake. The film has since gained a significant cult following.[6]
Contents
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production
3.1 Development
3.2 Filming
4 Reception
5 Cult following
6 Soundtrack
7 Release
8 In other media
9 Home media
10 Awards
11 Reboot
12 See also
13 References
14 External links
Plot[edit]
To relieve his boredom, Emperor Ming the Merciless of the planet Mongo declares that he will play with and destroy Earth by remotely causing natural disasters. On Earth, New York Jets football star "Flash" Gordon boards a small plane, where he meets travel agent Dale Arden. Mid-flight, the cockpit is hit by a meteorite and the pilots are lost. Flash takes control and manages to crash land into a greenhouse owned by Dr. Hans Zarkov. Zarkov, who believes the disasters are being caused because an unknown source is pushing the moon towards Earth, has secretly constructed a spacecraft that he plans to use to investigate. Zarkov's assistant refuses to go, so Zarkov lures Flash and Dale aboard. The rocket launches, taking them to Mongo, where they are captured by Ming's troops.
The trio is brought before Ming, who orders Dale be prepared for his pleasure. Flash tries to resist, but is overpowered. Ming orders Zarkov be reprogrammed and Flash executed. Ming's daughter, Princess Aura, seduces Ming's surgeon into saving Flash, to whom she is attracted. As they escape, Flash sees Zarkov being brainwashed by Klytus, the metal-faced head of the secret police. Aura and Flash flee to Arboria, kingdom of Prince Barin, Aura's lover. En route, Aura teaches Flash to use a telepathic communicator to contact Dale. He lets her know he is alive. Dale is locked in Ming's bedchamber but, encouraged by Flash, she escapes. Klytus sends Zarkov to intercept Dale, who tells him and Klytus that Flash is alive. Zarkov then reveals he resisted the brainwashing, and escapes Mingo City with Dale. They are quickly captured by Prince Vultan's Hawkmen and taken to Sky City.
Aura and Flash arrive at Arboria. Aura asks the Prince to keep Flash safe. A distrustful Barin, in love with Aura, agrees not to kill Flash, but then forces him to perform a deadly ritual. Barin and Flash take turns sticking their hands into a hollow stump with a giant scorpion-like Wood Beast inside. When Flash has to take an extra turn, he pretends to be stung as a distraction and escapes. Barin follows, but they are both captured by the Hawkmen.
Klytus informs Ming that Flash is alive and is given authority to find out who is responsible. Aura returns and is taken prisoner and tortured by Klytus and General Kala. They force her to confess and Ming orders her banished to the ice moon Frigia once his wedding has taken place. Meanwhile, Flash and Barin are taken to Sky City, where Flash and Dale are briefly reunited. Flash is forced to fight Barin in a death match, but Flash instead saves Barin's life, causing Barin to join him. Klytus arrives and Flash and Barin kill him. Knowing this will bring retribution, Vultan orders the Hawkmen to evacuate, leaving Barin, Flash, Dale and Zarkov behind. Ming's ship arrives and he orders Barin, Zarkov and Dale to be taken aboard. Ming is impressed with Flash and offers him lordship over Earth in exchange for loyalty. Flash refuses. Ming gives the order to destroy Vultan's kingdom along with Flash. Flash finds a rocket cycle and escapes before Sky City is destroyed.
Flash contacts Vultan, who is hiding on Arboria, and they plot an attack on Mingo City. Flash pretends to attack Mingo City alone on his rocket cycle. General Kala dispatches the war rocket Ajax to kill Flash, but the Hawkmen ambush and seize the rocket. Meanwhile, Princess Aura overpowers her guard and frees Barin and Zarkov from the execution chamber. Flash and the Hawkmen attack Mingo City in Ajax and Kala activates the defenses as Ming's and Dale's wedding begins. Mingo City's lightning field can only be penetrated by flying Ajax into it at a suicidal speed. Flash volunteers to stay at the helm to ensure success and enable the Hawkmen to invade the city.
Barin and Zarkov enter the control room to stop the lightning field, encountering Kala, who refuses to deactivate it. She attempts to kill Zarkov, but Barin shoots and kills her. Without Kala, they are unable to deactivate the field from that control room. Barin tells Zarkov to hold the fort while he heads to Sector Alpha 9. Zarkov keeps trying, but is unable to deactivate the shield.
Barin fights through Ming's guards and gets to Sector Alpha and deactivates the lightning field before Ajax hits it. Flash flies the rocket ship into the city's wedding hall and the ship's bow impales Ming. He falls off the rocket nose, seriously wounded, and Flash offers to spare his life if he will stop the attack on Earth. Ming refuses. Ming attempts to use his power ring on Flash, but his power falters and nothing happens. He then aims the ring at himself and is seemingly vaporized by its remaining power, seconds before the counter to the destruction of the Earth reaches zero. A huge victory celebration ensues.
Barin and Aura become the new leaders in Ming's place. Barin names Vultan the leader of their armies. Flash, Dale and Zarkov discuss returning to Earth. Zarkov says he doesn't know how they will get back, but they will try. Barin tells them all they're welcome to stay, but Dale says she's a New York City girl, and it's now too quiet around Mongo.
The final frame shows Ming's ring being picked up by the hand of an unseen person. Ming's evil laugh echoes as the ending credits roll. Following the credits, the text "The End" is shown on the screen before a question mark (?) is appended.
Cast[edit]
Sam J. Jones as Flash Gordon
Melody Anderson as Dale Arden
Max von Sydow as Emperor Ming the Merciless
Chaim Topol as Hans Zarkov
Ornella Muti as Princess Aura
Timothy Dalton as Prince Barin
Brian Blessed as Prince Vultan
Peter Wyngarde as General Klytus
Mariangela Melato as General Kala
Richard O'Brien as Fico
John Osborne as Arborian Priest
Philip Stone as Zogi the High Priest
John Hallam as General Luro
Suzanne Danielle as Serving Girl
John Morton as Airline pilot
William Hootkins as Munson, Dr. Zarkov's assistant
Robbie Coltrane as Man at Airfield[7]
Peter Duncan as Young Treeman
John Hollis as Klytus Observer No. 2
Leon Greene as Colonel of Battle Control Room
Tony Scannell as Ming's officer
Bogdan Kominowski as a lieutenant of Ming's Air Force
George Harris as Prince Thun
Deep Roy as Fellini, Princess Aura's pet
Bob Goody as Azurian Man
Kenny Baker as Dwarf
Malcolm Dixon as Dwarf
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
Initially, producer De Laurentiis wanted Italian director Federico Fellini to direct the picture; although Fellini optioned the Flash Gordon rights from De Laurentiis, he never made the film.[8] George Lucas attempted to make a Flash Gordon film in the 1970s; unable to acquire the rights from De Laurentiis, Lucas decided to create Star Wars instead.[8][9] De Laurentiis then hired Nicolas Roeg to make the film. Roeg, an admirer of the original Alex Raymond comic strips, spent a year in pre-production work.[9][10] However, De Laurentiis was unhappy with Roeg's treatment of Flash Gordon, and Roeg left the project.[9] De Laurentiis also considered hiring Sergio Leone to direct the Flash Gordon film; Leone refused, because he believed the script was not faithful to the original Raymond comic strips.[10][11] De Laurentiis then hired Mike Hodges to direct.[9]
Lorenzo Semple, Jr. wrote the script. He later recalled:
Dino wanted to make Flash Gordon humorous. At the time, I thought that was a possible way to go, but, in hindsight, I realize it was a terrible mistake. We kept fiddling around with the script, trying to decide whether to be funny or realistic. That was a catastrophic thing to do, with so much money involved... I never thought the character of Flash in the script was particularly good. But there was no pressure to make it any better. Dino had a vision of a comic-strip character treated in a comic style. That was silly, because Flash Gordon was never intended to be funny. The entire film got way out of control.[12]
Filming[edit]
According to a 2012 interview in Maxim, Sam J. Jones had disagreements with De Laurentiis of some kind and departed prior to post-production, which resulted in a substantial portion of his dialogue being dubbed by a professional voice actor, whose identity is unknown.[13] A sequel was proposed, but the departure of Jones effectively ended any such prospects.[14] The airfield scene at the beginning of the film, although set in the U.S., was shot at the Broadford Airfield in Skye, Scotland.[7]
Reception[edit]
Flash Gordon, in total, grossed well above double its $20 million budget, grossing $27,107,960 in North America, which was augmented by a very strong showing in the United Kingdom, grossing nearly £14 million. Additionally, the film performed well in Italy, due to the two Italian actors prominent in the credits. The film found appreciation with some film critics, such as The New Yorker's Pauline Kael. Kael described Flash Gordon as having "some of the knowing, pleasurable giddiness of the fast-moving Bonds...The director, Mike Hodges, gets right into comic-strip sensibility and pacing".[15] Roger Ebert also praised Flash Gordon, stating "Flash Gordon is played for laughs, and wisely so...This is space opera, a genre invented by Edgar Rice Burroughs and Hugo Gernsback and other men of unlimited imagination harnessed to definitely limited skills. It's fun to see it done with energy and love and without the pseudo-meaningful apparatus of the Force and Trekkie Power... Is it fun? Yeah, sort of, it is." [16] By contrast, several critics expressed dislike for the film. Leslie Halliwell, writing in 1981, was dismissive towards Flash Gordon, describing it as "another addition to the increasing numbers of such things being restaged at enormous expense fifty years after their prime".[17] Richard Combs in the Monthly Film Bulletin also disliked the film, calling Flash Gordon "an expensively irrelevant gloss on its sources."[17] Godfrey Fitzsimmons of The Irish Times said "Flash Gordon is a hodge-podge...the humour is not very funny and much of the "serious" element is hilarious, which makes for an unsatisfying film."[18] Von Sydow (Ming) received a good deal of praise for his performance, but Jones (Gordon) was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor. Before the film's run in theaters, a sequel was considered and according to Brian Blessed on the Region 2 DVD commentary for Flash Gordon – Silver Anniversary Edition, the sequel was going to be set on Mars, as a possible update of the Buster Crabbe serials.
The film received overall positive reviews, holding an 82% approval rating at the film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on 38 reviews.[4][19][19][20] The film ranked No. 88 on the Rotten Tomatoes Journey Through Sci-Fi List (100 Best-Reviewed Sci-Fi Movies).[21]
Reviewing the film for The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, John Grant stated the film was "Rather heavy-handed in its attempts at Parody" and that it used "stark garishness to compensate for appalling spfx"; he concluded that Flash Gordon "is a gaudy cliché whose charm should not be underestimated".[22] John Clute gave Flash Gordon a mixed review, saying "the special effects are great" and praising the action sequences. However Clute expressed dislike for Flash Gordon's humorous, self-aware tone, adding the actors "are all just playing, and we know it".[23] Peter Nicholls in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction gave a negative verdict on Flash Gordon: "Apart from the fetishistic costumes...there is little of interest in this tongue-in-cheek, lurid fantasy, which tries to make a Comic-strip virtue of wooden acting."[24] The Aurum Film Encyclopedia also gave the film an adverse review, claiming it was impossible to suspend disbelief in the film: "Hodges puts a knowingness and literalness that works completely against the sense of pulp poetry so essential if we are to believe in Flash". It also described Semple's script as "similarly bland, its occasional witticisms notwithstanding".[25] Reviewing Flash Gordon for The Dissolve website, Keith Phipps stated, "Flash Gordon is, like Batman, entertaining for kids and a different sort of entertaining for grown-ups, who pick up on the goofiness...But there’s more than a whiff of condescension to it, too, as if it’s ridiculous to even consider Raymond’s vision of clashing heroes and villains as anything but comedy fodder."[6]
Cult following[edit]
Flash Gordon has since become a cult classic with fans of science fiction and fantasy. It is a favourite of director Edgar Wright, who used the film as one of the visual influences for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Acclaimed comic book artist Alex Ross names the film as his favorite film of all time. He painted the cover of the film's 2007 "Saviour of the Universe Edition" DVD release, and starred in a featurette to talk extensively about his affection for the film.[26] In Seth MacFarlane's 2012 comedy Ted, the characters of Ted (MacFarlane) and John (Mark Wahlberg) are fans of Flash Gordon, and it is referenced several times throughout the film. Jones (playing himself) also appears in the film during a manic party sequence and in the film's conclusion.[13] He also appears in the sequel Ted 2.[27] Horror punk musician Wednesday 13 based the song "Hail Ming" on his album The Dixie Dead (2013) on the film.
Blessed's performance as Prince Vultan lodged the veteran stage and screen actor into the United Kingdom collective consciousness for the utterance of a single line – "Gordon's alive?!" – which, more than 30 years later, remains the most repeated, reused, and recycled quotation from both the film and Blessed's career.[28][29][30]
The Dynamite Entertainment comic Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist drew on several elements of the 1980 film, including the reappearance of the villain Klytus (who does not appear in the original comic strips).[31] In this adaptation, Klytus again serves as Ming's main henchman.[31] The 2014 Dynamite Flash Gordon comic also contained several allusions to the film, including having Vultan speak the line "Gordon's alive?!".[32]
In 2018, Life After Flash, a feature-length documentary directed by Lisa Downs & produced by Ashley Pugh, had its World Premiere at Chattanooga Film Festival,[33] followed by the European Premiere at the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival.[34] Life After Flash not only celebrates the 1980 classic featuring interviews with cast, crew and fans including Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed, Peter Wyngarde, Mark Millar, Robert Rodriguez, Stan Lee and Brian May, but also explores the aftermath of when star Sam J Jones went up against one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood: Dino De Laurentiis. Executive Produced by Sam J Jones, Aleksandar Smiljanic and Matt Pasant.
Soundtrack[edit]
Main article: Flash Gordon (soundtrack)
The film's soundtrack was composed and performed by the rock band Queen. Flash Gordon was one of the earliest high-budget feature films to use a score primarily composed and performed by a rock band (an earlier example is The Who's Tommy (1975). Additional orchestral score pieces were also composed by Howard Blake. Blake's pieces from the film have been released on CD, alongside his score from Amityville 3-D.
Release[edit]
The film was originally released in North America via Universal Studios. Universal has retained the domestic theatrical and home video rights, while the international rights passed on through different distributors, eventually residing with StudioCanal. However, the film's UK distributor, Thorn EMI, controlled U.S TV rights. Although StudioCanal now holds those rights due to ownership of the EMI film library, they licensed them to MGM for U.S syndication, which explains why MGM's logo appears on current television airings.
In other media[edit]
A comic book adaptation, written by Bruce Jones and illustrated by classic Flash Gordon artist Al Williamson (himself not a fan of the movie due to its overall campy nature, numerous script changes and resulting alterations to his artwork[35]), was released by Western Publishing to coincide with the film's release. It was serialized in three issues of the Flash Gordon comic book (#31–33) and released in a single large format softcover and hardcover editions.
A novelization by Arthur Byron Cover of the movie script by Lorenzo Semple Jr. was published in 1980.
A video game adaptation for the Atari 2600 was developed by Sirius Software and published by 20th Century Fox Games in 1983.[36][37]
In the Family Guy Episode "Road to Germany," Stewie and Brian enlist the help of the Hawkmen in order to defeat the German pilots in WW2.
Home media[edit]
The film was released in 1981 on VHS, Betamax and MCA DiscoVision, and re-released in 1998 on both Laserdisc and Region 1 DVD via Universal. It was released in Region 2 in 2001 (Japan) and again in 2005 (UK/Europe); with the 2005 release including commentary by Brian Blessed winning the "Commentary of the Year" award from Hotdog Magazine for his humor and enthusiasm. On 7 August 2007, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released a "Saviour of the Universe Edition" DVD in North America to coincide with The Sci Fi Channel's new television series. This special edition does not include the cast and crew interviews of the Region 2 release.
In October 2007, a high definition transfer of the film premiered on the MGM HD cable/satellite channel.
In November 2007, Sam J. Jones and Melody Anderson together created a new commentary track for the StudioCanal DVD edition of the film.[38][39] Flash Gordon was released on Blu-ray on 15 June 2010.[40]
In 2012, Universal released Flash Gordon in a four-feature DVD set along with Battlestar Galactica: Saga of a Star World, The Last Starfighter and Dune.
On 3 May 2016, Ted vs. Flash Gordon: The Ultimate Collection was released on Blu-ray plus Digital HD, featuring this film and the unrated versions of Ted and Ted 2.[41]
Awards[edit]
Saturn Award
Nominated: Best Costumes
Nominated: Best Science Fiction Film
Nominated: Best Supporting Actor
BAFTA
Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Costume Design|Best Costumes Design
Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Original Film Music|Best Original Film Music
Nominated: Saturn Award for Best Art Design|Best Art Design
1st Golden Raspberry Award
Nominated: Worst Actor (Sam J. Jones)[42]
Reboot[edit]
Since 2015, a new Flash Gordon film has been in the works.[43] 20th Century Fox hired JD Payne and Patrick McKay as screenwriters, while Matthew Vaughn was in talks to direct.[44] On 15 January 2016, Mark Protosevich was hired to rewrite the film's script.[45]
See also[edit]
Flash Gordon
Flesh Gordon (erotic parody)
References[edit]
Jump up ^ "FLASH GORDON (A)". Columbia-Emi-Warner Dists Ltd. British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon". BFI.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon". AFI.
^ Jump up to: a b "Flash Gordon". Variety. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon (1980)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
^ Jump up to: a b c Keith Phipps,"After Star Wars, science fiction tried to reconnect with the past". The Dissolve, 22 May 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b McKenzie, Steven (10 September 2013). "Flash Gordon: Actor Sam J Jones on the Skye connection". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
^ Jump up to: a b Dale Pollock, Skywalking : the life and films of George Lucas New York : Da Capo Press, 1999. ISBN 0786749768, (p. 101)
^ Jump up to: a b c d Ric Meyers, S-F 2 : A Pictorial History of science fiction films from "Rollerball" to "Return of the Jedi". Secaucus, N.J. : Citadel Press, 1984. ISBN 0806508752 (pp. 167-8).
^ Jump up to: a b Scott Salwolke, Nicolas Roeg: Film By Film. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., 1993. (p.73) ISBN 0899508812
Jump up ^ Christopher Frayling, Sergio Leone : Something To Do With Death. London, Faber and Faber, 2000. ISBN 0571164382 (pp.377)
Jump up ^ Steve Swires (October 1983). "Lorenzo Semple, Jr. The screenwriter Fans Love to Hate – Part 2". Starlog. No. 75. pp. 45–47, 54. Retrieved 28 May 2014 – via www.the007dossier.com.
^ Jump up to: a b Leftley, Nick (11 December 2012). "Flash Gordon Speaks!". Maxim. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
Jump up ^ "Sequel Baiting Endings That Didn't Work". Empire. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Jump up ^ Pauline Kael, Taking It All In. New York : Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1984. ISBN 0030693624.
Jump up ^ Ebert Reviews:Flash Gordon.8 December 1980. Retrieved 8 July 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b Leslie Halliwell, John Walker (ed.) Halliwell's Film and Video Guide 2001 HarperCollins Entertainment, 2001. ISBN 0007122659 (p. 289)
Jump up ^ Godfrey Fitzsimmons, "Flash Harried",The Irish Times, 15 December 1980 (p.15).
^ Jump up to: a b "Flash Gordon". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon". Empire. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Jump up ^ "RT's Journey Through Sci-Fi". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2012. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
Jump up ^ John Grant, "Flash Gordon Movies" in The Encyclopedia of Fantasy, 1997. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
Jump up ^ John Clute,Science Fiction : The Illustrated Encyclopedia. New York : Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0789401851 (p.282).
Jump up ^ Peter Nicholls, "Flash Gordon". in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, 9 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
Jump up ^ Phil Hardy, The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Science Fiction London : Aurum, 1991. ISBN 1854101595 (p.361).
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon – Saviour of the Universe Edition". DVD Talk. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
Jump up ^ "Curtis Stigers on Twitter: "On the set of Ted 2. My chair is the one that says Don't Sit Here You're Not A Movie Star". Retrieved 23 September 2014.
Jump up ^ "Brian Blessed" at the BBC's H2G2. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
Jump up ^ "Gordon's Alive! Flash returns to cinema screens" Archived 30 July 2012 at Archive.is, 21 May 2008 report for Dreamwatch's Total Sci-Fi website. Retrieved 2 January 2009.
Jump up ^ The singular phrase was much-used to refer to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, including Glen John Feechan's Accounting blog Archived 19 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine.; Blessed himself on Have I Got News For You Series 35, episode 3 (broadcast on BBC1, 2 May 2008); Steven Poole reviewing Gordon Brown: Speeches 1997–2006 for the Guardian newspaper, etc.
^ Jump up to: a b "Flash Gordon: Zeitgeist" Review. IGN.com. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
Jump up ^ Flash Gordon #6. Dynamite Entertainment. Mt. Laurel, NJ, October 2014.
Jump up ^ "Chattanooga 2018 Announces LIFE AFTER FLASH, SUMMER OF '84 and ROCK STEADY ROW". ScreenAnarchy. 2018-02-12. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
Jump up ^ "Life After Flash". Edinburgh Festival. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
Jump up ^ "Mark Schultz: Celebrating Al Williamson's Flash Gordon". Newsarama.com. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon". AtariAge. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon – Atari 2600". Classic Game Room. 23 November 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon Commentary Featuring Sam Jones and Melody Anderson Just Released". Sci-Fi Storm. 25 November 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon – Saviour of the Universe Edition". DVD Talk. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
Jump up ^ "Flash Gordon (Blu-ray)". DVD Talk. Retrieved 7 December 2010.
Jump up ^ "Ted vs. Flash Gordon: The Ultimate Collection". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
Jump up ^ "Golden Raspberry Nominations 1980". Razzies.com. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
Jump up ^ Kit, Borys (22 April 2014). "'Flash Gordon' Movie in the Works at Fox (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
Jump up ^ "Matthew Vaughn in Talks to Direct 'Flash Gordon' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
Jump up ^ McWeeny, Drew (January 2016). "Mark Protosevich Hired To Rewrite Matthew Vaughn's 'Flash Gordon' For Fox". Hitfix.
External links[edit]
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Belling the Cat
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
For the Scottish nobleman known as Archibald "Bell the Cat", see Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus.
Gustave Doré's illustration of La Fontaine's fable, c.1868
"Belling the Cat" is a fable also known under the titles "The Bell and the Cat" and "The Mice in Council". Although often attributed to Aesop, it was not recorded before the Middle Ages and has been confused with the quite different fable of Classical origin titled The Cat and the Mice. In the classificatory system established for the fables by B. E. Perry, it is numbered 613, which is reserved for Mediaeval attributions outside the Aesopic canon.[1]
Contents
1 Synopsis and idiomatic use
2 Early versions and later interpretations
3 Illustrations
4 Musical settings
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
Synopsis and idiomatic use[edit]
The fable concerns a group of mice who debate plans to nullify the threat of a marauding cat. One of them proposes placing a bell around its neck, so that they are warned of its approach. The plan is applauded by the others, until one mouse asks who will volunteer to place the bell on the cat. All of them make excuses. The story is used to teach the wisdom of evaluating a plan on not only how desirable the outcome would be but also how it can be executed. It provides a moral lesson about the fundamental difference between ideas and their feasibility, and how this affects the value of a given plan.
The story gives rise to the idiom to bell the cat, which means to attempt, or agree to perform, an impossibly difficult task.[2] Historically it was the basis of the nickname given the Scottish nobleman Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus. In 1482, at a meeting of nobles who wanted to depose and hang James III's favourite, Robert Cochrane, Lord Gray remarked, Tis well said, but wha daur bell the cat? The challenge was accepted and successfully accomplished by the Earl of Angus. In recognition of this, he was always known afterwards as Archie Bell-the-cat.[3]
The first English collection to attribute the fable to Aesop was John Ogilby's of 1687; in this there is a fine woodcut (by Francis Barlow), followed by a 10-line verse synopsis by Aphra Behn with the punning conclusion:
Good council's easily given, but the effect
Oft renders it uneasy to transact.[4]
Early versions and later interpretations[edit]
"Belling the cat" is one of the proverbs illustrated in Pieter Bruegel I's painting Netherlandish Proverbs (1559).
One of the earliest versions of the story appears as a parable critical of the clergy in Odo of Cheriton's Parabolae.[5] Written around 1200, it was afterwards translated into Welsh, French and Spanish. Some time later the story is found in the work now referred to as Ysopet-Avionnet, which is largely made up of Latin poems by the 12th century Walter of England, followed by a French version dating from as much as two centuries later. It also includes four poems not found in Walter's Esopus; among them is the tale of "The Council of the Mice" (De muribus consilium facientibus contra catum). The author concludes with the scornful comment that laws are of no effect without the means of adequately enforcing them and that such parliamentary assemblies as he describes are like the proverbial mountain in labour that gives birth to a mouse.[6]
The fable also appeared as a cautionary tale in Nicholas Bozon's Anglo-Norman Contes Moralisés (1320), referring to the difficulty of curbing the outrages of superior lords.[7] It was in this context too that the story of a parliament of rats and mice was retold in William Langland's allegorical poem Piers Plowman.[8] The episode is said to refer to the Parliament of 1376 which attempted unsuccessfully to remedy popular dissatisfaction over the exactions made by nobles acting in the royal name.[9] Langland's French contemporary, the satirical Eustache Deschamps, also includes the story among his other moral ballades based on fables as "Les souris et les chats".[10] It has been suggested that in this case too there is a political subtext. The poem was written as a response to the aborted invasion of England in 1386 and contrasts French dithering in the face of English aggression.[11] The refrain of Deschamps' ballade, Qui pendra la sonnette au chat (who will bell the cat) was to become proverbial in France if, indeed, it does not record one already existing.
In the following century, the Italian author Laurentius Abstemius made of the fable a Latin cautionary tale titled De muribus tintinnabulum feli appendere volentibus (The mice who wanted to bell the cat)[12] in 1499. A more popular version in Latin verse was written by Gabriele Faerno and printed posthumously in his Fabulae centum ex antiquis auctoribus delectae (100 delightful fables from ancient authors, Rome 1564), a work that was to be many times reprinted and translated up to start of the 19th century. Titled simply "The Council of the Mice", it comes to rest on the drily stated moral that 'a risky plan can have no good result'. The story was evidently known in Flanders too, since 'belling the cat' was included among the forty Netherlandish Proverbs in the composite painting of Pieter Bruegel the Elder (1559). In this case a man in armour is performing the task in the lower left foreground.[13] A century later, La Fontaine's Fables made the tale even better known under the title Conseil tenu par les rats (II.2).[14]
A Japanese woodblock illustration of La Fontaine's fable, 1894
It is clear that in mediaeval times the fable was applied to political situations and that British commentaries on it were sharply critical of the limited democratic processes of the day and their ability to resolve social conflict when class interests were at stake. This applies equally to the plot against the king's favourite in 15th century Scotland and the direct means that Archibald Douglas chose to resolve the issue. While none of the authors who used the fable actually incited revolution, it will be noted that the 1376 Parliament that Langland satirised was followed by Wat Tyler's revolt five years later and that Archibald Douglas went on to lead a rebellion against King James. During the Renaissance the fangs of the fable were being drawn by European authors, who restricted their criticism to pusillanimous conduct in the face of rashly proposed solutions. A later exception was the Russian fabulist Ivan Krylov, whose adaptation of the story satirises croneyism. In his account only those with perfect tails are to be allowed into the assembly; nevertheless, a tailless rat is admitted because of a family connection with one of the lawmakers.[15]
There still remains the perception of a fundamental opposition between consensus and individualism. This is addressed in the lyrics of "Bell the Cat",[16] a performance put out on DVD by the Japanese rock band LM.C in 2007.[17] This is the monologue of a house cat that wants to walk alone since "Society is by nature evil". It therefore refuses to conform and is impatient of restriction: "your hands hold on to everything – bell the cat". While the lyric is sung in Japanese, the final phrase is in English. This is indicative of how influential animal fables of Western origin have become in Oriental societies that still appreciate such story-telling, recognising their ancient purpose of questioning and disrupting traditional social norms.
Illustrations[edit]
Several French artists depicted the fable during the 19th century, generally choosing one of two approaches. Gustave Doré and the genre painter Aurélie Léontine Malbet (fl.1868–1906)[18] pictured the rats realistically acting out their debate. The illustrator Grandville,[19] along with the contemporaries Philibert Léon Couturier (1823–1901)[20] and Auguste Delierre (1829–1890),[21] caricature the backward practice and pomposity of provincial legislatures, making much the same point as did the Mediaeval authors who first recorded the tale. At the end of the century a publishing curiosity reverts to the first approach. This was in the woodblock print by Kawanabe Kyōsai that appeared in the collection of La Fontaine's fables that was commissioned and printed in Tokyo in 1894 and then exported to France.[22] In the upper left-hand corner a cat is seen through a warehouse window as it approaches across the roofs while inside the rats swarm up the straw-wrapped bales of goods. At its summit the chief rat holds the bell aloft. An earlier and less exclusive Japanese woodblock formed part of Kawanabe Kyōsai's Isoho Monogotari series (1870–80). This shows an assembly of mice in Japanese dress with the proposer in the foreground, brandishing the belled collar.[23]
Musical settings[edit]
In the 18th century the fable was one among many set by Louis-Nicolas Clérambault in the fables section of Nouvelles poésies spirituelles et morales sur les plus beaux airs (1730–37).[24] In the following century the text of La Fontaine's fable was set for performance by Louis Lacombe (Op.85) and by the Catalan composer Isaac Albéniz (1890). In 1950 it was set for four male voices by Florent Schmitt (Op. 123). But while La Fontaine's humorously named cat Rodilardus, and antiquated words like discomfiture (déconfiture), may fit an art song, there have also been faithful interpretations in the field of popular music. A popular composer of the day, Prosper Massé, published such a setting in 1860. More recently there has been Pierre Perret's interpretation (1995),[25] Daniel Roca's jazz performance[26] and Patrick Topaloff's Latin American rock performance (2007).[27]
See also[edit]
Collective action problem
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Ben Edwin Perry (1965). Babrius and Phaedrus. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. pp. 487, no. 373. ISBN 0-674-99480-9.
Jump up ^ "To Bell the Cat" thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
Jump up ^ Alexander Hislop: The proverbs of Scotland, Edinburgh 1868, p. 314, available at Google Books
Jump up ^ "21. De cato et muribus (1687), illustrated by Francis Barlow". Mythfolklore.net. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
Jump up ^ Laura (15 May 2009). "Christianizing Aesop: The Fables of Odo of Cheriton". Journey to the Sea. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Jump up ^ Ysopet-Avionnet, the Latin and French texts, University of Illinois 1919; fable LXII, pp.190–2; this is archived online
Jump up ^ Les contes moralisés de Nicole BozonParis, 1889, pp.144–5; archived here
Jump up ^ William's Vision of Piers Plowman by William Langland, edited by Ben Byram-Wigfield (2006), Prologue, lines 146–181; online text here
Jump up ^ "The Parliament of the Rats and Mice". Sfsu.edu. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Jump up ^ Poésies morales et historiques d'Eustache Deschamps, Paris 1832, pp. 188-9
Jump up ^ Robert Landru, Eustache Deschamps, Fédération des sociétés d'histoire et d'archéologie de l'Aisne, vol. XV 1969, p.126
Jump up ^ Fable 195
Jump up ^ View on Wikimedia Commons
Jump up ^ "Elizur Wright's translation". Oaks.nvg.org. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Jump up ^ Kriloff's Fables, translated by C.Fillingham Coxwell, London 1920, pp.38–9; archived online
Jump up ^ "Lyrics | LM.C – Bell The Cat (English)". SongMeanings. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Jump up ^ "Available on YouTube". Youtube.com. 18 November 2007. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
Jump up ^ Exhibited at the 1888 Salon; photo online
Jump up ^ "See online". Retrieved 17 August 2012.
Jump up ^ "In the Musée Denon de Chalon-sur-Saône". Philibert-leon-couturier.com. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
Jump up ^ "In the Musée La Fontaine at Château Thierry". Retrieved 17 August 2012.
Jump up ^ George Baxley. "baxleystamps.com". baxleystamps.com. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
Jump up ^ View online
Jump up ^ The score is printed in: John Metz, The Fables of La Fontaine: A Critical Edition of the Eighteenth-Century, Pendragon Press 1986, p.45
Jump up ^ 20 Fables inspirées de Jean de la Fontaine excerpt
Jump up ^ 10 Fables de La Fontaine Jamendo site
Jump up ^ Les Fables de La Fontaine excerpt
External links[edit]
Look up bell the cat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
19th–20th century book illustrations online
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Belling_the_Cat&oldid=853095797"
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text:
True (Spandau Ballet song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"True"
Artwork for vinyl releases
Single by Spandau Ballet
from the album True
B-side
"Gently"
Released
14 April 1983
Format
7"
12"
Recorded
October–November 1982
Genre
New wave[1]
Length
4:58 (promo 45 edit)
5:39 (single version)
6:08 (12-inch version)
6:29 (album version)
Label
Chrysalis
Songwriter(s)
Gary Kemp
Producer(s)
Jolley & Swain
Spandau Ballet singles chronology
"Communication"
(1983) "True"
(1983) "Gold"
(1983)
"Communication"
(1983) "True"
(1983) "Gold"
(1983)
file
help
"True" is a song by the English band Spandau Ballet. It was released on 14 April 1983 as the third single from their third studio album of the same name. The song was written by band member Gary Kemp.
The song was a huge worldwide hit, peaking at number one in the UK Singles Chart on 30 April 1983 for four weeks,[2] becoming the sixth biggest selling single of the year, and charting highly in 20 other countries. It is Spandau Ballet's biggest hit and their only major hit in the U.S., reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in the autumn of 1983 and topping the adult contemporary chart for one week.[3]
In 1985, the band performed the song during Live Aid. A new mix by Tony Swain and Gary Kemp was released in 2002 on the compilation album Reformation.
On 30 April 2008, the single celebrated its 25th anniversary, and in honour, EMI released a brand new True EP on 5 May 2008, which included the original single, the new mix found on Reformation and the remastered album version, plus a live recordings of "True" and "Gold" from the last show of the group's 1983 tour at Sadlers Wells.
A notable omission is that Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp did not perform on the track, rather a bass synthesizer was used instead. However, Kemp would play in his capacity for future live performances.
Contents
[hide]
1 Background and writing
2 Legacy
3 Track listing
3.1 7": Chrysalis / SPAN1 (UK)
3.2 7": Chrysalis / VS4 42720 (US)
3.3 12": Chrysalis / SPANX1 (UK)
3.4 1991 CD: Chrysalis / CHSCD 3793 (UK)
4 Chart history
4.1 Weekly charts
4.2 Year-end charts
5 Covers and samples
6 Personnel
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Background and writing[edit]
It was composed by group leader Gary Kemp who wrote the song at his parents' house, where he lived at the time.[4] It is a six-minute (in its original album version) song that in part pays tribute to the Motown artist Marvin Gaye, who is mentioned in the lyrics, and the sound he helped to establish.[5] The song was recorded before Gaye's murder a year later. The song was also partly about Kemp's platonic relationship with Altered Images singer Clare Grogan. Some phrases in the lyrics (including the much-quoted reference to "seaside arms") were adapted from Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita, a copy of which Grogan had given Kemp.[4] The song is written in the key of G major. It has a tempo of 98 BPM and a chord progression of G, Em, C/G, Bm. The song changes key when it hits the instrumental break. The instrumental break is in the key of E♭Major.[6][7]
Legacy[edit]
In 2015, the song was voted by the British public as the nation's tenth favourite 1980s number one in a poll for ITV.[8] However, it has also been named as one of the worst songs ever recorded,[9][10][11][12] with the lyrical content gaining particular derision from Guardian journalist Luke Williams[9] and the NME.[13]
Track listing[edit]
7": Chrysalis / SPAN1 (UK)[edit]
Side one
"True" – 5:40
Side two
"Lifeline (edities remix for U.S.A.)" – 3:34
7": Chrysalis / VS4 42720 (US)[edit]
Side one
"True" - 5:40
Side two
"Gently" - 4:01
12": Chrysalis / SPANX1 (UK)[edit]
Side one
"True" - 6:30
Side two
"Lifeline (remix edited for U.S.A.)" - 5:15
"Lifeline (a capella)" - 2:01
1991 CD: Chrysalis / CHSCD 3793 (UK)[edit]
"True (edit)" - 5:36
"Lifeline (edited remix)" - 3:39
"Heaven is a Secret" - 4:24
"Pleasure" - 3:30
Chart history[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (1983)
Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] 9
Canadian Adult Contemporary (RPM)[15] 5
Canadian Top Singles (RPM)[16] 1
France (Singles Chart)[17] 13
France (Airplay Chart)[18] 7
Germany (Official German Charts)[19] 9
Ireland (IRMA)[20] 1
Italy (FIMI)[21] 39
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] 4
Spain (AFYVE)[24] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[27] 4
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[3] 1
US Cash Box Top 100[28] 4
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (1983)
Rank
Australia [29] 43
Canada RPM Top Singles[30] 19
New Zealand [31] 28
UK [32] 6
US Billboard Hot 100[33] 92
US Cash Box [34] 34
Covers and samples[edit]
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Parts of the original version have been sampled and used in a number of songs—most notably P.M. Dawn's 1991 U.S. number-one hit "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss", which contains samples of the song's keyboard hook and vocals from the chorus. P.M. Dawn's song was also covered by the Backstreet Boys. The song was also sampled in 1997 on the song "Serenade" by R&B all-female group Shades, by US female rapper Queen Pen on her 1998 single "It's True", and again in 2005 on the Nelly song "'N' Dey Say". There is also a remix of "Happy People" by R. Kelly that utilizes a sample from this song.
Lloyd's "You" contains an interpolation of "True". Texas rapper Z-Ro used the sample for his song "Continue 2 Roll". Other notable covers include "Be There" by Silkk the Shocker, "True" by Underworld 805 Family, and "True" by Soul:ID.
Paul Anka released a swing version of the song on his 2005 album, Rock Swings where he changes the line "listening to Marvin" into "listening to Ella", in tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. Other pop versions include covers by Arnee Hidalgo and Joanna Wang.[35] The opening sequence of "True" is sampled in the song "Ask About Me" by Girl Talk on the 2006 album Night Ripper.
American alternative rock band Lazlo Bane covered the song for the 2009 film I Love You, Beth Cooper. However, it was not featured on the official soundtrack.[36]
The Backstreet Boys sang part of the chorus during their song "Bigger", on their 2009 This Is Us Tour.[citation needed]
Personnel[edit]
Tony Hadley: lead vocals
Gary Kemp: guitar, piano, synthesizers, backing vocals
Steve Norman: saxophone, backing vocals
John Keeble: drums, backing vocals
See also[edit]
List of RPM number-one singles of 1983
List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)
List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1983 (U.S.)
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Gantt, Kareem (15 January 2015). "Spandau Ballet's 'True' is so-so, but most of this album is formulaic new wave". AXS. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
Jump up ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 422–423. ISBN 978-1-904994-10-7.
^ Jump up to: a b Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 228.
^ Jump up to: a b Simpson, Dave; Kemp, Gary; Norman, Steve (14 May 2012). "How we made: Gary Kemp and Steve Norman on True". The Guardian. London.
Jump up ^ "The Band". Official Spandau Ballet website. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
Jump up ^ [1]
Jump up ^ [2]
Jump up ^ Westbrook, Caroline (25 July 2015). "The Nation's Favourite 80s Number One: 12 more classic 80s chart-toppers which didn't make the cut". Metro. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
^ Jump up to: a b "England v Australia - as it happened!". The Guardian. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
Jump up ^ "Spandau Ballet's 'True'". St. Petersburg Times. 19 October 2006. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
Jump up ^ "The best and worst love songs of all time". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
Jump up ^ "10 Songs We Never, Ever Want to Hear Again, Ever". Houston Press. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
Jump up ^ "50 worst pop lyrics of all time". NME. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
Jump up ^ "Ultratop.be – Spandau Ballet – True" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
Jump up ^ "Adult Contemporary". RPM. 39 (11). 12 November 1983. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
Jump up ^ "Top Singles". RPM. 39 (9). 29 October 1983. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
Jump up ^ "TOP Hebdo". TOP Hebdo. Retrieved 31 January 2016. Note: choose "1983", and then "15/10/1983".
Jump up ^ "Song artist 726 - Spandau Ballet". The World's Music Charts. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
Jump up ^ "Musicline.de – Spandau Ballet Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
Jump up ^ "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
Jump up ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: S". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
Jump up ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Spandau Ballet" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
Jump up ^ "Charts.org.nz – Spandau Ballet – True". Top 40 Singles.
Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando (2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 978-84-8048-639-2.
Jump up ^ "Swisscharts.com – Spandau Ballet – True". Swiss Singles Chart.
Jump up ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
Jump up ^ "Spandau Ballet Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 5, 1983
Jump up ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (doc)|format= requires |url= (help). Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
Jump up ^ "Top 100 Singles of 1983 – Volume 39, No. 17, December 24 1983". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
Jump up ^ "End of Year Charts 1983". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
Jump up ^ "Top 50 Singles of 1983". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications: 25. 25 December 1983.
Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com
Jump up ^ Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 31, 1983
Jump up ^ "Joanna Wang cover of Spandau Ballet's True". WhoSampled.
Jump up ^ "Soundtracks for I Love You, Beth Cooper". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
External links[edit]
"True" Official Music Video on YouTube
Preceded by
"Let's Dance" by David Bowie UK number one single
30 April 1983
(for four weeks) Succeeded by
"Candy Girl" by New Edition
[hide]
v
t
e
Spandau Ballet
Tony Hadley
Gary Kemp
Steve Norman
John Keeble
Martin Kemp
Michael Ellison
Richard Miller
Studio albums
Journeys to Glory
Diamond
True
Parade
Through the Barricades
Heart Like a Sky
Once More
Live albums
Live from the N.E.C.
Compilation albums
The Singles Collection
The Twelve Inch Mixes
The Best of Spandau Ballet
The Collection
Original Gold
Gold: The Best of Spandau Ballet
Reformation
The Collection II
The Ultra Selection
Singles, Rarities & Remixes
Top 20 singles
"To Cut a Long Story Short"
"The Freeze"
"Muscle Bound"
"Chant No. 1 (I Don't Need This Pressure On)"
"Instinction"
"Lifeline"
"Communication"
"True"
"Gold"
"Only When You Leave"
"I'll Fly for You"
"Highly Strung"
"Round and Round"
"Fight for Ourselves"
"Through the Barricades"
Related articles
Discography
Book:Spandau Ballet
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=True_(Spandau_Ballet_song)&oldid=827600264"
Categories:
1983 singles
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