"V-2 Schneider" | ||||
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Single by David Bowie | ||||
from the album "Heroes" | ||||
A-side | "'Heroes'" | |||
Released | 23 September 1977 | |||
Recorded | July–August 1977 | |||
Studio | Hansa Studio by the Wall (West Berlin) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:10 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | David Bowie | |||
Producer(s) |
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David Bowie singles chronology | ||||
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"V-2 Schneider" is a largely instrumental song written by David Bowie in 1977 for the album "Heroes" , and released as the B-side of "'Heroes'". The song was not played on the subsequent Isolar II Tour and its first live rendition occurred in 1997, 20 years after it was recorded. [1] Mojo magazine listed it as Bowie's 95th best track in 2015. [2]
It was a tribute to Florian Schneider, [3] co-founder of the band Kraftwerk, whom Bowie acknowledged as a significant influence at the time. [4] The title also referenced the V-2 rocket, the first ballistic missile, which had been developed for the German Army during World War II, and whose design (and engineers) played a key role in the American space program. [5]
The only words sung are those in the title, initially distorted by phasing. [1] Musically, the track is unusual for the off-beat saxophone work by Bowie, who kicked off his part on the wrong note, [6] but continued regardless. [7]
A live version recorded during the Earthling Tour at Paradiso, Amsterdam in June 1997, was released as the B-side of the single "Pallas Athena" in August 1997, under the name Tao Jones Index. [8] This version also appeared on the bonus disc for the Digibook Expanded Edition of Earthling .