| V-2 Schneider | |
| Cover: | V-2 Schneider by David Bowie UK vinyl single.png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | David Bowie |
| Album: | "Heroes" |
| A-Side: | Heroes |
| Recorded: | July–August 1977 |
| Studio: | Hansa Studio by the Wall (West Berlin) |
| Label: | RCA |
| Prev Title: | Be My Wife |
| Prev Year: | 1977 |
| Heroes | |
| Title2: | V-2 Schneider |
| Next Title: | Beauty and the Beast |
| Next Year: | 1978 |
"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. Mojo magazine listed it as Bowie's 95th best track in 2015.[1]
It was a tribute to Florian Schneider,[2] co-founder of the band Kraftwerk, whom Bowie acknowledged as a significant influence at the time.[3] 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.
The only words sung are those in the title, initially distorted by phasing.[4] Musically, the track is unusual for the off-beat saxophone work by Bowie, who kicked off his part on the wrong note, but continued regardless.[5]
A live version recorded 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.[6] This version also appeared on the bonus disc for the Digibook Expanded Edition of Earthling.