99 Luftballoons

[slackerinabox]

I always get the song stuck in my head but never remember the name..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlGN4rCiBRs

 

[IAteYourMother]

its a guilty pleasure of mine

 

[Spacehead]

Can't say i loved it. If i recall the chick that sang it wasn't too bad looking though.

 

[TheChort]

It's great
I've always liked it, even before I knew what it was about
Then one day i bothered to find the translation, and it made it even cooler

Makes me sad I don't understand German

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: TheChort
It's great
I've always liked it, even before I knew what it was about
Then one day i bothered to find the translation, and it made it even cooler

Makes me sad I don't understand German

Share - what is it about?

 

[dennilfloss]

Always thought it was a bit repetitive and I did not care much for Nena's hairy armpits.

 

[Mermaidman]

Hint: It's not about love.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: TheChort
It's great
I've always liked it, even before I knew what it was about
Then one day i bothered to find the translation, and it made it even cooler

Makes me sad I don't understand German

Share - what is it about?

Nena Cherry (or Sherry??) IIRC, the song had something to do with nuclear war or something to the effect. The 99 red balloons had some significance to this and I cna't remember what the hell it was though.

 

[TheChort]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212

Originally posted by: TheChort
It's great
I've always liked it, even before I knew what it was about
Then one day i bothered to find the translation, and it made it even cooler

Makes me sad I don't understand German

Share - what is it about?

It's about a girl buying 99 red balloons and letting them go, and the government mistaking it for an attack, and war breaking out
Text <-- a page with both literal and americanized translations

 

[SonnyDaze]

Nena - 99 Red Balloons Lyrics

You and I in a little toy shop

Buy a bag of balloons

With the money we've got

Set them free at the break of dawn

'Til one by one, they were gone

Back at base, bugs in the software

Flash the message

"Something's out there"

Floating in the summer sky

99 red balloons go by


99 red balloons

Floating in the summer sky

Panic bells, it's red alert

There's something here

From somewhere else

The war machine springs to life

Opens up one eager eye

Focusing it on the sky

Where 99 red balloons go by


99 Decision Street

99 ministers meet

To worry, worry, super-scurry

Call the troops out in a hurry

This is what we've waited for

This is it boys, this is war

The president is on the line

As 99 red balloons go by

[Instrumental Interlude]

99 Knights of the airway

Ride super-high-tech jet fighters

Everyone's a Silverhero

Everyone's a Captain Kirk

With orders to identify

To clarify and classify

Scramble in the summer sky

As 99 red balloons go by


As 99 red balloons go by


99 dreams I have had

In every one a red balloon

It's all over and I'm standin' pretty

In this dust that was a city

If I could find a souvenier

Just to prove the world was here

And here is a red balloon

I think of you and let it go

 

[blue1friday2]

This is the 1st song I learned to sing in German. So of course it has a special meaning. I don't know what the "neun und neunzig luftballoons" represent but it is in fact a protest song. Just has a really catchy pop feel.

 

[TheChort]

This is the song as sung in English
of course, it's lost some of the flavor through the translation, but the basic idea is there

You and I in a little toy shop
buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
'Til one by one, they were gone
Back at base, bugs in the software
Flash the message, "Something's out there"
Floating in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by.

99 red balloons floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, it's red alert
There's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
Focusing it on the sky
Where 99 red balloons go by.

99 Decision Street, 99 ministers meet
To worry, worry, super-scurry
Call the troops out in a hurry
This is what we've waited for
This is it boys, this is war
The president is on the line
As 99 red balloons go by.

99 Knights of the air
ride super-high-tech jet fighters
Everyone's a Silverhero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify and classify
Scramble in the summer sky
As 99 red balloons go by.

99 dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standin' pretty
In this dust that was a city
If I could find a souvenier
Just to prove the world was here...
And here is a red balloon
I think of you and let it go.

edit: Damnit SonnyDaze!

 

[SKORPI0]

99 Luftballoons wiki

 

[Minjin]

I seem to recall that there was a bit on this song in Wedding Crashers. One of the special features. I can't find it on youtube though.

 

[Brainonska511]

I like the Goldfinger english cover version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8fGt5M3SI

 

[slackerinabox]

Just read the history behind it.. Very interesting for a song I just thought of as a great bubble-gum pop new wave tune.

 

[NatePo717]

I like the goldfinger version a little better.

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: freedomsbeat212
Just read the history behind it.. Very interesting for a song I just thought of as a great bubble-gum pop new wave tune.

Yeah that's what it was considered when it hit the charts in the 80's. It was a cool tune back than.

 

[slackerinabox]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I like the Goldfinger english cover version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8fGt5M3SI

sweet!

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I like the Goldfinger english cover version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8fGt5M3SI

:thumbsup:

The Goldfinger version rocks.

 

[judasmachine]

I always liked how it's about apocalypse and war, and still sounded all happy and poppy.

 

[csiro]

She sang an English version of the song too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4

 

[hzl eyed grl]

*raises hand*

 

[Mardeth]

Originally posted by: Shawn

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
I like the Goldfinger english cover version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe8fGt5M3SI

:thumbsup:

The Goldfinger version rocks.

Sings the german part suprisingly well. Easily understandable.

 

[So]

Who doesn't know this song? It's a pop classic even if you don't like it, you should at least be acquainted to it.

Also, it's one of my all time favorite songs