NationStates Jolt Archive

So, I've become (you'll find this really odd) addicted to the song 99 Luftballoons by Nena. Yes, you might recognize that I don't agree with it's message and think the message is stupid, but, all the same, the peppy 1980's European Pop (I hate pop as well) sound.

So, if you've heard the song, put up your opinion (poll coming)

There's a lot more then one version of that song

Of course, but if I remember correctly, the original version was Nena's, but you can include the other one's as well.

I've heard the original and a few covers and have the mp3 of the goldfinger version somewhere.

The goldfinger version sucks. The original kicks ass.

i remember when that song was a bit, catchy but way overplayed.

The goldfinger version sucks. The original kicks ass.

Hence my lack of knowledge as to where it is. It probably went in my purge of songs I don't want to free up space on my shitty old comp.

Hence my lack of knowledge as to where it is. It probably went in my purge of songs I don't want to free up space on my shitty old comp.
That wasn't actually in response to you. And I suppose it's alright, but only when in the backround of Gran Turismo 3.

That wasn't actually in response to you. And I suppose it's alright, but only when in the backround of Gran Turismo 3.

sry, my bad.


I did manage to find it, however and now I'm listening to it. Its... meh.

The goldfinger version sucks. The original kicks ass.

i disagree both are guud

Of course the place I first heard it is the place that is amusing: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. And the song has got me hooked.

I just like the song.

Does liking it in a funny ironic way count?

I like it on both a technical and a message basis.

I love the German version. Don't care too much for the English one!

Only the German version is noteworthy. Only copy on my hard drive.
Just my opinion though.

Ja, es ist besser auf Deutsch.

I loved the fact that it had such a dark message set to an upbeat little pop tune.

I like it German and English, I don't know why.

Ja, es ist besser auf Deutsch.


Ja, diese Regel gilt für fast alles, meiner Meinung nach.

A spoof version called "99 Dead Baboons". Very un-PC. But then, it was the early 80s.

-Markreich

Do you know who Queensryche is? Vote here!! : http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=389278

For those who think the German language is not sexy, just listen when Nena sings "ange-MACHT"! :cool:

Dang...I remember dancing to that one. Not easy to getchyer groove on with that beat...man, I miss the 80's.

So, I've become (you'll find this really odd) addicted to the song 99 Luftballoons by Nena. Yes, you might recognize that I don't agree with it's message and think the message is stupid, but, all the same, the peppy 1980's European Pop (I hate pop as well) sound.

So, if you've heard the song, put up your opinion (poll coming)
WTF?! The "message" is that a nuclear war would suck, how can you disagree with that? Sure, it's a little trite and obvious, but this is pop music, it's supposed to be!

WTF?! The "message" is that a nuclear war would suck, how can you disagree with that? Sure, it's a little trite and obvious, but this is pop music, it's supposed to be!
No, the message is that we should dismantle our nukes and take apart the military. Not that a nuclear war would suck. We all know a nuclear war would suck.

No, the message is that we should dismantle our nukes and take apart the military. Not that a nuclear war would suck. We all know a nuclear war would suck.
Really? Where do you find that in the lyrics?

There is light criticism of overly militaristic mindsets coupled with a "lost love" story, that's all.

Really? Where do you find that in the lyrics?

There is light criticism of overly militaristic mindsets coupled with a "lost love" story, that's all.
It's called a statement. You don't have to say something right out to make a statement.

Oh goodness. I absolutely adore that song. The original German version. Everything else is just a cheap ripoff. Ah...so awesome.

If you know about the political context, it's pretty obvious that the song is an indictment of the militarization of the inter-German border (the border between East and West Germany) at the time of the song's recording.

Sure, the song ends with a nuclear war, which everyone agrees would suck, but why does the war start? Because someone lets go of an innocent bunch of balloons, which is detected on air-defense radar and misidentified as a surprise attack. So interceptors are scrambled, the other side thinks an attack is being launched, and soon the missiles are flying. All because of some balloons.

This is precisely the type of situation (maybe not balloons but an off-course civilian flight, an accidental explosion at a military facility, or something similar) that many people feared the maintenance of large-scale forces at a high level of alert in central Europe would create: an accidental nuclear war. Many Germans were particularly worried about this, since the "best" case if such a scenario began to unfold was the destruction of just Germany. So what really sucks, according to the song, is having all these weapons on a hair-trigger.

--Abe Delnore

It's called a statement. You don't have to say something right out to make a statement.
No, but you have to make huge assumptions to find that statement in the song.

The words of Jesus have often been interpreted as a statement that it's desirable to go slaughter innocent men, women, and children.

PS I'm not some fluffheaded hippie who thinks nukes CAN ever be abolished, I'm just taking issue with illogical and unsupportable interpretations of a stupid 80s pop song :-p

what really sucks, according to the song, is having all these weapons on a hair-trigger.

--Abe Delnore
Now THAT actually makes sense, though it's still a little reach. You are assuming that Nena isn't a depressed alternachick who would LIKE a major disaster so she could be sad about something :-p

If you think THAT is totally unrealistic, you haven't dated many goth chicks!

Dingo, you're ignoring that there were plenty of "fluffheaded hippies" in the anti-nuclear movement of the time. Just because you find the song's message dumb doesn't mean that it actually has the dumb message.

--Abe Delnore

There is far more to the song than just the surface "nuclear war would suck" part. You are just being to superficial Ding. Learn the context of the song, and the like.

Dingo, you're ignoring that there were plenty of "fluffheaded hippies" in the anti-nuclear movement of the time. Just because you find the song's message dumb doesn't mean that it actually has the dumb message.

--Abe Delnore
I think it's a trite and obvious message, different from "dumb"...and I kinda like the song, particularly in its proper language. It's bubblegum, but it can be very effective at evoking a certain meloncholy mood.

There is far more to the song than just the surface "nuclear war would suck" part. You are just being to superficial Ding. Learn the context of the song, and the like.
I know the context; when that song came out, I was young enough to think we could simply get rid of the nukes!

I just don't put words into the singer's mouth, like those who see it as a call for total disarmament. A call for reexamination of the situation, perhaps, but it does not propose or even imply any specific solution. It's a "what if", not a "we oughta".

Waaaaaait. You like the song but you don't like the message? How the hell can you do that? Do you just listen to the German version?

And, you are really make a gigantic stretch saying that the song is stating complete dismantlement of the military. That wasn't not even possible or rational back then. They're obviously ciritisizng the hair trigger attitude back then in the cold war era. And how can you possible improve of that? Would you like your town being nuked because radar picked up a flock of geese?

Waaaaaait. You like the song but you don't like the message? How the hell can you do that? Do you just listen to the German version?

And, you are really make a gigantic stretch saying that the song is stating complete dismantlement of the military. That wasn't not even possible or rational back then. They're obviously ciritisizng the hair trigger attitude back then in the cold war era. And how can you possible improve of that? Would you like your town being nuked because radar picked up a flock of geese?
Heh...but while we're on 80s music - who wouldn't be in favor of nuking Flock of Seagulls?

I just don't put words into the singer's mouth, like those who see it as a call for total disarmament. A call for reexamination of the situation, yes, but it does not propose or even imply any specific solution.
It proposes a re-examination and then supports a point of view as the result of that re-examination. It's a song designed to get attention to a certain point of view, that is, one of disarmament.

It's a commonly recognized practice to read into someone's words, and what they're saying is always stuck there.

The melody for this song was featured in a game for the Commodore 64 called "Lazy Jones". The man who wrote the music for that (David Whittaker in 1984) was the first one to write the melody which Zombie Nation later used in a song titled "Kernkraft 400" (promo album released in 1999). Weither or not 99 Luftballoons was originally written by David Whittaker is unknown to me because Nena's song also came out in 1984.

Waaaaaait. You like the song but you don't like the message? How the hell can you do that? Do you just listen to the German version?
It's not hard, just let the words flow. And just listening to the german version wouldn't work for me, I know German after all.

This is a song from my youth, which is now long gone. It brings back memories of dancing 'tile 3 in th morning, getting drunk and having good times with friends.

It's a commonly recognized practice to read into someone's words, and what they're saying is always stuck there.

The message given in the song in plain context is the first degree of the whole hippie persona you seem to think infests the song. The first degree is reexamination. You take it on the second degree to dismantlement all on your own. You're assuming with no real reason except you think Nena is a bunch of stupid hippies for reasons not given.

The message given in the song in plain context is the first degree of the whole hippie persona you seem to think infests the song. The first degree is reexamination. You take it on the second degree to dismantlement all on your own. You're assuming with no real reason except you think Nena is a bunch of stupid hippies for reasons not given.
You're assuming I think Nena is a bunch of stupid hippies, which I don't. I just disagree with them. And anyways, I don't think hippies are stupid, often times they smell bad, but I don't think they're stupid.

You're assuming I think Nena is a bunch of stupid hippies, which I don't. I just disagree with them. And anyways, I don't think hippies are stupid, often times they smell bad, but I don't think they're stupid.
Yes, but YOU are assuming a lot as well, why is that so hard to see? If you know something that I don't (ie, Nena was a disarmament activist), you have a point, otherwise you're reading something into the song that isn't there.

Seriously, do you know the lyrics?

Nena - 99 Luftballoons (99 Red Balloons)

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
[maybe it's an anti-microsoft screed?]
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 superhero.
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 standing 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.

This is widely held to be a lame-ass translation, so here's the orignal (which I cannot interpret as accurately as the English, not being very strong in German)

Hast Du etwas Zeit für mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Denkst Du vielleicht grad' an mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied fuer Dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Und dass sowas von sowas kommt

99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Hielt man fuer UFOs aus dem All
Darum schickte ein General
Eine Fliegerstaffel hinterher
Alarm zu geben, wenn es so war
Dabei war da am Horizont
Nur 99 Luftballons

99 Duesenjaeger
Jeder war ein grosser Krieger
Hielten sich fuer Captain Kirk
Das gab ein grosses Feuerwerk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft
Und fuehlten sich gleich angemacht
Dabei schoss man am Horizont
Auf 99 Luftballons

99 Kriegsminister
Streichholz und Benzinkanister
Hielten sich fuer schlaue Leute
Witterten schon fette Beute
Riefen: Krieg und wollten Macht
Mann, wer haette das gedacht
Dass es einmal soweit kommt
Wegen 99 Luftballons

99 Jahre Krieg
Liessen keinen Platz fuer Sieger
Kriegsminister gibt es nicht mehr
Und auch keine Duesenflieger
Heute zieh ich meine Runden
Seh die Welt in Truemmern liegen
Hab' nen Luftballon gefunden
Denk' an Dich und lass' ihn fliegen

any bi-linguals out there?? Im curious how close the english translation is to the original... I think it's a great song... not the sort that i generally listen too, but it has an important message.

-c

Ah, yes, a round of condescencion, ain't it great?

And yes, thank you, I know the lyrics, and I don't find any lyrics that suggest total disarmanent. It tells a worst case scenario story, and the listener decides what they think about it.

any bi-linguals out there?? Im curious how close the english translation is to the original... I think it's a great song... not the sort that i generally listen too, but it has an important message.

-c
Even with my limited German I can tell that it's quite different. I'd love to see a translation that concentrated on the meaning rather than getting the right rhymes and number of syllables...

Even with my limited German I can tell that it's quite different. I'd love to see a translation that concentrated on the meaning rather than getting the right rhymes and number of syllables...
The songs are massively different. I mean, massively different. Same overall message, but very little translates directly over.

Oh, and I'd love to continue on this thread for a bit longer now, but I've got to shower and go to class soon, I have a major paper to turn in.

The songs are massively different. I mean, massively different. Same overall message, but very little translates directly over.

Oh, and I'd love to continue on this thread for a bit longer now, but I've got to shower and go to class soon, I have a major paper to turn in.
Good luck with it!

Good luck with it!
thanks

This site has the German lyrics, how they translate into English, and the lyrics as sung in the English version.
http://www.inthe80s.com/redger3.shtml

Heh...but while we're on 80s music - who wouldn't be in favor of nuking Flock of Seagulls?
me... I like them!

If we had followed Nena's advice, the Soviet Union would never have fallen - it would have won the Cold War, and the West would have fallen.
And I'm sure that you would never have heard another protest song again, and no one could have made a career of protesting.

Good thing she just made a lot of money and we ignored her advice.

The message is: peace.

Why people dislike it? :confused:

The message is: peace.

Why people dislike it? :confused:

Read my post before yours. The message was "give up, and let the Soviets have us".

Read my post before yours. The message was "give up, and let the Soviets have us".
No, it's says not to begin fighting, cause there would be no winners. And we never fought directly against them. ;)

Funny, I always thought the message was:

Given the world we live in, our world leaders should be very careful before jumping to conclusions and starting shooting, because we might just blow up everything.

By the way, 99 Luft Baloons was released in 1983 in Germany and didn't make it to America by way of the UK for about a year. Of course, by then there was an English version (badly translated, but catchy.)

Seeing how nice she was at a concert to a very young American military brat (me) back in 1982, I don't think she hated the military at all. But then again, I think I was possibly the only American in the whole audience, so she could have just been amazed an Ami had heard of her and liked her sound. What the heck, fond memories of Berlin and my teen years and all. :)

Personally, I liked her songs, "Rette Mich" and "Irgandwie, Irgandwo, Irgandwann" much better than 99 Luft Balloons anyhow. The latter was our song for my first real love and me. Man, this thread makes me want to go through my music collection now.

I hate it becaused it's an overexposed classic.

Nena and 99 Luftballons.....*get's nastolgic*