



Lyrics: 99 Luftballons (99 Red Balloons) - Nena









The English version had mixed success on the charts across the world, perhaps due to the conversion/translation. The original German lyric version made it to number 2 in the United States (and 28th most popular for the year) while the English release hit number one in the UK (and came in 15th most popular for the year) . In some markets, the single was double-sided with the English lyrics on one side and the German version on the other.



Below are both sets of lyrics: note that this is not 1980-89's translation, it is simply how the 99 Luftballons lyrics were released in both languages by Nena (the song was never released as a direct translation). However comparing the German lyrics to the English version shows that while the overall meaning was generally kept the same, a lot of the imagery was lost. Many English speakers still prefer the German version since the English version is a little less rythmic and appears to be forced. To see the background of how the English lyrics for 99 Luftballons were created, see



As a side note, the band Goldfinger released 99 Luftballons on its 1997 EP, 'Darrin's Coconut Ass,' but it was saved for the album 'Stomping Ground' (released 2000). In an odd development, the band incorporated lyrics from both the English and German versions. 99 Luftballons has been covered by other artists and featured in some TVs shows such as Scrubs.



Lyrics





99 Luftballons Lyrics



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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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



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.



Click for Google +1

Comments



rachel: I have the goldfinger version of 99 red balloons... they sing the 4th german verse of the song and I was just wondering what it meant!! can any one help?

80-89: 4th verse roughly translated:

99 war ministers

Matches and petrol cans

Thought that they were smart

Already smelled oily loot (greasy cash?)

Shouted war and wanted power

Man, who would have thought

That one day it would come to this

Because of 99 balloons

Rudelyn: I love this song, eglish and german!!! I alsso like it when Goldfinger sings it! Ya'll rockkkk hehe I'm so retarded

80-89: This is posted unedited - we like to see a bit of passion. We also don't mind seeing the occasional attempt at grammar, spelling and punctuation. FWIW: the post is referring to 99 Luftballoons.

Deutscher: 99 red balloons - this is not a correct translation.

80-89: That's right, the song was rewritten for English. See

Bill in Hollywood: You folks are right, the Englische version of 99 Balloons is a great song by itself but it doesn't quite match the visual impact of the Deutscher version. I lived in DE when this first came out and it and the video took Europe by sturm. There's something really primal? about a sexy german Babe walking amongst burning rubble while singing about total destruction, the great War of all time, and other Teutonick imagery, it was just great...tschuss

Kenneth M. Hinds Thank you for the explanation of the disparity between the German and English lyrics. Until the Late '80s the only version that I had heard was the German. It wasn't until I got the US release CD that I realized that the lyrics didn't jive between versions. But, at least now I know why.

Don't forget to see



For something different, see the more recent

I have the goldfinger version of 99 red balloons... they sing the 4th german verse of the song and I was just wondering what it meant!! can any one help?4th verse roughly translated:99 war ministersMatches and petrol cansThought that they were smartAlready smelled oily loot (greasy cash?)Shouted war and wanted powerMan, who would have thoughtThat one day it would come to thisBecause of 99 balloonsI love this song, eglish and german!!! I alsso like it when Goldfinger sings it! Ya'll rockkkk hehe I'm so retardedThis is posted unedited - we like to see a bit of passion. We also don't mind seeing the occasional attempt at grammar, spelling and punctuation. FWIW: the post is referring to 99 Luftballoons.99 red balloons - this is not a correct translation.That's right, the song was rewritten for English. See our interview with Kevin McAlea the writer of the original English lyrics.You folks are right, the Englische version of 99 Balloons is a great song by itself but it doesn't quite match the visual impact of the Deutscher version. I lived in DE when this first came out and it and the video took Europe by sturm. There's something really primal? about a sexy german Babe walking amongst burning rubble while singing about total destruction, the great War of all time, and other Teutonick imagery, it was just great...tschussThank you for the explanation of the disparity between the German and English lyrics. Until the Late '80s the only version that I had heard was the German. It wasn't until I got the US release CD that I realized that the lyrics didn't jive between versions. But, at least now I know why.Don't forget to see our interview with Kevin McAlea the writer of the original English lyrics.For something different, see the more recent Gangnam Style Lyrics translated into English 99 Luftballons (99 Red Balloons) was originally released in German (1983) and re-released in English (1984) by the artist Nena (born Gabriele Susanne Kerner in 1960). Widely regarded as a One-Hit-Wonder, Nena had other successes in her native German market, but nothing came close to the worldwide attention generated by 99 Luftballons. Even 30 years after its release, the song remains fixed in pop-culture.The English version had mixed success on the charts across the world, perhaps due to the conversion/translation. The original German lyric version made it to number 2 in the United States (and 28th most popular for the year) while the English release hit number one in the UK (and came in 15th most popular for the year) . In some markets, the single was double-sided with the English lyrics on one side and the German version on the other.Below are both sets of lyrics: note that this is not 1980-89's translation, it is simply how the 99 Luftballons lyrics were released in both languages by Nena (the song was never released as a direct translation). However comparing the German lyrics to the English version shows that while the overall meaning was generally kept the same, a lot of the imagery was lost. Many English speakers still prefer the German version since the English version is a little less rythmic and appears to be forced. To see the background of how the English lyrics for 99 Luftballons were created, see our interview with Kevin McAlea As a side note, the band Goldfinger released 99 Luftballons on its 1997 EP, 'Darrin's Coconut Ass,' but it was saved for the album 'Stomping Ground' (released 2000). In an odd development, the band incorporated lyrics from both the English and German versions. 99 Luftballons has been covered by other artists and featured in some TVs shows such as Scrubs.