im trying to find the meaning behind "99 luftballoons - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

IckUber · 11-24-2003, 04:17 PM

im trying to find the meaning behind "99 luftballoons, can anyone help?

rockzilla · 11-24-2003, 04:29 PM

It's about nuclear war. Basically, the singer and a friend are letting baloons fly off into the air. A military radar picks them up and mistakes them for incoming missles or whatnot. The whole world gets destroyed, except for Nena.

spived2 · 11-24-2003, 04:30 PM

I think it had something to do with a german war protest or something.

$.02

Bob Biter · 11-24-2003, 04:32 PM

Well, I've always believed that each balloon represented someone letting go of something, in a chaotic world full of uncertainties, and that the singer tied it all to what she had with her lover. The summer was drawing to an end and she was leaving the city and him for good, so she was doing what other had done before, which was letting go of her past and moving on.

The German version slightly differs from the American version, as it seems to pertain more to society at large, but my German's rusty.

My 0.02$

Edit: I've just read the posts before and now the original version makes a hell of a lot more sense.

IckUber · 11-24-2003, 05:57 PM

Thanks guys.

Spinach_Indeed · 11-24-2003, 07:50 PM

Rockzilla's got in on Target. I saw an interview with Nena a long time ago, and that's exactly what she says. Just a Protest song. Nothing more.

rodgerd · 11-24-2003, 11:16 PM

There's an English version done by Nena herself and released in the UK; you can find how it compares to a translation of the German original here.

empu · 11-24-2003, 11:23 PM

It's about balloons.

Redlemon · 11-25-2003, 06:41 AM

I'm really sorry to post this a second time in two days, but I can't resist...

Quote:

Hey, have a lot of you heard the new song by Nena - "99 Red Balloons"?
You know, I heard the German version of that song first, and I really
liked it. But then I heard the English version, and I was really
surprised to find that what she's singing in English and what she's
singing in German are not even close. Uh, I ended up buying the
record, and I listened very closely to the German version, and I've
come up with a new English translation that I think is really much
more accurate, much closer... I have to admit there are a couple of
lines in this new English version that I'm not real sure about, but I
think it's a much more accurate version. Now this is the new version,
"99 Red Balloons".

Hello Bobby my old friend.
It's good to see you once again.
How's your mother, how's your aunt?
How's your father's skin diving suit?
(That's one of the lines I'm not real sure about, but it goes something like
this.)

I've got something you should see
Back at my place; come with me.
I've got some brand new furnishings,
Plus 99 dead baboons

99 dead baboons
Sitting in my living room.
Not too functional it seems,
But quite a conversation piece.
This one's Jake, that one's Dinah,
There's big Ned in my recliner.
No it's not a lazy boy.
Can't you see it's a dead baboon?

Dead baboons, dead baboons.
Dead baboons, dead baboons.

How they got here I'm not sure;
Woke up one day, there they were.
Luckily I've got a lease
Allowing pets if they're deceased.
I'm just thankful they're not apes,
'Cuz apes would clash with the drapes.
No more napkins at my parties -
Wipe your hands on a dead baboon.

Dead baboons, dead baboons.
Dead baboons, dead baboons.

Dead baboons are lots of fun;
Playin' water balloons I've always won.
You can keep your dead giraffes and swine,
I'll take dead baboons every time.
There's just one problem I have found:
It's finding Purina Dead Baboon Chow.
But what a happy snorkelling device...
(That's another line I'm not real sure about, but it's somethin' like
that)
With 99 dead baboons.

Dead baboons, dead baboons.
Dead baboons, dead baboons.
----
Tim Cavanagh
"99 Dead Baboons"
(parody of "99 Red Balloons" by Nena)
transcriber unknown

11-24-2003, 04:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
IckUber Funran Location: Norman, OK	im trying to find the meaning behind "99 luftballoons im trying to find the meaning behind "99 luftballoons, can anyone help? __________________ How much is y'all Piolkles?

11-24-2003, 04:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
spived2 Desert Rat Location: Arizona	I think it had something to do with a german war protest or something. $.02 __________________ "This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V." - V

11-24-2003, 04:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bob Biter Non-smokers die everyday Location: Montreal	Well, I've always believed that each balloon represented someone letting go of something, in a chaotic world full of uncertainties, and that the singer tied it all to what she had with her lover. The summer was drawing to an end and she was leaving the city and him for good, so she was doing what other had done before, which was letting go of her past and moving on. The German version slightly differs from the American version, as it seems to pertain more to society at large, but my German's rusty. My 0.02$ Edit: I've just read the posts before and now the original version makes a hell of a lot more sense. __________________ A plan is just a list of things that don't happen. Last edited by Bob Biter; 11-24-2003 at 04:34 PM..

11-24-2003, 05:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
IckUber Funran Location: Norman, OK	Thanks guys. __________________ How much is y'all Piolkles?

11-24-2003, 07:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
Spinach_Indeed Banned? Location: Artic Tundra	Rockzilla's got in on Target. I saw an interview with Nena a long time ago, and that's exactly what she says. Just a Protest song. Nothing more. __________________ Spinach in Need is Spinach Indeed

11-24-2003, 04:29 PM	#2 (permalink)
rockzilla Junkie Location: The Kitchen	It's about nuclear war. Basically, the singer and a friend are letting baloons fly off into the air. A military radar picks them up and mistakes them for incoming missles or whatnot. The whole world gets destroyed, except for Nena.

11-24-2003, 11:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
rodgerd Psycho Location: Wellington, New Zealand	There's an English version done by Nena herself and released in the UK; you can find how it compares to a translation of the German original here.

11-24-2003, 11:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
empu Crazy	It's about balloons.