A question about 99 Red Ballons by Nena?

Question

I know enough German to know the English version isn't an exact translation of the original German; does anyone know how the German actually translates?

One thing I do know, the German title translates to "air" balloons(Luft=air)

All I want is the translation of the German; the English version of record won't get you extra consideration.

Answer 1

Nena's Lyrics


The best song in ALL of human history is Nena's 99 Luftballons (the original German version). 99 Red Balloons (the English version) comes in second place.


English version of 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
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.


German version of 99 Luft Ballons:

Hast Du etwas Zeit fur 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.


Translation of German version of 99 Luft Ballons:

If you have some time for me
Then I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
On their way to the horizon.
Perhaps you think of me a bit
Then I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
And that what goes around come around.

99 balloons
On their way to the horizon.
Seemed like UFOs from space
So a general sent.
A flying squad out there
To raise the alarm if it was true.
Yet there on the horizon
Were only 99 balloons.

99 jet hunters
Each one was a great warrior.
Thought that they were Captain Kirk
There were great fireworks.
The neighbours didn't snatch anything up
And immediately felt turned on.
Yet there they shot on the horizon
At 99 balloons.

99 war ministers
Matches and petrol cans.
Thought that they were clever people
Already smelled greasy loot.
Shouted: War, and wanted power
Man, who would have thought.
That one day it would come to this
Because of 99 balloons.

99 years of war
Don't leave a place for victors.
There are no ministers any more
No jet engines either.
Today I'm doing my rounds
Seeing the world lying in ruins.
Found a balloon
Think of you and let it fly.

Answer 2

English version of 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
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.


German version of 99 Luft Ballons:

Hast Du etwas Zeit fur 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.


Translation of German version of 99 Luft Ballons:

If you have some time for me
Then I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
On their way to the horizon.
Perhaps you think of me a bit
Then I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
And that what goes around come around.

99 balloons
On their way to the horizon.
Seemed like UFOs from space
So a general sent.
A flying squad out there
To raise the alarm if it was true.
Yet there on the horizon
Were only 99 balloons.

99 jet hunters
Each one was a great warrior.
Thought that they were Captain Kirk
There were great fireworks.
The neighbours didn't snatch anything up
And immediately felt turned on.
Yet there they shot on the horizon
At 99 balloons.

99 war ministers
Matches and petrol cans.
Thought that they were clever people
Already smelled greasy loot.
Shouted: War, and wanted power
Man, who would have thought.
That one day it would come to this
Because of 99 balloons.

99 years of war
Don't leave a place for victors.
There are no ministers any more
No jet engines either.
Today I'm doing my rounds
Seeing the world lying in ruins.
Found a balloon
Think of you and let it fly.

Answer 3

AFI looks to have a extra modern-day conceal of this, although the definitive conceal of the unique by technique of Nena (who did killer variations in English AND German) became done by technique of Goldfinger, who gave it a suitable contact of ska.

Answer 4

i don't even think the balloons are red in the german
translated
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Answer 5

Here is a website I found on Google with both the English and Germain.

Answer 6

99 Dead Baboons, sitting in my living room, this ones Nate, that's ones dinah, there's big Ned in my recliner...No it's not a lazy boy, can't you see it a dead baboon....99 dead baboons....