This was my grandpa's favourite song, his funeral was yesterday and it was the first time I heard of it or that it was his favourite. My uncle did a nice cover acoustic guitar cover of it for him, he did the same for my grandma last year but it was a mashup of what a wonderful world and somewhere over the rainbow. I hope they're enjoying their time together again.
@@bsam6 no I don't. I think my second cousin(? I think that's what he is, his dad is my great uncle) did but I don't have an easy way to get it. I literally only see him at funerals, I don't think we have ever actually talked to each other, couldn't even tell you his wife's name or if he has kids.
My dad loved this song. He died unexpectedly earlier this year and it feels so weird that the things he liked and were part of him are still here and he isn't. I miss him so much.
I remember being an 80's kid, terrified of nuclear war and this was the anti war anthem. I love this song in it's original German language and this translation so much. Just mindblowing how powerful this was to me as an 80's child. Much Love to Nena & band!
@@HDilk as a teenager you have to realize that if "they" destroy the world 🌎 .... there's no one left to control ,there's nobody to be enslaved as worker bees(so to speak) ,there's no money to be had ,and there's no materials to be made. After the so-called Elite emerge from their bunkers there will be nothing left. So everybody loses, therefore there will be no nuclear war ever. It's like the vaccine, everybody says the vaccine is bad, but why would the government kill off all of their subjects, they're giving it to the military who's going to defends their country ? 🤔, I used to be trained in grammar school to "duck and cover" , the alarm would go off and we would leave our classrooms and sit in the hallways with their heads between our knees sitting on the floor. And that was very bad for Children's mental health. And they're bitching about masks.... kids wearing masks in school. What about us kids in the 60s that had to hide under our desks for air raid drills. All's I can tell you is common sense and knowing right from wrong is all the Tools you need to stay in front of the curve. 🍸🎓 thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Funny how things have changed. Back then, we worried about being immolated in nuclear fire. Today, they worry about being called by the wrong pronoun. And despite that, we were still a happier bunch by far.
it's actually already going on. Information war, and the Truth is losing in the corporate media completely. Good thing many of us have known this was coming....the technocracy
“It’s all over and I am standing pretty in this dust that was a city, I could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here.” This lyric is very moving if you have ever seen the devastation of a war.
The german lyrics for the last part are "99 years of war left no space for victors. War ministers don't exist anymore and neither do the jet planes. Today I make my rounds, see the world lie in rubble. I found a balloon, think of you and let it fly." (it sounds better in german) I've never listened to the english version, and I didn't know how different the lyrics were, but I think both versions have really hard-hitting lyrics.
Hey, Gen-Xers here we are again... I'm no wilting flower, but I must admit I burst into tears when I played this today, the first time in many years. My reaction really took me by surprise.
All my life the Boomers told us WWIII was the only future we had to look forward to. Seems like they're doing their best to deliver on that promise. Putin, Biden, Boris Johnson, Steinmeier...they're all still living in 1974.
@@j.ishirofinney1517 people actually think Biden is doing a good job if we get nuked because of him I’m gonna be like a road warrior you know Mad Max will be scrounging off the land and will find every liberal that I can find not this politician I mean every day person I’m gonna purge them from the earth like big stakes like Vlad the Impaler gonna be fun no it won’t be actually but that’s what I’m gonna do
I remember when this song was released because we were at the height of the Cold War. I recall thinking that because we and the Soviets were both wound so tight that the unimaginable could happen at any time due to one side misreading the other, either through a human or technical error. Now here we are 38 years later with the militarys of many nations staring at one another on the land, air and sea with the use of nuclear weapons being put on the table once again. We're older and again looking into the abyss. We all should have listened to this song a little closer. 😢
Unfortunately, as we find out today, in reality, it only takes '1' "Luftballon" - filling with merely "1" Sociopath's, Putin's, 'Mad' (EMPty) Ego. {i.e. In many respects, we've allowed ourselves to come up to a point (e.g. Event Horizon) too..o Crazy for fiction.} {Or: (e.g. an imaginary Singularity) - for the Mathematically inclined, being your kids. ~Que 🎶 "99 Luftballons" 🎶 Music Vid~
Ivan the Terrible's modern day equivalent is Vladimir the Treacherous - in league with our dRumpf the Treasonous. --- Ivan the Terrible's modern day equivalent is Vladimir the Treacherous { in league with our dRumpf the Treasonous }
My mum just died she was 62 and died unexpectedly we’ve chosen this song to be the last one played at the conclusion of her service because it represents her happy upbeat vibrant nature and she loved 1980’s music. This is one of her all time favourites. I’ll miss you mum I love you xx
And here we are all for the same reason, because when life doesn't make sense, music is therapy. The irony of this song and current events cannot be lost..
I was in Germany as a US Army soldier when this song came out. It was like our theme song! Naturally, the song was widely identified with the Greens Party [and we didn't appreciate their picketing at our gates] but you can hardly call not wanting to be nuked into oblivion while two superpowers duked it out in your front yard a character defect...
Just as potent and perfect today as it was in 84, it's like a time warp and suddenly this song fits perfect with the time. As a Gen-Xer this is a scary flash back in real time. I would really like to see this released. I think it would chart all over again.
OMG I thought of this song as soon as the Chinese balloon started hitting the news. This situation is exactly what she is talking about. Plus it gives me a chance to watch Nena again.. SIGH.. I was 14 in 1984 and she took up a lot of my teenage dreams.
The song like a time warp. Hearing it now in 2021 take me back decades I feel like I’m 17 again. The music is fresh everything is beautiful. 99 balloons are still floating by, Except I am no longer the beginning of my life but I’m nearing the end of it.
Heard this on the radio today and i had to get home and play it LOUD. Hahaha. I was 13 or 14 when this charted in the UK and i liked it then and still do today. Good song. In many ways this song is still relevant today.
My High School Girlfriend and I loved this song. During the summer between our Jr and Senior year she died in a car accident. We were going to be married and have children together. It has been 30 years and I have not forgotten her for even a day. Her parents are really old now. I check in on them from time to time. Her Father is still shattered. He cries every time I stop by.
Truly devastating and sad bro hurts my heart to hear this loss of love ,😢💪✌️💙🙏😔 my deepest condolences to all hurt by this tragedy ,keep the good times together in heart always Godspeed healing especially pops a angel doesn't want him to feel heartbreak of loss.,🙏😔💙💪
@@milotorres6894 I married a beautiful girl that we were both very good friends with. I have experienced incredible love and good times with my Jenny. We had 6 beautiful children together. All but one is grown up and thriving in the world. Our 14 year old is still at home doing great. She's sassy, but great.
Hallo nena, ich habe dich 1983 auf einer Sprachreise entdeckt, ich war 12 Jahre alt, der kleine Franzose, den ich früher entdeckte, eine wunderschöne Frau, Sängerin... ich komme zurück in Frankreich und bespritze mein ganzes Viertel mit deinem Lied... Ich bin heute 53 und dieses Lied ist nicht gealtert. danke, dass du eine der schönsten Erinnerungen meines Lebens bist. Lang lebe dich
Your father was clearly a man of taste. A great song, and despite its upbeat tempo, one of meaning for us children of the Cold War. Holds a special today, as people seem to forget just how close we came to a terminal, no win, situation.
Yeah my generation can't relate, Russia using Nukes seems unrealistic at this point. I mean Putin is threatening to do so daily, but we all know he's not as hard as those USSR guys.
The lyrics of the original German version tell a story: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs, causing a general to send pilots to investigate. Finding nothing but balloons, the pilots put on a large show of fire power. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the war ministers on each side encourage conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a cataclysmic war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons and causes devastation on all sides without a victor, as indicated in the denouement of the song: "99 Jahre Krieg ließen keinen Platz für Sieger," which means "99 years of war left no room for victors." The anti-war song finishes with the singer walking through the devastated ruins of the world and finding a single balloon. The description of what happens in the final line of the piece is the same in German and English: "Denk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen," or "I think of you and let it go."
I don't care what side you're on, I just love the fact that we're all here together, rejoicing the never ending craziness of the 2020s with a classic '80s hit!
I love the motifs they're using. Snare drums mimicking a balloon popping to get our attention, synths to sound like alarms that only begin after they release the balloons in the song's narrative.
Well...Putin is doing everything he can to make it outright reality...every time he allows his soldiers to go apeshit on civillians...leaving bodies of 4year olds in the open air..to rot. And leaving hard evidence of "recruiting" women of 16 - 30years old...to "please" the senses of the soldiers. Pressure is RAPIDLY GROWING..to mobilize the USARMY 3RD ARMOR BRIGADE, backed by 200-400 Appache birds , and 100,000 infantrymen..Right on into Ukraine.
The band's reaction to the explosions in the video is legit. They hadn't expected this to be so real, the sound and pressure of the blast and even feeling the heat of the explosions. You can see one of the band members protecting/consoling Nena. One after the other leaving the stage. Terrified the band ran into the woods, and had to be calmed down.
I served in the US Army Europe (USAEUR), 1986-89, FIre Direction Control for 8 inch howitzers. Nuclear. In April, 86 we were on alert with active weapons, someone played 99 Luft Balloons over the clear admin radio channel, the German version. We sat at our fire control computers as the song came over our headsets, hopefully the East Germans and Soviets would intercept the transmission and get the hint, that we shouldn't be too reflexive and want a war. We received stand down orders two hours later and we went back to base from our LOD positions. Stowed our gear and vehicles, they trucked the nukes back to the bunker. No nuclear war today. Got silly drunk that night, replayed the song in a happy mode. The song had a real effect.
@@ReptilianLepton gotta stand for something or you'll fall for anything. You don't have to comply or give up just bc big brother says so. You can be a wolf or you can be a sheep...your choice.
We stood toe to toe with the Eastern Block Armies in the 80's, those days appear to be returning..... Yet this superb anti war anthem became our favourite go to Military music, awesome. Maybe this should be re-released !? Living during those nuclear, biological & chemical threat times we didnt waist a second of our down time getting out into nightclubs & dancing to awesome music like this, the 80's were the greatest decade for many reasons & when the Wall came down most of us didnt really believe it was all over forever.......
@@jeffreykeffer4352 Same. I was 13 when this came out, the Cold War was on and the threat of nuclear war was ever present. I'd hoped that was behind us but here we are again it seems.
What many don't realise is that this song and lyrics is much darker in the original german version. It is about a innocent balloon that escalate into a total nuclear war.
The original song literally wasn't about the Cold war, somebody who did the translation for it twisted the song because they didn't figure it would be good in English if it just stayed true to the original..... Even the original band said they didn't like the English version because it was changed so much.
My best friend and I both weren't born until '98, but we found a CD with a bunch of 80s songs in her mom's house when we were children and this is one of the songs we'd listen to all the time. I thought back to it recently because I noticed a lot of my favourite new songs are heavily inspired by this era (lots of Doja Cat and Dua Lipa tracks, The Weeknd's After Hours... etc), now it makes a lot of sense why I like it lol.
The balloon from Red China - a RED balloon - where are the other 98? Ninety-nine red balloons Floating o'er the US they spy Now go to the last verse of the English original...
Yup. It's spooky that here we are again. I NEVER thought these songs would be relevant again. I used to just listen to this out of nostalgia, I can't believe this is happening again. Cold War 2.0
Don't send useless crap like that just remove your corrupt political crime family's from Ukraine and next time don't help overthrow a legitimate government in a coup and help install a puppet actor in a European country stay the f out of Europe
I seen her do this in West Berlin, 1983😊when i was in the Army there then. Was a great show & will never forget! ps. but I got to admit i seen a whole lot of great shows there back then
![NENA | 99 Luftballons [1983] [Offizielles HD Musikvideo]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Fpu5a0Bl8eY/mqdefault.jpg)
![NENA | 99 Luftballons [1983] [Offizielles HD Musikvideo]](/img/tr.png)
I feel like this song is about to get VERY popular all over again...
Yep our band is FINALLY gonna do it ... been begging for years
Billboard #1! Let's go!
I need to mosh to this
@@tjf589 rlly?? That’s wild haha
Nope...
"This is what we've waited for,this is it, boys, this is war." This line gets me every time.
Every single time! Especially with her feminine sweet voice! Also the ' It's all over and I'm standing pretty in the dust that was a city!'
Also the way she says "sparks" is something special lol
R.I.P little China balloon, you had such a great short life up there in the sky!
You seemed so happy.
This was my grandpa's favourite song, his funeral was yesterday and it was the first time I heard of it or that it was his favourite. My uncle did a nice cover acoustic guitar cover of it for him, he did the same for my grandma last year but it was a mashup of what a wonderful world and somewhere over the rainbow. I hope they're enjoying their time together again.
Do you happen to have a video?
@@bsam6 no I don't. I think my second cousin(? I think that's what he is, his dad is my great uncle) did but I don't have an easy way to get it. I literally only see him at funerals, I don't think we have ever actually talked to each other, couldn't even tell you his wife's name or if he has kids.
My dad loved this song. He died unexpectedly earlier this year and it feels so weird that the things he liked and were part of him are still here and he isn't. I miss him so much.
I'm so sorry 🫂🫂🫂
Yeah I heard this a lot thinking it was from some tv show
@@myroseah1537 bro…
It's the circle of life.
Your dad lives on with you
Suddenly this song is rocketing UP the Top 40 again!
Seriously? Where?
Conjunction Junction? 🤔
@@andreasferenczi7613 The radio has been playing it
@@andreasferenczi7613 Beijing
I remember being an 80's kid, terrified of nuclear war and this was the anti war anthem. I love this song in it's original German language and this translation so much. Just mindblowing how powerful this was to me as an 80's child. Much Love to Nena & band!
Yeah I was at 80 kids too but the world is so fucked up nowadays it's ridiculous. The only thing we had to worry about was if your rubber broke
@@caseykelso1 as a teenager i think i prefer the possibility of nuclear war
@@HDilk as a teenager you have to realize that if "they" destroy the world 🌎 .... there's no one left to control ,there's nobody to be enslaved as worker bees(so to speak) ,there's no money to be had ,and there's no materials to be made. After the so-called Elite emerge from their bunkers there will be nothing left. So everybody loses, therefore there will be no nuclear war ever. It's like the vaccine, everybody says the vaccine is bad, but why would the government kill off all of their subjects, they're giving it to the military who's going to defends their country ? 🤔, I used to be trained in grammar school to "duck and cover" , the alarm would go off and we would leave our classrooms and sit in the hallways with their heads between our knees sitting on the floor. And that was very bad for Children's mental health. And they're bitching about masks.... kids wearing masks in school. What about us kids in the 60s that had to hide under our desks for air raid drills. All's I can tell you is common sense and knowing right from wrong is all the Tools you need to stay in front of the curve. 🍸🎓 thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Funny how things have changed. Back then, we worried about being immolated in nuclear fire. Today, they worry about being called by the wrong pronoun. And despite that, we were still a happier bunch by far.
it's actually already going on. Information war, and the Truth is losing in the corporate media completely. Good thing many of us have known this was coming....the technocracy
“It’s all over and I am standing pretty in this dust that was a city, I could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here.” This lyric is very moving if you have ever seen the devastation of a war.
The german lyrics for the last part are "99 years of war left no space for victors. War ministers don't exist anymore and neither do the jet planes. Today I make my rounds, see the world lie in rubble. I found a balloon, think of you and let it fly." (it sounds better in german) I've never listened to the english version, and I didn't know how different the lyrics were, but I think both versions have really hard-hitting lyrics.
Hey, Gen-Xers here we are again...
I'm no wilting flower, but I must admit I burst into tears when I played this today, the first time in many years. My reaction really took me by surprise.
Not alone!
I feel it too
All my life the Boomers told us WWIII was the only future we had to look forward to. Seems like they're doing their best to deliver on that promise. Putin, Biden, Boris Johnson, Steinmeier...they're all still living in 1974.
@@j.ishirofinney1517 people actually think Biden is doing a good job if we get nuked because of him I’m gonna be like a road warrior you know Mad Max will be scrounging off the land and will find every liberal that I can find not this politician I mean every day person I’m gonna purge them from the earth like big stakes like Vlad the Impaler gonna be fun no it won’t be actually but that’s what I’m gonna do
@@waltersobchak7275 I HIGHLY doubt you're even a Gen Xer. You sound more like a Millennial trying to be "edgy."
This song is very appropriate for the days we live in !
although Nena's arm pits are more frightening than China's sabre rattling we've had since the shoot-down.
It was appropriate in the 80's too.
@@mr_benn_escapes_lockdown1780 Get over ittle guy.
I remember when this song was released because we were at the height of the Cold War.
I recall thinking that because we and the Soviets were both wound so tight that the unimaginable could happen at any time due to one side misreading the other, either through a human or technical error.
Now here we are 38 years later with the militarys of many nations staring at one another on the land, air and sea with the use of nuclear weapons being put on the table once again.
We're older and again looking into the abyss.
We all should have listened to this song a little closer. 😢
Freaking mad Putin wants WW3
Unfortunately, as we find out today,
in reality, it only takes '1' "Luftballon"
- filling with merely "1" Sociopath's,
Putin's, 'Mad' (EMPty) Ego.
{i.e. In many respects, we've allowed
ourselves to come up to a point (e.g.
Event Horizon) too..o Crazy for fiction.}
{Or: (e.g. an imaginary Singularity)
- for the Mathematically inclined,
being your kids.
~Que 🎶 "99 Luftballons" 🎶 Music Vid~
Ivan the Terrible's modern day
equivalent
is Vladimir the Treacherous -
in league with
our dRumpf the Treasonous.
---
Ivan the Terrible's modern day
equivalent
is Vladimir the Treacherous
{ in league with
our dRumpf the Treasonous }
I was in the Army, we fully expected hoards of tanks pouring through the Fulda Gap at VERY short notice
Perhaps we should add Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood to the playlist as well...! 😉👍
My mum just died she was 62 and died unexpectedly we’ve chosen this song to be the last one played at the conclusion of her service because it represents her happy upbeat vibrant nature and she loved 1980’s music. This is one of her all time favourites. I’ll miss you mum I love you xx
Sorry for your loss. This was such a tune back then. I'm sure she'll be looking down smiling. 🙏
That is beautiful n I always wonder what songs would play for me at mine if I was lucky enough to have one. God bless her and your family 💎👑🫶🏼
And here we are all for the same reason, because when life doesn't make sense, music is therapy. The irony of this song and current events cannot be lost..
I was in Germany as a US Army soldier when this song came out. It was like our theme song!
Naturally, the song was widely identified with the Greens Party [and we didn't appreciate their picketing at our gates] but you can hardly call not wanting to be nuked into oblivion while two superpowers duked it out in your front yard a character defect...
Excellent post! Fulda Gap '85.
@@marklamont8736 I was just earlier than you. 2/11th '82-'84
Were you for West Germany or East Germany?
@@arundhatichakraborty2073 I served in the US Army, so I was stationed in the BRD, or West Germany
@@arundhatichakraborty2073 scotchland
GIAKOUMAKIS
COMES FROM GREECE
AND WHEN HE PLAYS HE SCORES WITH EASE
HE LEADS THE LINE HE PLAYS UP TOP
OUR NUMBER 7 GIFT FROM GOD
"This is what we've waited for, this is it boys, this is war" Holy crap that line hits hard
Just as potent and perfect today as it was in 84, it's like a time warp and suddenly this song fits perfect with the time. As a Gen-Xer this is a scary flash back in real time. I would really like to see this released. I think it would chart all over again.
OMG I thought of this song as soon as the Chinese balloon started hitting the news. This situation is exactly what she is talking about. Plus it gives me a chance to watch Nena again.. SIGH.. I was 14 in 1984 and she took up a lot of my teenage dreams.
I wonder if the pilots who downed the balloon thought they were Captain Kirk...
@@drewping2002 lol.
Same here... :)
Let's make this song hit the Billboard Top 100!
China is on it
It may if we keep finding objects
@@WBG-du1cz let's make it number 1 again!
99 of them to be exact.
If we were able to, it would most likely be the German version
I was stationed in West Germany (Lahr) during the Cold War... I love Germany, I love this song! I was there.. in '89 when it all came down.
The song like a time warp. Hearing it now in 2021 take me back decades I feel like I’m 17 again. The music is fresh everything is beautiful. 99 balloons are still floating by, Except I am no longer the beginning of my life but I’m nearing the end of it.
I hear you...
99 red condoms sounds better
@@mleonard4628 Get your diaper changed, infant.
Enjoy everything and never think about time be timeless be yourself be young be old be everything in between
indeed...only GenX had bands that revealed the fears of the Cold War....and make it sound pop and happy
Nena's going to be getting their biggest royalty check in 30 years.
it is Chinese balloons causing the excitement
I certainly hope so
Hope so
Yep.
Lol
It's 2023 and we literally live in a Nena song from 40 years ago... What a time to be alive.
🙏🙏❤❤
Yup as i say, its time to renew it sadly
They lived the original version in the forties
Bet we don't get the the good music tho 😢
I've been saying the US has been living in a Dead Kennedys album since 2016.
Heard this on the radio today and i had to get home and play it LOUD. Hahaha. I was 13 or 14 when this charted in the UK and i liked it then and still do today.
Good song. In many ways this song is still relevant today.
My dad loved this song, unfortunately he died at 99 earlier this year. God rest dad, up there with the red balloons.
died at 99 with the 99 balloons how sweet ❤❤
My High School Girlfriend and I loved this song. During the summer between our Jr and Senior year she died in a car accident. We were going to be married and have children together. It has been 30 years and I have not forgotten her for even a day. Her parents are really old now. I check in on them from time to time. Her Father is still shattered. He cries every time I stop by.
dang..crazy..so sad.
Truly devastating and sad bro hurts my heart to hear this loss of love ,😢💪✌️💙🙏😔 my deepest condolences to all hurt by this tragedy ,keep the good times together in heart always Godspeed healing especially pops a angel doesn't want him to feel heartbreak of loss.,🙏😔💙💪
Well done you. And long may the visits continue in these horrible times. Greeting from Ireland
bro, listen to the german version, it's 200000000 times better in german
@@milotorres6894 I married a beautiful girl that we were both very good friends with. I have experienced incredible love and good times with my Jenny. We had 6 beautiful children together. All but one is grown up and thriving in the world. Our 14 year old is still at home doing great. She's sassy, but great.
This song is in fashion and in any weather. Greetings from Russia.
Greetings Russia from the USA. Let's spread love around the world
@@johngajdos7950 Agree 🇷🇺🤝🇺🇸 peace.
To Russia with love! In this together.
🎈
Who else is here in 2024 wishing for music to return to normal?
The great old days when talent mattered ❤❤❤❤
Only thing that is "normal " is saline !
If it were possible I'd live in a cave, the acoustics are awesome.
@@janellemedveckyulickey Yes. Truly amazing!
5 year old me: It's such a happy little song about letting red balloons go and watching them float up into the air!
20 year old me: oh.
I knew what the song meant even at 13.
@@florinivan6907well that’s great but he said 5
Always sucks when reality hits. That's why drugs and alcohol are so popular
I see I'm not the only one who thought now is the time to revisit this song.
😂
Hallo nena, ich habe dich 1983 auf einer Sprachreise entdeckt, ich war 12 Jahre alt, der kleine Franzose, den ich früher entdeckte, eine wunderschöne Frau, Sängerin... ich komme zurück in Frankreich und bespritze mein ganzes Viertel mit deinem Lied... Ich bin heute 53 und dieses Lied ist nicht gealtert. danke, dass du eine der schönsten Erinnerungen meines Lebens bist. Lang lebe dich
Can anyone else remember when this was a cutesy cool 80's song, and not a prophecy ?
POP
It was always a prophecy...
It was never cutesy, an actual oral history!
Yes in the 80s
It's always been identified as establishment code, being released in Orwell's 1984 & all.
This song is prophetic
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought of this during current events haha.
One Chad White balloon floats by. ... Instead of just grabbing it the antiWhites use a million dollar missile
Your father was clearly a man of taste. A great song, and despite its upbeat tempo, one of meaning for us children of the Cold War. Holds a special today, as people seem to forget just how close we came to a terminal, no win, situation.
Yeah my generation can't relate, Russia using Nukes seems unrealistic at this point. I mean Putin is threatening to do so daily, but we all know he's not as hard as those USSR guys.
Sunday, February 5, 2023 - loved this song and now it is so relavant
😅 I've been singing it for the last two days since that Chinese balloon was spotted in American airspace..... How fitting really. 😉😏
Who would have ever thought this song would become prophetic?
Not only that - the balloons are distracting from that chemical mess burning in the background
The Almighty was mocking the Biden-meister's so-called administration long before it came to be.
98 balloons to go. Start the countdown.
95 to go
The Final Countdown?
Am I really in love with a girl from the 80s who has the cutest voice singing in English? Yes, ABSOLUTELY
Look at Nena in thosr leather pants
@@nickseibert1263 she's stunning
The lyrics of the original German version tell a story: 99 balloons are mistaken for UFOs, causing a general to send pilots to investigate. Finding nothing but balloons, the pilots put on a large show of fire power. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the war ministers on each side encourage conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a cataclysmic war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons and causes devastation on all sides without a victor, as indicated in the denouement of the song: "99 Jahre Krieg ließen keinen Platz für Sieger," which means "99 years of war left no room for victors." The anti-war song finishes with the singer walking through the devastated ruins of the world and finding a single balloon. The description of what happens in the final line of the piece is the same in German and English: "Denk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen," or "I think of you and let it go."
I prefer the Deutsch version myself. It is what the song was supposed to be as it was from a scary time in the Cold War.
I don't care what side you're on, I just love the fact that we're all here together, rejoicing the never ending craziness of the 2020s with a classic '80s hit!
I swear to you, that I was going to say, 'Party on Wayne' before I even saw that your name is Wayne!!! De Ja Vuey
Michael Burry brought me here, a timeless classic both poetic and prophetic
The same here lol
I love the motifs they're using. Snare drums mimicking a balloon popping to get our attention, synths to sound like alarms that only begin after they release the balloons in the song's narrative.
The whole world can sense this song becoming more relevant by the second.
Yes and us cold war kids have been singing this song in our heads for months now
@@thedutchessofdragonshyre4630 And "Russians" by Sting.
"How can I save my little boy from Oppenheimer's deadly toy?" 😔
Well...Putin is doing everything he can to make it outright reality...every time he allows his soldiers to go apeshit on civillians...leaving bodies of 4year olds in the open air..to rot. And leaving hard evidence of "recruiting" women of 16 - 30years old...to "please" the senses of the soldiers. Pressure is RAPIDLY GROWING..to mobilize the USARMY 3RD ARMOR BRIGADE, backed by 200-400 Appache birds , and 100,000 infantrymen..Right on into Ukraine.
😢😢😢😢😢 Putin stop this war or 99 red balloons going to fly and super high octane jet fighters
NO IT CAN'T....YOUR A RED BALLOONITE
The band's reaction to the explosions in the video is legit. They hadn't expected this to be so real, the sound and pressure of the blast and even feeling the heat of the explosions. You can see one of the band members protecting/consoling Nena. One after the other leaving the stage. Terrified the band ran into the woods, and had to be calmed down.
Nothing like predicting the future forty years ago.
I served in the US Army Europe (USAEUR), 1986-89, FIre Direction Control for 8 inch howitzers. Nuclear. In April, 86 we were on alert with active weapons, someone played 99 Luft Balloons over the clear admin radio channel, the German version. We sat at our fire control computers as the song came over our headsets, hopefully the East Germans and Soviets would intercept the transmission and get the hint, that we shouldn't be too reflexive and want a war. We received stand down orders two hours later and we went back to base from our LOD positions. Stowed our gear and vehicles, they trucked the nukes back to the bunker. No nuclear war today. Got silly drunk that night, replayed the song in a happy mode. The song had a real effect.
16S Stingers 83-86.
You lived this song. Had to be a defining moment in your life.
Ronald Reagan didn't blink !
Nukes are fake.
@@gp. It's sad that the USA is filled with people like you who parrot lies without thinking.
Thank you Mr Burry
Nena was the reason I took German in High School...just in case we ever met.
I was in my mid 30's when this came out and it quickly became one of my favorite songs. Fast forward to 2024 and it still is.
.
Good 😊 for you 🎉
Me too
I have a feeling this song may be popular again real soon.
99 Red balloons, floating in the US sky
😆😅🤣😂🤣😅😆
Here because it seems like the right song for the current climate.
In 2024 this SONG is SOOOO VERY RELEVANT TO WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD... SAD
If nena is getting royalties she is racking up
I’m 60 yrs old now and I remember when this song was a hit in 1983 , it was in the dangerous Cold War era before the fall of the Wall 😌
This was about as much 80s Cold War anthem as you could get. Probably one of the top 25 most played videos of the 80s.
This is it boys this is what we've waited for.
Gen Z and at least half of Millennials want nothing more than to die in a war, so...
@@ReptilianLepton gotta stand for something or you'll fall for anything. You don't have to comply or give up just bc big brother says so. You can be a wolf or you can be a sheep...your choice.
Who's here in April 2024.
Super dooper song and lyrics ❤❤❤
Me
When I was stationed in West Germany in 1974 this song was 10 years away..but the balloons meant the same thing...
I love how upbeat a song about nuclear war is
only germans will understand :)
@@BergVonPies and russians and americans 😁
From this day forward, this shall be the F-22 pilot walk-up song.
Do you think the pilots are the good guys in this song?
@@uooooooooh I think WOPR got it right when it said "What a strange game. The only way to win is not to play." I also think sarcasm is the best humor.
Viewed 7.1 million times 6 million of those views in last week.
Would be funny if this song re-entered the charts because of all the UFOs lately!
LOLL
It's in a meme now.
"German woman claims she tried to warn the USA about Chinese balloons 40 years ago" 😄
THE PRESIDENT IS ON THE PHONE WHILE 99 RED BALLOONS GO BY WELL... 97 LEFT TO GO.
That’s why I’m here! Lol! 99 red balloons floating in the summer sky…
you mean all the balloons
People today don't understand the fears that many felt in the 80's. It is not as prevalent as it is today, close, but not quite.
That's for sure. Red Dawn felt like it could really happen.
Cold war
Moscow mules had not penetrated Congress yet.
Mules are a cross of horses and donkeys, so they are always half ass, but smarter than either parent and sterile.
a video from the 80s with what looked like a 500$ budget at 240 resolution holds up to most of todays 1 million$ videos imo.
Hey auslander....you put the dollar sign in front not in the back. This is not the euro.
Go look at the German version. They have explosives going off in the back ground. Definitely not $500
@@michaelharris5267 Ausländer......c'mon
What videos of today are you watching? 🤷🏻♂️
current events brought me here in 2023
and very fitting that this video originally came out in 1984.
Same. Great song. Very poignant right now
This hits harder than the shot on that Chinese balloon 🎈
🤣😂✈🎈💥
Happy 64th Birthday Nena!
I had no idea Nina was such a seasoned treasure..thank you for your awareness...man we are all getting old ..beats not getting old...
The threat of total annihilation hangs over all of our heads like some huge damoclean sword
Don't you know that I don't have a gun. Hahaha hahaha
Bring down the government's of the world.
That’s what John F. Kennedy said.
Yup. It's deja vu all over again :/
Okay, but this song after 37 years is still so freaking good!
OH NO THIS SONG IS RELEVANT AGAIN
We stood toe to toe with the Eastern Block Armies in the 80's, those days appear to be returning..... Yet this superb anti war anthem became our favourite go to Military music, awesome.
Maybe this should be re-released !?
Living during those nuclear, biological & chemical threat times we didnt waist a second of our down time getting out into nightclubs & dancing to awesome music like this, the 80's were the greatest decade for many reasons & when the Wall came down most of us didnt really believe it was all over forever.......
Uh, i've been listening to this song a few days before the war. Now this song is actual af.
Listening the weekend before Thanksgiving of 2022......y'all have a safe one!
Not the only one
Same here
Happy turkey day!
I hope everyone was a blessed with a safe Holiday, but it's back to work for us today.
Hi Nina ... Hope you had a nice Turkey Day ...
check in with Elvis
🙂👍
As a little boy in the 80's this was one of my absolute favourites.
me too ! bros !
This song hits differently in these times
I don't know it hits the same for me as when it came out .... but then again we haven't been this close to nuclear war since then.
@@jeffreykeffer4352 Same. I was 13 when this came out, the Cold War was on and the threat of nuclear war was ever present. I'd hoped that was behind us but here we are again it seems.
@@chrisnorcross4652 I just wish I had my amazing nuke resistent school desk to hide under, that training has got to come into play somtime.
Man of i was born in the 80s Nena would defiantly be my celebrity crush. Such a beautiful voice!
Stay strong solder
Nena is such a good singer and a sexy one ! Look at those leather pants
She warned us back in 84!
'82 actually.
Because thats when it was happening 😂
More relevant today than ever!
99 red balloons for Betty White. RIP Betty!!!! 🎈
she was a great women much love and respect
What many don't realise is that this song and lyrics is much darker in the original german version. It is about a innocent balloon that escalate into a total nuclear war.
Suddenly relevant again.
I started thinking about this song last year.
Great Cold War song. She nailed it.
Who would have thought that Nena's song about the Cold War would be so relevant in 2024 :/
Looking towards a new cold war, revolutionary War, ww3. Something is going to happen. Another great depression on its way. History repeats itself.
The original song literally wasn't about the Cold war, somebody who did the translation for it twisted the song because they didn't figure it would be good in English if it just stayed true to the original..... Even the original band said they didn't like the English version because it was changed so much.
Todd In The Shadows!
Dude, that episode was just released 34 minutes ago and there are already "Todd sent me here" people!
What's a Todd Shadow?
@@LoverBoy-im7xv He is either a RUclipsr who reviews music or our new faceless shadowy overlord, you decide.
My best friend and I both weren't born until '98, but we found a CD with a bunch of 80s songs in her mom's house when we were children and this is one of the songs we'd listen to all the time. I thought back to it recently because I noticed a lot of my favourite new songs are heavily inspired by this era (lots of Doja Cat and Dua Lipa tracks, The Weeknd's After Hours... etc), now it makes a lot of sense why I like it lol.
dua lipa and the weeknd are the reason for me returning to the 80's pop. (i was born in '97)
The original German version flows a little better, but I'm so glad that this version exists too.
Nearly 40 years later in Montana…one white balloon goes by.
The balloon from Red China - a RED balloon - where are the other 98?
Ninety-nine red balloons
Floating o'er the US they spy
Now go to the last verse of the English original...
China only need 1 lone white balloon to get the position too drop the boom
@@RANS87IROCZ only needed 1 white balloon to freak out an entire nation
It was over Kansas City this morning
Becoming relevant again...for some grim reasons 🚀☢️
was thinking the same!
Ok so it’s not just me revisiting this song lol
It’s funny how such an up beat song makes cry every single time. 💜
It was 100 Balloons until a few week ago.....
I'm not alone thinking about being a kid during the cold war in the 80s. ❤️ & ☮️ to 🇺🇦 from 🇺🇲
Yup. It's spooky that here we are again. I NEVER thought these songs would be relevant again. I used to just listen to this out of nostalgia, I can't believe this is happening again. Cold War 2.0
Don't send useless crap like that just remove your corrupt political crime family's from Ukraine and next time don't help overthrow a legitimate government in a coup and help install a puppet actor in a European country stay the f out of Europe
This song coming back but not in the way I want 💀
😢
This song gives me chills right now:(
They should be playing this on loudspeakers in Moscow
They would not care.
They do not control poopin'.
I seen her do this in West Berlin, 1983😊when i was in the Army there then. Was a great show & will never forget! ps. but I got to admit i seen a whole lot of great shows there back then
40 years and not only does this song still ROCK 🎸 but Nena is still touring and she still sounds awesome. 💙
I thought Nena was a one-hit wonder.
@@rubiks6 evidently not
Requesting this every day at my favorite radio station util the government tells us what is going on
I will join you in this conquest
That sounds like a fun idea.
99 Chinese balloons floating in the Winter sky…
red for communism.
@@violet.senderhauf2187 do you also pay someone to chew food for you?
@@h.f6364 Red Commie! I'm libertarian not a rich capital extremist like you described.
Lol
alert CNN.
if i could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here
Amazing line!
All good. The internet never forgets.
i’m 20 i like hip and pop but 70s 80s music is just incredible
Wow, the military is actually going after 99 cent balloons now!