Music Monday
A little TBTH on a Monday today!
This post was inspired by Drew from The Tattooed Book Geek, bringing you Music Monday to add to your day :)
99 Luftballons by Nena popped into my head this weekend. This song came out in 1984 before the fall of the Berlin wall, and I remember all of us kids out on the playground singing our hearts out to that song. At that time, I had no idea about MTV, so I actually never saw the video until much later. Either way, I must have been feeling nostalgic this weekend. Perhaps because I will be traveling to Germany in May.
I found many translations for this song into English (although I could have just translated it). Some are literal, some are to fit the music. I picked what I found to be a happy medium.
So, check Nena and this 80’s vibe…
Lyrics
(in German)
Hast du etwas Zeit für mich?
Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von neunundneunzig Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Denkst du vielleicht grad an mich?
Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von neunundneunzig Luftballons
Und dass sowas von sowas kommt
Neunundneunzig Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Hielt man für Ufos aus dem All
Darum schickte ein General
'ne Fliegerstaffel hinterher
Alarm zu geben, wenn's so wär
Dabei war'n dort am Horizont
Nur neunundneunzig Luftballons
Neunundneunzig Düsenflieger
Jeder war ein großer Krieger
Hielten sich für Captain Kirk
Das gab ein großes Feuerwerk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft
Und fühlten sich gleich angemacht
Dabei schoss man am Horizont
Auf neunundneunzig Luftballons
Neunundneunzig Kriegsminister
Streichholz und Benzinkanister
Hielten sich für schlaue Leute
Witterten schon fette Beute
Riefen: "Krieg!" und wollten Macht
Mann, wer hätte das gedacht
Dass es einmal so weit kommt
Wegen neunundneunzig Luftballons
Wegen neunundneunzig Luftballons
Neunundneunzig Luftballons
Neunundneunzig jahre Krieg
Ließen keinen Platz für Sieger
Kriegsminister gibt's nicht mehr
Und auch keine Düsenflieger
Heute zieh ich meine Runden
Seh die Welt in Trümmern liegen
Hab 'n Luftballon gefunden
Denk an dich und lass ihn fliegen
Lyrics
(in English)
Do you have some time to spare?
I’ll sing a song, if you would care,
Of nine and ninety bright balloons,
On their way to who knows where.
Do you ever think of me?
Then I will sing a song for you,
Of nine and ninety bright balloons,
And the fate that came of them.
Nine and ninety bright balloons,
On their way to who knows where
Mistook them all for UFOs,
Battle stations, red alert!
The jets dispatched to intercept!
To reconnoiter and detect!
Yet there they flew that afternoon
Just nine and ninety bright balloons!
Nine and ninety battle jets!
Each one a bold and fearless fighter!
They thought themselves as Captain Kirks,
They sure did make some fireworks!
The neighbors did not understand,
And so they cheered and raised their hands,
As rockets by their houses zoomed,
Towards nine and ninety bright balloons!
Nine and ninety ministers,
A matchstick met a canister
They thought they had such clever aims,
A worthy prize they wished to claim,
They called for war and power sought
Oh man, who would have ever thought,
The world would meet its utter doom
Over nine and ninety bright balloons?
Over nine and ninety bright balloons?
Nine and ninety bright balloons…
Nine and ninety years of war,
No room is left for any victor,
The battle jets, they fly no more,
And gone are all war ministers,
Today I made my weary rounds,
Through cities that in ruins lie,
A bright balloon is what I found,
I thought of you and let it fly.
Have a great Monday and rest of the week :)
