99 Luftballons [English translation]

If ya got some time fer me

Then a'll sing ya a song

'Bout 99 balloons

On'er way tuh the horizon

If maybe yer thinkin' of me right now

Then I'll sing ya a song

'Bout ninety-nine balloons

An' how somethin' like this came from somethin' like that1

Ninety-nine balloons

On'er way tuh the horizon

They thought they were UFO's from outer space!

That's why a general sent

A fighter squadron after'em

To raise the alarm, in case that's what it really was

But ova thea by the horizon

Was just 99 balloons

99 fighter-jets

Every pilot was a great warrior

They all thought they were Captain Kirk

And so there was a big firework

But the people on the ground didn't understand

Right from the start they thought they were lookin' for trouble 2

But they all they were doin' was

shootin' at 99 balloons by the horizon

99 ministers a' war,

matches, an' gas cannisters

They all thought they were really smart

Already smellin' a fat prize

Called for war and wanted power

Man, who would'a' thought,

That it would ever come so far

'Cause of 99 balloons?

'Cause of 99 balloons

99 balloons!

99 years a' war

didn't leave any spot for a winner

Minsters of war, there ain't no more

And no fighter-jets either

Today, I'm going around, doin' my rounds

I see the world lyin' in rubble

I found a balloon

I think of you and let it fly.

1. to spoil the ending, "something like this"- the world being in shambles; "something like that"-the balloons.2. (Cf. Hansi K_Lauer's comment below) In this particular context "anmachen" means, roughly, to provoke, to start trouble.

• Artist:Nena
• Album:Nena (1983)