Learn the German Lyrics to 99 Luftballons

You may have heard the 1980s pop song 99 Red Balloons, but you may not know that it was originally a German tune. The German pop singer and group, Nena, released the international hit song in 1983 and the English version a year later. Nena was the stage name of the groups lead singer (Gabriele Susanne Kerner) as well as the group itself. Though Nena (the band and singer) had a few hits after this song, 99 Luftballons was by far its most significant success and remains a favorite in both languages. Balloons Soar, Nena Fades 99 Luftballons was an antiwar protest song written by the bands guitarist Carlo Karges. Karges had attended a Rolling Stones concert in 1982 in what was then West Berlin, where that band released hundreds of helium-filled balloons. He  wondered how East German or Soviet forces might react if  balloons crossed the  Berlin Wall, which still stood at the time. The song was composed by the bands keyboardist,  Jà ¶rn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen. After the massive hit, whose English-language version reached No. 1 in the U.S. in 1984, Kerners career, as well as that of the band, leveled off, especially in the non-German-speaking world. The group broke up in 1987. Karges never joined another band and passed away in Germany at age 50. Fahrenkrog-Petersen moved to New York, formed another band, worked with the American punk group The Plasmatics and wrote several Hollywood movie soundtracks. Kerner made a comeback in 2005 when she released a new album that returned her to the spotlight. Several songs from her Willst du Mit Mir Gehn?  (Will You Go With Me?) album shot up  the German radio charts. But she, Karges, and  Fahrenkrog-Petersen never had another success that soared as high as the balloons, though Kerner continues to record and tour. It can be a great German language lesson to learn the lyrics of this catchy tune, which still holds up decades after its release in both languages. 99 Luftballons Lyrics in German and Translation The song, released in Germany in February 1983, soon had a sister version in English, written by Kevin McAlea, which was released in North America in 1984. That song (also sung by Nena) loosely follows the German lyrics, though it is not the same as the direct English translation printed here for learning purposes. German Lyrics Direct Translation Hast du etwas Zeit fà ¼r michDann singe ich ein Lied fà ¼r dichVon 99 LuftballonsAuf ihrem Weg zum HorizontDenkst du vielleicht g'rad an michDann singe ich ein Lied fà ¼r dichVon 99 LuftballonsUnd dass so was von so was kommt Do you have you some time for me,if so I'll sing a song for youabout 99 balloonson their way to the horizon.Maybe you're thinking about me right nowif so I'll sing a song for youabout 99 balloonsand that such a thing comes from such a thing. 99 LuftballonsAuf ihrem Weg zum HorizontHielt man fà ¼r Ufos aus dem AllDarum schickte ein General'ne Fliegerstaffel hinterherAlarm zu geben, wenn es so wà ¤rDabei war'n da am HorizontNur 99 Luftballons 99 balloonson their way to the horizonPeople think they're UFOs from spaceso a general sent upa fighter squadron after themSound the alarm if it's sobut there on the horizon wereonly 99 balloons. 99 Dà ¼senjà ¤gerJeder war ein großer KriegerHielten sich fà ¼r Captain KirkDas gab ein großes FeuerwerkDie Nachbarn haben nichts gerafftUnd fà ¼hlten sich gleich angemachtDabei schoss man am HorizontAuf 99 Luftballons 99 fighter jetsEach one's a great warriorThought they were Captain Kirkthen came a lot of fireworksthe neighbors didn't understand anythingand felt like they were being provokedso they shot at the horizonat 99 balloons. 99 Kriegsminister -Streichholz und Benzinkanister -Hielten sich fà ¼r schlaue LeuteWitterten schon fette BeuteRiefen Krieg und wollten MachtMann, wer hà ¤tte das gedachtDass es einmal soweit kommtWegen 99 Luftballons 99 war ministersmatches and gasoline canistersThey thought they were clever peoplealready smelled a nice bountyCalled for war and wanted power.Man, who would've thoughtthat things would someday go so farbecause of 99 balloons. 99 Jahre KriegLießen keinen Platz fà ¼r SiegerKriegsminister gibt's nicht mehrUnd auch keine Dà ¼senfliegerHeute zieh' ich meine RundenSeh' die Welt in Trà ¼mmern liegenHab' 'nen Luftballon gefundenDenk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen 99 years of warleft no room for victors.There are no more war ministersnor any jet fighters.Today I'm making my roundssee the world lying in ruins.I found a balloon,think of you and let it fly (away). The German and English lyrics are provided for educational use only. No infringement of copyright is implied or intended. The literal, prose translations of the  original German  lyrics by Hyde Flippo are not from the English version sung by Nena. Popular Songs by Nena (Kerner) If you find that you liked 99 Balloons, you might enjoy hearing and learning the lyrics to other songs by Kerner, released both before, during, and after her years with the band that rose from its German roots and strode so dramatically onto the world stage with its politically charged, early 1980s song.