99 Red Balloons – Nena

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99 Red Balloons – Nena

As it's my 99th post, thought of this little tune. Totally 80's this one, plenty of synths, processed instruments and vocals. Just a full on Euro Pop song, supposed it would be a pop song with balloons involved. 

It was a big German hit that they translated for the British market, apparently the English version carries a different meaning to the German one, it was the German version that made the US charts. It was all inspired by the releasing of balloons at a Rolling Stones gig, the lyrics tell a story of the balloons being mistaken for a UFO and causing a major indecent, that leads to war breaking out between nations which in turn nearly destroys the world. The English version is a bit more light hearten but you wouldn't have taken this as an anti war song by the nature of the vocal performance and the pulsing beat of the song.

The English version tells us how toy shop balloons get released and get mistaken for something sinister sent by a foreign power, they scramble fighter jets to intercept them and get over excited that war might break out. All over some balloons, you can just imagine something that stupid happening.

I wonder if Nena loves this song, I think she is classed as a one hit wonder in the UK, all be it I think she was quite a star in her native Germany. I always thought this was a light hearten, good fun song about kids balloons, I won't ever hear it the same now.

Favourite lyric : This is what we've waited for / This is it, boys, this is war

Location: Rayleigh, UK

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