99 Luftballons - wikipedia 99 Luftballons `` 99 Luftballons '' Single by Nena from the album Nena and 99 Luftballons Released 1983 ( West Germany ) 1984 ( United Kingdom ) Format 7 - inch single 12 - inch single Genre Neue Deutsche Welle Length 3 : 53 Label Epic Songwriter ( s ) Uwe Fahrenkrog - Petersen ( music ) Carlo Karges ( German lyrics ) Kevin McAlea ( English lyrics ) Nena singles chronology `` Nur geträumt '' ( 1982 ) `` 99 Luftballons '' ( 1983 ) `` Leuchtturm '' ( 1983 ) `` Nur geträumt '' ( 1982 ) `` 99 Luftballons '' ( 1983 ) `` Leuchtturm '' ( 1983 ) Audio sample file help `` 99 Luftballons '' ( German : Neunundneunzig Luftballons, `` 99 balloons '' ) is an anti-war protest song by the German band Nena from their 1983 self - titled album. An English - language version titled `` 99 Red Balloons '', with lyrics by Kevin McAlea, was also released on the album 99 Luftballons in 1984 after widespread success of the original in Europe and Japan. The English version is not a direct translation of the German original and contains somewhat different lyrics. Contents 1 Lyrics 2 English version and other re-recordings 3 Reception 4 Music video 5 Chart positions 5.1 German version 5.1. 1 Weekly charts 5.1. 2 Year - end charts 5.1. 3 Certifications and sales 5.2 English version 5.2. 1 Weekly charts 5.2. 2 Year - end charts 5.2. 3 Certifications and sales 5.3 2002 re-release 6 See also 7 References Lyrics While at a June 1982 concert by the Rolling Stones in West Berlin, Nena 's guitarist Carlo Karges noticed that balloons were being released. As he watched them move toward the horizon, he noticed them shifting and changing shapes, where they looked like strange spacecraft ( referred to in the German lyrics as a `` UFO '' ). He thought about what might happen if they floated over the Berlin Wall to the Soviet sector. A direct translation of the title is sometimes given as `` Ninety - Nine Air Balloons '', but the song became known in English as `` Ninety - Nine Red Balloons ''. The title `` 99 Red Balloons '' almost scans correctly with the syllables falling in the right places within the rhythm of the first line of lyrics : `` red '' partially replacing a flourish of the singer before `` Luft ''. Neunundneunzig ( 99 ) has one syllable more than `` ninety - nine '', so the last syllable and `` Luft '' are blended in the English translation and become `` red ''. 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 child 's balloons, the pilots decide to put on a show and shoot them down. The display of force worries the nations along the borders and the Defence ministers on each side bang the drums of conflict to grab power for themselves. In the end, a 99 - year war results from the otherwise harmless flight of balloons, causing devastation on all sides without a victor. At the end, the singer walks through the devastated ruins and lets loose a balloon, watching it fly away. According to David Frum, the political context of the song was the protests against NATO nuclear missile deployments. English version and other re-recordings The English version retains the spirit of the original narrative, but many of the lyrics are translated poetically rather than directly translated : red helium balloons are casually released by an anonymous civilian into the sky and are registered as missiles by a faulty early warning system ; the balloons are mistaken for military aircraft which results in panic and eventually nuclear war. From the outset Nena and other members of the band expressed disapproval for the English version of the song, `` 99 Red Balloons ''. In March 1984, the band 's keyboardist and song co-writer Uwe Fahrenkrog Petersen said, `` We made a mistake there. I think the song loses something in translation and even sounds silly. '' In another interview that month the band including Nena herself were quoted as being `` not completely satisfied '' with the English version since it was `` too blatant '' for a group not wishing to be seen as a protest band. Despite having given in excess of 500 concerts over a period of more than 30 years, Nena has never sung `` 99 Red Balloons '' live, even at her rare concerts in England, always performing the German version instead. There have been two re-recordings of the original German version of the song which have been released by Nena : a modern version in 2002 which was included on Nena feat. Nena ( 2002 ) and a retro version in 2009, which included some verses in French. Live recordings of the song are included on all six of Nena 's live albums, dating from 1995 to 2016. Reception American and Australian audiences preferred the original German version, which became a very successful non-English language song, topping charts in both countries, reaching No. 1 on the Cash Box chart, Kent Music Report, and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, behind `` Jump '' by Van Halen. It was certified Gold by the RIAA. The later - released English translation, `` 99 Red Balloons '', topped the charts in the UK, Canada and Ireland. VH1 Classic, an American cable television station, ran a charity event for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2006. Viewers who made donations were allowed to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 for the right to program an entire hour and requested continuous play of `` 99 Luftballons '' and `` 99 Red Balloons '' videos. The station broadcast the videos as requested from 2 : 00 to 3 : 00 pm EST on 26 March 2006. In his 2010 book Music : What Happened ?, critic and musician Scott Miller declared that the song possesses `` one of the best hooks of the eighties '' and listed it among his top song picks for 1984. Nonetheless, he cautioned : `` It must be admitted that this song suffers from an embarrassingly out - of - place disco funk interlude, and the word kriegsminister. '' Music video The promotional video was shot in a Dutch military training camp, the band performing the song on a stage in front of a backdrop of fires and explosions provided by the Dutch Army. Towards the end of the video, the band are seen taking cover and abandoning the stage which was unplanned and genuine since they believed the explosive blasts were getting out of control. In 2006, the video was used for a $200,000 fundraising campaign for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. VH1 Classic played the English and German versions for an hour straight as part of Mercy Corps ' campaign. Chart positions German version Weekly charts Chart ( 1983 -- 1984 ) Peak position Australia ( Kent Music Report ) Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) Europe ( Eurochart Hot 100 ) Germany ( Official German Charts ) Japan ( Oricon International Chart ) Japan ( Oricon Singles Chart ) 16 Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) Norway ( VG - lista ) Spain ( AFYVE ) 10 Sweden ( Sverigetopplistan ) Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) US Billboard Hot 100 US Billboard Dance Club Play 22 US Cash Box Year - end charts Chart ( 1983 ) Rank Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 17 Belgium ( Ultratop 50 Flanders ) 27 Germany ( Official German Charts ) Netherlands ( Dutch Top 40 ) 14 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 5 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 6 Chart ( 1984 ) Rank Australia ( Kent Music Report ) 18 France ( IFOP ) 16 US Billboard Hot 100 28 US Cash Box 31 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units / Sales France ( SNEP ) Gold 666,500 Germany ( BVMI ) Gold 250,000 United States ( RIAA ) Gold 1,000,000 shipments figures based on certification alone English version Weekly charts Chart ( 1984 ) Peak position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) Ireland ( IRMA ) UK Singles ( Official Charts Company ) South Africa ( Springbok Radio ) Year - end charts Chart ( 1984 ) Peak position Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) 13 Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units / Sales Canada ( Music Canada ) Platinum 100,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) Gold 500,000 shipments figures based on certification alone 2002 re-release Chart ( 2002 ) Peak position Belgium ( Ultratip Flanders ) 17 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 28 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 82 Switzerland ( Schweizer Hitparade ) 77 See also Stanislav Petrov, a Soviet early - warning system operator who in 1983 disregarded a false nuclear attack alarm ( from shining clouds, rather than balloons ) and may have prevented a nuclear war. List of anti-war songs Lists of number - one singles ( Austria ) List of number - one singles in Australia during the 1980s List of number - one singles of 1984 ( Canada ) List of Cash Box Top 100 number - one singles of 1984 List of Dutch Top 40 number - one singles of 1983 List of European number - one hits of 1983 List of number - one hits of 1983 ( Germany ) List of number - one singles of 1984 ( Ireland ) List of number - one singles from the 1980s ( New Zealand ) List of number - one singles and albums in Sweden List of number - one singles of the 1980s ( Switzerland ) List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1980s References Jump up ^ `` 99 Red Balloons -- interview with the writer, Kevin McAlea ''. Eighty - eightynine. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ Rolling Stone, 15 March 1984 Jump up ^ `` The New English - German Dictionary : `` Luftballon '' ``. Retrieved 2 June 2007. balloon -- der Luftballon Jump up ^ `` The New English - German Dictionary : `` Balloon '' ``. Retrieved 2 June 2007. balloon -- der Ballon, balloon -- der Luftballon ^ Jump up to : `` 99 Luftballons, Side by Side Comparison ''. In the 80s. Retrieved 29 October 2014. Jump up ^ Frum, David ( 28 May 2017 ). `` Trump 's Trip Was a Catastrophe for U.S. - Europe Relations ''. The Atlantic. Retrieved 17 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` A very good group from Germany ''. No. 1. 17 March 1984. p. 38. Jump up ^ Strike, Andy ( 10 March 1984 ). `` 99 Red Herrings ''. Record Mirror. p. 14. Jump up ^ `` Nena tours and setlists ''. Nena.de. Retrieved 10 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Nena feat. Nena -- 20 Jahre by Nena ''. iTunes DE. Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` 99 Luftballons -- Single by Nena ''. iTunes US. Apple Inc. Retrieved 27 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` 99 Luftballons ''. Nena.de. Retrieved 8 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Live at SO36 ''. Nena.de. Retrieved 8 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` March 3, 1984 -- The Hot 100 ''. Billboard. 3 March 1984. Retrieved 17 July 2014. ^ Jump up to : `` Top RPM Singles : Issue 4454. '' RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 July 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Nena ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 July 2011. ^ Jump up to : `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` VH1 Classic to Air the Classic 80s Music Video ' 99 Luftballons ' for an Entire Hour on Sunday, 26 March '' ( Press release ). VH1 Classic. PR Newswire. 22 March 2006. Retrieved 28 March 2014. Jump up ^ `` VH1 Classic to air ' 99 Red Balloons ' music video for a full hour ''. USA Today. Associated Press. 24 March 2006. Retrieved 11 October 2017. Jump up ^ Miller, Scott ( 2010 ). Music : What Happened ?. Alameda, CA : 125 Books. p. 120. ISBN 978 - 0 - 61538 - 196 - 1. Jump up ^ Brendel, Rolf ( 2014 ). Nena -- Geschichte einer Band. Berlin : Aufbau Verlag GmbH & Co. pp. 131 -- 5. ISBN 978 - 3 - 35105 - 015 - 3. Jump up ^ Barcella, Laura ( 2012 ). The End : 50 Apocalyptic Visions From Pop Culture That You Should Know About... Before It 's Too Late. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 16. Retrieved 2017 - 06 - 19. Jump up ^ `` Australia No. 1 hits -- 1980 's ''. World Charts. Archived from the original on 9 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` Austriancharts.at -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons '' ( in German ). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Ultratop.be -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` MusicSeek.info -- UK, Eurochart, Billboard & Cashbox No. 1 Hits ''. MusicSeek.info. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006. ^ Jump up to : `` Offiziellecharts.de -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ''. GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 June 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Japan # 1 IMPORT DISKS by Oricon Hot Singles ''. Hbr3.sakura.ne.jp. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Nederlandse Top 40 -- week 13, 1983 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Charts.org.nz -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ''. Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Norwegiancharts.com -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ''. VG - lista. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ Salaverri, Fernando ( September 2005 ). Sólo éxitos : año a año, 1959 -- 2002 ( in Spanish ) ( 1st ed. ). Spain : Fundación Autor - SGAE. ISBN 84 - 8048 - 639 - 2. Jump up ^ `` Swedishcharts.com -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ''. Singles Top 100. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Swisscharts.com -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ''. Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Nena Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Nena -- Awards ''. AllMusic. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` CASH BOX Top 100 Singles -- Week ending MARCH 10, 1984 ''. Cash Box. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Jump up ^ `` Jahreshitparade 1983 '' ( in German ). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten 1983 '' ( in Dutch ). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ ( in German ) `` Jahrescharts -- 1983 ''. Cash Box. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 - Jaaroverzicht van 1983 '' ( in Dutch ). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Jaaroverzichten -- Single 1983 '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1983 '' ( in German ). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Forum -- ARIA Charts : Special Occasion Charts -- Top 100 End of Year AMR Charts -- 1980s ''. Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Jump up ^ `` TOP -- 1984 '' ( in French ). Top-france.fr. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits for 1984 ''. The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` The CASH BOX Year - End Charts : 1984 ''. Cash Box. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Jump up ^ `` Les Singles / Titres Certifiés `` Or '' '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Les Meilleures Ventes `` Tout Temps '' de 45 T. / Singles / Téléchargement '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Retrieved 13 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Gold - / Platin - Datenbank ( Nena ; ' 99 Luftballons ' ) '' ( in German ). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Jump up ^ `` American single certifications -- Nena -- 99 Luft Ballons ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ `` South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 -- 1989 Acts ( N ) ''. Rock.co.za. Retrieved 21 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Singles of 1984 ''. RPM. Vol. 41 no. 17. 5 January 1985. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Canadian single certifications -- Nena -- 99 Red Balloons ''. Music Canada. Jump up ^ `` British single certifications -- Nena -- 99 Red Balloons ''. British Phonographic Industry. Enter 99 Red Balloons in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ `` ( 2002 &cat = s Ultratop.be -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ( 2002 ) '' ) ( in Dutch ). Ultratip. Retrieved 4 June 2013. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Retrieved 17 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` ( 2002 &cat = s Swisscharts.com -- Nena -- 99 Luftballons ( 2002 ) '' ). Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 4 June 2013. `` The template below ( Nena ) is being considered for merging. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. '' Nena Discography Studio albums as band Nena ? Feuer und Flamme Eisbrecher Studio albums as solo artist Wunder gescheh'n Bongo Girl Und alles dreht sich Jamma nich Wenn alles richtig ist, dann stimmt was nich Chokmah Nena feat. Nena Willst du mit mir gehn Cover Me Made in Germany Du bist gut Oldschool Live albums Nena Live ' 98 Nena feat. Nena Live Made in Germany Live Live at SO36 Singles `` 99 Luftballons '' `` Anyplace, Anywhere, Anytime '' `` Liebe ist '' `` Willst du mit mir gehn '' `` Ich kann nix dafür '' `` Wir sind wahr '' Related The Stripes Nena ( band ) Jörn - Uwe Fahrenkrog - Petersen Carlo Karges Jürgen Dehmel `` The template below ( Nena ( band ) ) is being considered for merging. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus. '' Nena ( band ) Nena Kerner Jörn - Uwe Fahrenkrog - Petersen Carlo Karges Jürgen Dehmel Rolf Brendel Studio albums Nena ? Feuer und Flamme Eisbrecher Compilation albums 99 Luftballons Nena die Band Singles `` 99 Luftballons '' `` Irgendwie, irgendwo, irgendwann '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=99_Luftballons&oldid=818095772 '' Categories : 1983 songs 1983 singles 1984 singles Nena songs Goldfinger ( band ) songs Songs written by Jörn - Uwe Fahrenkrog - Petersen Columbia Records singles Epic Records singles Dutch Top 40 number - one singles Single Top 100 number - one singles European Hot 100 Singles number - one singles Irish Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Australia Number - one singles in Austria Number - one singles in Germany Number - one singles in New Zealand Number - one singles in Sweden Number - one singles in Switzerland Oricon International Singles Chart number - one singles RPM Top Singles number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles Ultratop 50 Singles ( Flanders ) number - one singles German - language songs Anti-war songs Protest songs Songs about aviation Songs about nuclear war and weapons Songs about the military Balloons ( entertainment ) Cold War in popular culture Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from September 2010 Articles containing Japanese - language text CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 Dutch - language sources ( nl ) Articles with German - language external links CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) Use dmy dates from July 2014 Articles with hAudio microformats Articles containing German - language text All articles with failed verification Articles with failed verification from June 2015 Singlechart usages for Austria Singlechart usages for Flanders Singlechart usages for Germany2 Singlechart usages for Dutch40 Singlechart called without artist Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Norway Singlechart usages for Sweden Singlechart usages for Switzerland Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for Germany Certification Table Entry usages for United States Singlechart usages for Canadatopsingles Singlechart making named ref Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart usages for UK Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Singlechart usages for Flanders Tip Singlechart usages for Swiss Talk Contents About Wikipedia Català Deutsch Eesti Español Euskara فارسی Français 한국어 Hrvatski Ido Italiano עברית Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Polski Русский Slovenčina Suomi Svenska Edit links This page was last edited on 1 January 2018, at 14 : 55. 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Question: what is the song 99 red balloons about
Answer: anti-war protest song