Mann, wer hätte das gedacht, dass es einmal soweit kommt #PlagueSongs, no. 21

The balloons are not red, and there is no toy shop. The narrator doesn’t dream of red balloons either. But, like its English-language counterpart (“99 Red Balloons”) Nena’s “99 Luftballons” (1983) is about an accidental, apocalyptic war triggered by 99 balloons.

Luft means air, and ballon means balloon. So, literally, a luftballon is an air balloon – but you could also just call it a balloon.

Unlike the English-language first verse in which “you and I” buy “a bag of balloons” in a toy shop and then “set them free at the break of dawn,” the German language verse begins by asking “Have you any time for me? Then I will sing a song for you about 99 balloons on their way to the horizon.”

The first verse’s final line, “Und dass so was von so was kommt” is “and how that thing comes from this,” or, more colloquially, “how one thing leads to another.” The line “Dass es einmal soweit kommt” (in the fourth verse) echoes this earlier line. I’ve chosen the line in which it appears – “Mann, wer hätte das gedacht / Dass es einmal soweit kommt” – as the title for this post because, “Man, who would have thought it would come to this” also seems an apt line for this current moment.

Both final verses convey an apocalyptic aftermath, but instead of beginning “99 dreams I have had / and every one a red balloon,” the original German is “99 Jahre Krieg / ließen keine Platz für Sieger”: “99 years of war leaves no room for winners.”

In addition to being my first in German, “99 Luftballons” is the darkest “Plague Song” I’ve recorded to date. I hope its buoyant riffs, catchy tune, and 1980s nostalgia push back against the darkness of the lyrics.

Here it is in its original German.

And in English.

I remember a music video, but I cannot seem to find it on-line. Instead, here’s a live performance from 1983.

Oh, and the final two lines are very close in both German and English. The German translates to “I have found a balloon. / I think of you and let it fly.”

Finally, as will be obvious to anyone who speaks German fluently, I do not. I am learning it, but am far from fluent. (Indeed, apologies to German-speakers for the flaws in my pronunciation. As I listened to my performance, I realize that my vs should be closer to an English f. I am reasonably satisfied with my zs, though.)

Thus: any and all corrections would be most welcome!


This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is plague_songs_logo-1024x401.gif

You could perform a #PlagueSong, too. All languages welcome. Or you could perform a song without words. I’ve many ideas on this playlist. But I know there are many more I’ve not considered.


Related Posts

Leave Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.