VH1 Classics will air Nena's "99 Red Balloons" repeatedly for one hour on March 26, 2006, between 2-3 PM EST, both English and German (99 LuftBalloons) versions.
link here
My generation associated with two of it's best songwriters talking about personal angst (Ian Curtis ending the 70's and Kurt Cobain launching the 90's) gapped rarely by occasional gems of songwriting, representing a fraction of the one-hit wonders spanning 80's mania of new romantics, synthesized music....
...and Cold War fight songs (thanks Bono et. al.)
One "99 LuftBalloons" surely made an impression thanks to a danceable round-and-round beat, assertive German female vocals, and a cute touch of irony about the East-West Wehrmacht (I like to translate it as 'war machine'), especially when the English-speaking world got a loose translation: "99 Red Balloons" by Nena.
Ninety-nine red balloons in the sky, triggers a military over-reaction, leaves the world in ruins, when all she wanted was to think of you
lyrics here
The song never remarks on the use of balloons. So does this person who paid $35,000 for an hour's worth of back-to-back-to-back balloons (I figure 1,485 total balloons). Perhaps after its all been done, we'll know why we need this much dose of helium. It does sound like it mocks the post-Katrina relief efforts. It may be anti-administration. And I don't know if the video itself holds a clearer message.
Not odd that the commotion is here and now, on the web, on blogs, even before the event. Like a Michael Mann production where the climax is somewhere far from the end of the film.
Certainly makes me want to buy it off iTunes 'cause I don't have it in my digital collection.
Ultimately, I am set to pause....... and let it play. I am not the one sending a message that day. I'll find you and I on the other side a red balloon to let fly.
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