1980s One Hit Wonders Week ~ 99 LUFTBALLONS by NENA ~ Retrospective

[@wayne_twentyfive]

I think you got sucked in by that false finish, Sue ! 😅 .. Saw you right arm start to reach for the mouse to stop the video .. only for that quiet bit at the end to come on .. Don't feel bad .. I hadn't heard this song for quite a while, and I had temporarily forgotten about it too 🤣🤣

[@playitagainsue]

@@wayne_twentyfive Haha 🤣. When we don't listen for a long time or forget because we are older, it is like hearing them for the first time. Thanks for the chuckle, Wayne 🥰💜

[@michaelwetzlich159]

I love the shout out to William Shatner in the song.

[@playitagainsue]

@michaelwetzlich159 Yes for sure, Michael in both the German and English versions 🤩🧡

[@nigelpluck3342]

It’s the only song by Nena I’m familiar with. The English version was mostly played on radio and tv here in Ireland and Britain, we got the main British tv channels here through the old aerials on the roof 🤣

[@jessem470]

I hope you paid your TV Licence fee ? How bizarre to think what we went through just for 30 minutes of TOTP on Thursday

[@playitagainsue]

@nigelpluck3342 Haha yes , Nigel. I remember the aerials well with our dad's on the roof trying to move them around to get better reception...good times 🤣💗

[@nigelpluck3342]

@@jessem470 we pay a tv licence fee over here, I think it works out a fraction more than the UK licence for 2 tv channels that run ads similar to ITV, and 4 radio stations that also run ads that run ads the same way other commercial radio stations here and the UK.

[@nigelpluck3342]

@ those aerials were fun to set up Sue, at least from the point of view of us kids watching from the ground 🤣

[@playitagainsue]

@nigelpluck3342 🤣🤣 oh yeah especially after our dad's and their friends had a few beer before starting 🤣🤣🤣💕

[@kimr3729]

I remember this, both the English version and this one, her voice reminds me of Debbie Harry.. this was fun!

[@playitagainsue]

@@kimr3729 I can see the comparison, Kim for sure 🤩💕

[@ralfmeske8179]

In Germany Nena was not a One-Hit-Wonder. The band had a lot of hits and was also successful in Europa. So Nena was only in the USA a One-Hit-Wonder 😉

[@richardc8795]

To be fair, this is just a one hit wonder in North America. This band has many, many hits. Though, this song is extremely infectious. I like both English and German versions of this. Can’t wait to see other one hit wonders you react to. Thompson Twins? Corey Hart? 🧐 My suggestion: Can’t You See by Viscous Pink Also, I share your fascination with History 😉

[@playitagainsue]

@richardc8795 Hey Richard, there are so many to choose from so I chose ones that were repeatedly talked about by various music outlets but there were literally 100s I could have done 🤗

[@JeromeDukes]

I liked the song when it came out. The vocal melody and the instrumentation is enough to carry the song, I rarely pay attention to lyrics anyway, although there's an English version of the song. Kinda reminds me of the Falco song "Rock Me Amadeus" where the original song was in German but they had to do the song in English to cater to the English speaking countries. At the time when 99 Luftballons came out, it was still East and West Germany and there was still a cold war going on. My understanding of the song had to do with the tensions in German at the time. Not sure what the balloons represent but I thought it was a cry for a free Germany, which eventually happened 6 years later. Looking forward to this week of 1 hit wonders Sue, I can think of quite a few bangers.

[@playitagainsue]

@@JeromeDukes Great point about Rock Me Amadeus. There were quite a few that were reworked for English markets. I have another such one coming up later in the week. This is a catchy song. I think the music is the star of the show so it doesn't matter what language it is in 😊🩵

[@susieq9801]

Such a catchy tune. Her voice is great and reminds me of Debbie Harry. Lass sie fliegen is the only part I understand. The balloons represent freedom but the song says they would be picked up on radar and cause jet fighters to scramble in the east. It must have left quite an impression on you to see the wall and appreciate your own freedom. Meine grosmutter always spoke German when she didn't want me to know what was going on. It worked.

[@playitagainsue]

@susieq9801 haha it is too bad that you secretly didn't know what your grandmother was saying but you pretended not to know...oh I bet there were some juicy things you would have heard, Linda 🤣. It is too bad we didn't learn these languages of our families. I wish my dad would have taught me Swedish but he wouldn't speak it 💗

[@jessem470]

Great start Yes huge hit , strange but English language version was hit in UK and German version was a hit in US and Canada I do not speak German but i know Luft means something like Air As in Luft (hansa ) How it went from Air to Red in translation I am not sure. The music is infectious and it not surprise it was worldwide hit.

[@playitagainsue]

@jessem470 Hey Jesse, that is odd that the German version was bigger hit in North America. Especially since we usually have the majority of songs that we hear are in English. I never really warmed to the English version. There is just something about the original version in German that I really like. The music is super catchy 😊💙

[@mrloverlover32]

hi sue her name is not actually nena but Gabriele just a stage name and happy new year to you

[@playitagainsue]

@@mrloverlover32 Thanks He He. I appreciate the clarification 😊💚

[@hemiglos]

Auf Deutsch? JA! Auf Englisch? Nein!

[@LondonSpurs]

If this is the ENGLISH version it won EUROVISION SONG CONTEST it is a protest song about nuclear war isn't it.

[@playitagainsue]

@@LondonSpurs I don't think they were in Eurovision with this song 😊

[@LondonSpurs]

@playitagainsue THIS IS WEIRD, I WAS SURE IT HAD, AND IT SAYS ON GOOGLE IT WAS 1984, BUT I FOUND A LIST OF ALL THE GERMAN ENTRIES AND IT WASN'T IN IT.

[@LondonSpurs]

IT IS MUCH BETTER IN ENGLISH, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A HIT HERE IN GERMAN.

[@playitagainsue]

@LondonSpurs Hey London, I like it in German but regardless of language, it is a catchy tune 🤩