99 Luftballons [English translation]

[Verse 1]

If you have some time to spare

I will sing a song for you

About 99 balloons

On their way to the horizon

If you're thinking about me right now

I will sing a song for you

About 99 balloons

And the consequences of innocent actions1

[Verse 2]

99 balloons

On their way to the horizon

Were mistaken for alien invaders

So a general

Sent a fighter squadron after them

To sound the alert if that were true

But all there was on the horizon

Were 99 balloons

[Verse 3]

99 fighter pilots

Each of them a great warrior

Took themselves for Captain Kirk

And started massive fireworks

The neighbors didn't understand what was going on

And felt personally offended

But all they shot at on the horizon

Were 99 balloons

[Verse 4]

99 secretaries of war

With matches and cans of gasoline

Took themselves for clever

With dollar signs in their eyes

Called for war, lusting for power

Boy, who'd have thought

It would ever come to this

Because of 99 balloons?

[Bridge]

Because of 99 balloons

99 balloons!

[Verse 5]

99 years of war

Left no place for winners

There are no secretaries of war anymore

Nor any fighter pilots

As I'm making my rounds

And see the world burned to the ground

I found a balloon

And set it off, thinking of you

1. Lit. "and that this comes from that". The German idiom puts the emphasis on the second "sowas", denoting a petty cause for significant effect.