The Cold War: "99 Red Balloons"

Introduction/Context

Unlike the first song I wrote about, I had actually previously heard the song "99 Red Balloons" (released by Nena in 1983) - although I hadn't actually heard Nena's version. I was familiar with the cover version from the Mary-Kate & Ashley movie Our Lips Are Sealed (go ahead and laugh), and like many songs I had never really thought about the lyrics - it was just a high-energy song played at a fun part in the movie.

In actuality, though, the song was written about the Cold War. It is set in Berlin, and the song was released in German prior to English (which makes sense, because Nena is German). Wikipedia explains the story given in "99 Red Balloons":

"[It is] a story of two children who buy a bag of balloons in a toy shop in Cold War era Berlin and release them into the air where they are spotted by the military who don't recognize them as balloons but instead think they are some kind of incoming weapon. They immediately put their troops on red alert and call out fighters to intercept which ultimately triggers a nuclear war between the two Cold War adversaries. In the apocalyptic aftermath, one of the children stands in the rubble of the city and finds a single remaining red balloon."

Now that you have a bit more information on the song, enjoy this video!

Commentary

I think this song is a great observation on nuclear war paranoia. Something so innocent as balloons causing a country to decide to detonate nuclear weapons really shows how fearful people were about an attack. Was the song exaggerated? Maybe. However, from what I have learned about the Cold War in school, I can easily believe it was not. Whether set in Germany, the USSR, or the United States, this song easily paints a picture in your head of an officer sitting nervously in a desk chair, finger hovering over *the* button, ready to punch it if the need should come for the country to retaliate. I don't know if you were able to understand all of the lyrics, so I'll post some of them:

"99 red balloons
Floating in the summer sky.
Panic bells, it's red alert -
There's something here from somewhere else.

The war machine springs to life,
Opens up one eager eye,
Focusing it on the sky
Where 99 red balloons go by.

99 Decision Street,
99 ministers meet
To worry, worry, super-scurry
Call the troops out in a hurry!

This is what we've waited for -
This is it boys, this is war.
The president is on the line
As 99 red balloons go by."

Doesn't that just reek of paranoia? And, to be honest, I completely understand it. The Cold War was, I'm sure, a scary time to live in. This song is what people lived every day. They were all scared of what happened at the end of the song actually happening in real life. World destruction. Nuclear annihilation.

If it were not for that last verse, the song could merely be taken for what I previously said it was - an observation of nuclear war paranoia. In fact, you almost think you have reached the end of the song, but then they add that chilling final verse and you realize it is more than a commentary. It is a song calling for peace - for us to, as they sing in the end, "let it go." The song is a warning about what could happen if the world was to continue down the path it was on.

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After listening to part of the song again, I must add that I also think there is another level to the song - another interpretation of the lyrics. Not only were people paranoid about a nuclear attack, but I think the verse that says, "Everyone's a superhero" also shows Nena's view that people were actually anticipating the attack. They wanted to be heroes and be the ones to destroy the enemy. They wanted to be provoked so that they could retaliate. This view kind of twists the picture of the nervous officer a little, doesn't it? However, the result is notably the same in either case.

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To close, I know I will never listen to "99 Red Balloons" the same way again, and my new knowledge has greatly increased my enjoyment of the song. I hope it has done the same for you. :)

Also, here's the link to the German version if anyone's interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9whehyybLqU&feature=related

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99_Luftballons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14IRDDnEPR4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_anti-war_songs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG-3LeJvfzU (lyrics)