99 Red Balloons
Just recently on March 26, 2006, VH1 aired the music video for Nena’s “99 Red Balloons” continuously from 2pm EST to 3pm EST. The song, originally recorded in 1983 as a Cold War protest by German pop singer Nena, tells the story of 99 red balloons floating in the air on a summer’s day which are mistaken for a Soviet first strike.
Coincidentally, on March 23rd, we as in in the American people, just celebrated the anniversary of President Ronald Reagan’s famed 1983 “Star Wars” speech in which he called for “the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace, to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.”
It makes you wonder if the Great Communicator preferred the English or the German version.
After all red balloons are just red balloons.
Well if he has any taste, he’d prefer the German version. I may be wrong, but I also heard that VH1 sold request spots (for charity?) and someone actually bought that big block of time for 99 Red Balloons. For such an upbeat song with a lovely image of red balloons, it’s kind of a downer when you hear the story of what it’s about. (hmmm..which is maybe why it’s better in German)
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99 red balloons carrying artworks with the theme of world peace were let go of on December 11,2006 at 2:00 P.M. Art students at Margo Elementary dedicated the project to children who are affected by poverty, injustice, conflict, and indifference.
Check out the Incredible Art Department, a website for art educators. Under their art news, pictures of the event are available. Valley Morning Star, http://www.valleystar.com, has a great article of the event.
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