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99 Red balloons/99 Luftballons

Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=219
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Topic: 99 Red balloons/99 Luftballons

Posted By: Fetta
Subject: 99 Red balloons/99 Luftballons
Date Posted: 09 May 2005 at 11:18am

I remember severals radio stations in New York in the 80's(probably Z100 and WPLJ) playing a version of 99 Red Balloons and 99 Luftballoons which was a mixture of both the German and English versions. Does this exist anywhere on CD or even on vinyl? Was this a special promo piece or something that was done in-house at the radio station. (Each station played the exact same edit).

Anyone know what I am talking about.

-Fetta

Replies:

Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 09 May 2005 at 7:08pm

I have the white label dj 45 titled 99 Luftballons and it is 100% German on both sides with a stated time of 3:32 but it actually runs 3:51. I have the commercial 45 which has 99 Luftballons on one side in 100% German with a stated running time of 3:32 but it actually runs 3:51. The flip side of the commercial 45 is 99 Red Ballons and is 100 % English with a stated running time of 3:50 and runs 3:51. I have the promo 12" single and it is the same story with 99 Luftballons on one side in 100% German with a stated running time of 3:32 but actually running 3:51, and 99 Red Ballons on the flip side in 100% English. The Album has both versions on it also but they are either 100% English or 100% German and oddly enough the LP has the correct running time printed on the label.

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Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator

Posted By: Paul Haney
Date Posted: 11 May 2005 at 9:58am

I remember hearing the mixed language version on KDWB in Minneapolis. Only heard it a few times, but it did make an impression.

Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 11 May 2005 at 6:16pm

You might want to try searching for 45s from other countries. A good site is gemm.com, or ebay.com of course. I was searching for the version of "Rock Me Amadeus" by Falco that was a combination of both the Canadian and American versions. I remembered hearing it on WJGS in Michigan and Casey's Top 40 back in '86, and sure enough, that version was available on a 45 from Europe, although probably very rare.

Posted By: cmmmbase
Date Posted: 25 May 2006 at 10:21pm

Actually, I still encounter the mixed language version of this tune during the course of my work (music researcher for Mediabase 24/7). There is a station or two out there that uses that version. There was also a mixed language version of the Peter Schilling "Major Tom" tune that was out at the same time (I think that was from the 12")

Posted By: Todd Ireland
Date Posted: 25 May 2006 at 10:31pm

I lived near Washington D.C. at the time "99 Luftballoons" was popular and I clearly remember Top 40 stations in the area playing mixed language versions as the song was in the later stages of its chart run. I have a feeling these mixed language versions were in-house creations though I don't know for sure.

Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 26 May 2006 at 12:59am

Fetta wrote:

I remember severals radio stations in New York in the 80's(probably Z100 and WPLJ) playing a version of 99 Red Balloons and 99 Luftballoons which was a mixture of both the German and English versions. Does this exist anywhere on CD or even on vinyl? Was this a special promo piece or something that was done in-house at the radio station. (Each station played the exact same edit).
-Fetta

I've been VERY lucky to be on the "inside" of Top 40 radio since the late 70's. Program Directors, Music Directors, etc. move around frequently, but almost ALWAYS keep in touch with their favorite ex-co-workers, even many years later, as friends. I only bring this up because these friendships OFTEN result in these custom, in-house versions (and you're right, Z100 & WPLJ is where many (if not MOST of them) originate from.) Sometimes, our PD or MD would walk over to me (the 80's was this trick's "heyday.") with a reel-to-reel tape, of "uncertain" origin, and ask me if I'd cart it up, put it in the main studio, and replace our "old" version with "this new" mix. Later, they'd come clean, and tell me an old buddy now in NYC sent it to 'em. Another similar example: my station played a Prince version of "Batdance" (still have a cassette dub!) that was 75% Adam West, Burt Ward & Cesar Romero, and included only about 25% of the actual '89 Prince 45. Came from NYC! Just because different stations play a similar "in-house" edit, it doesn't NECESSARILY mean it came out as a legitimate label release that way. Could be "The Friends' Network!" Last point: If I heard an in-house mix on Z100 I that wanted tomorrow, our MD is also a 2-year + weekender there. Also, a VERY good ex-co-worker/friend of mine is a HUGE bigwig within Z100's corporate chain. I could get it from EITHER of them in minutes - all I have to do is ask. And that's how it works.

Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 27 May 2006 at 11:52pm

While we're on the subject, I bought what I think is a somewhat unusual 45 yesterday. It's Nena's "99 Luftballoons," same catalog number as the standard (34-04108), but with "Just a Dream" as the B-side instead of "99 Luftballoons," which is what Whitburn lists. It's definitely a US commercial pressing, bar code and everything. Has a little "STERLING" in the runout groove.

I don't see another copy of this configuration on Ebay, so it may be fairly unusual. There are a couple promo 45s for "Just a Dream," so I'd think it were a reissue or had "99 Luftballoons" as the B-side, were it not for it having the identical catalog number.

Posted By: jimct
Date Posted: 28 May 2006 at 1:05am

Brian, I respond to you, despite the fact that Grant may correctly allege I am making no sense!

There are 2 stock 45s here, both Epic 04108: 99 Luftballons (ZSS-171373-1A)/99 Red Ballons (ZSS-171443-1B). That is by FAR the most common commercial 45. The one I believe you just found DID also come out right around the same time as the first one: 99 Luftballons (ZSS-171373-1C)/Just A Dream (ZSS-171374-1D)(listed time 3:31; actually 3:29.) Logically, it would seem that the first 45, with deadwax ending in "A" & "B", came out BEFORE the second one, with deadwax ending in "C" & "D". I believe, for a moment or two, Epic thought the foreign version had "won out" as the undisputed U.S. "hit" version. On that premise, if "Just A Dream" was the flip, novice music fans would now easily know what side their "hit" was on (there was some consumer confusion), instead of the "bother" of having to sample both sides to find what they'd been hearing. But the brakes got put on that pretty quick by THREE things: 1-The in-house "German/English" mixes made the English version "of interest" again. 2-Also, I can confirm there were probably 20% of U.S. Top 40 stations that bypassed the German version ENTIRELY, and played NOTHING but the English-only version. (My station almost always "followed the pack", but on this one, we didn't; we never played the German version.) And, 3-Epic was now thinking follow-up. Europe favored the slow ballad, "Let Me Be Your Pirate", but Epic U.S. believed more in the Blondie-ish, up-tempo "Just A Dream." Why put the follow-up on back of 99 Luftballons? Who'll buy it then? So, some got out, but they ultimately went back to "Plan A." I also have 2 different promo 45s for "99 Luftballons". One is exactly like the first stock copy I described, on both sides. The other has "99 Luftballons" on BOTH sides; no "99 Red Ballons" appears at all. Finally, "Just A Dream", in it's "A-side" release (Epic 04440)(ZSS-171692-1A)(listed and actual time 3:29) bubbled under at #102 on 5/5/84. Stock flip was "Rette Mich" (ZSS-171693-1B, listed time 3:17.) Whew!

Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 28 May 2006 at 10:20am

jimct wrote:

There are 2 stock 45s here, both Epic 04108: 99 Luftballons (ZSS-171373-1A)/99 Red Ballons (ZSS-171443-1B). That is by FAR the most common commercial 45. The one I believe you just found DID also come out right around the same time as the first one: 99 Luftballons (ZSS-171373-1C)/Just A Dream (ZSS-171374-1D)(listed time 3:31; actually 3:29.) Logically, it would seem that the first 45, with deadwax ending in "A" & "B", came out BEFORE the second one, with deadwax ending in "C" & "D".

Hmm, my dead wax is ZSS-171373-1A for "Luftballoons" and ZSS-171374-1A for "Just a Dream." (That's referring to my new Luftballoons/Just a Dream 45, of course.)

And a friend of mine from New Jersey said his local station ALWAYS played "Red Balloons" as well.

Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 29 August 2016 at 8:33pm

Just to see what would happen, I played a Casey Kasem talk break from American Top 40 into my iPhone SE, to see if the voice recognition would work. It does, but it wrote the title of the Nena song as "Knowing Annoying Sake Blue Balloons". Outstanding!

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There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past .

Posted By: Yah Shure
Date Posted: 29 August 2016 at 9:04pm

crapfromthepast wrote:

"Knowing Annoying Sake Blue Balloons". Outstanding!

Oh, man... that's a keeper of the highest order!

I am now re-filing my copies of Toto's "99" under the letter "K." ;)

Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 29 August 2016 at 10:37pm

LOLOL ... i love that title.

Posted By: radiofan16
Date Posted: 30 August 2016 at 1:46am

When the late Philly Hot AC station Star 104.5 used to do 80s weekends, they
always played the English version "Red Balloons". I had no idea that there was
a German version until years later.

Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 30 August 2016 at 4:53pm

radiofan16 wrote:

When the late Philly Hot AC station
Star 104.5 used to do 80s weekends, they
always played the English version "Red Balloons". I had
no idea that there was
a German version until years later.

My roommate is from Pennsauken, NJ, right outside of
Philly, and he doesn't remember hearing anything but the
English version on the radio back in the day.

Posted By: Paul Haney
Date Posted: 31 August 2016 at 4:14am

It seems I only hear the English version on the radio these days (at least here in the Milwaukee area). That was NOT the case back when the song was first popular. Depends on where you lived of course, but in my area (the Twin Cities), I heard the all German version the most, followed by the mixed version and least of all, the all English version. I do remember hearing all three at the time and am still partial to the all German version. I had 6 years of German in junior/senior high school, so I've always understood the German lyrics and they pack more of a punch than the English ones, at least to my ears.