In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we got
Set them free at the break of dawn
Til one by one they were gone
Back at base bugs in the software
Flash the message "something's out there"
Floating in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by
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, opening one eager eye
Focusing it in the sky as 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, 99 red balloons go by
99 knights of the air ride super high tech jet fighters
Everyone's a superhero, everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify, to clarify and classify
Scramble in the summer sky as 99 red balloons go by
99 dreams I have had, every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty in this dust that was a city
I could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here
And here's a red balloon, I think of you and let it go
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we got
Set them free at the break of dawn
Til one by one they were gone
Back at base bugs in the software
Flash the message "something's out there"
Floating in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by
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, opening one eager eye
Focusing it in the sky as 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, 99 red balloons go by
99 knights of the air ride super high tech jet fighters
Everyone's a superhero, everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify, to clarify and classify
Scramble in the summer sky as 99 red balloons go by
99 dreams I have had, every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty in this dust that was a city
I could find a souvenir just to prove the world was here
And here's a red balloon, I think of you and let it go
Lyrics submitted by punkpirate
99 Red Balloons Lyrics as written by Carlo Karges Joern-uwe Fahrenkrog-petersen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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OH MAN! Why has no one commented on this song?
This is the best cover of this song ever, Goldfinger really screwed it up.
I think most people liked the GoldFinger cover because it made the ol' soft version several times 'rock-ier'. People tend to like that, pluz, it makes one hell of a song to dance to, bang your head to, or sing to the shower...I'm sure I'm not the only one who does that...Am I?
great song
Love this cover.