The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money weÂ've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
Till one by one they were gone
Back at base, sparks in the software
Flash the message â??somethings out thereâ??
Floating in the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, its red alert
ThereÂ's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
And focusing it on the sky
The ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine decisions treat
Ninety nine 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 ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine knights of the air
Ride super high-tech jet fighters
Everyone's a super hero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify and classify
Scrambling the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by
As ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty
In this dust that was a city
If could find a souvenir
Just the prove the world was here
And here is a red balloon
I think of you and let it go
Buy a bag of balloons with the money weÂ've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
Till one by one they were gone
Back at base, sparks in the software
Flash the message â??somethings out thereâ??
Floating in the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, its red alert
ThereÂ's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
And focusing it on the sky
The ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine decisions treat
Ninety nine 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 ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine knights of the air
Ride super high-tech jet fighters
Everyone's a super hero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify and classify
Scrambling the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by
As ninety nine red balloons go by
Ninety nine dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty
In this dust that was a city
If could find a souvenir
Just the prove the world was here
And here is a red balloon
I think of you and let it go
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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99 dreams I have had In every one a red balloon It's all over and I'm standin' pretty In the dust that was a city If I could find a souvenier Just to prove the world was here... And here it is, a red balloon I think of you and let it go.
this part clearly shows that even the only souvenier left in the entire world to show that a civilised world once existed was absolutely nothing in comparison to the feelings that the singer felt and had/has for his lover, thus, he lets it go in remembrance of his love (said "love" could symbolize a single person, whole society, or even the destroyed masses described earlier in the song)