From Siobhán Silke: I don't know if you speak German yourself, but you do mention on your page that the English translation of "99 Luftballons" is poetic rather than literal. If you're interested, here is a *very* unpoetic direct translation, just so you know what she was singing originally. The translation is line for line.

If you move your cursor over a line, the original German lyric will appear

German - Direct German Translation - English as Sung - Side by Side Comparision

Do you have some time for me?
Then I'll sing a song for you
About 99 balloons
On their way to the horizon
Are you perhaps thinking of me?
Then I'll sing a song for you
About 99 balloons
And that something (like the war) comes from such a thing (the balloons)

99 balloons
On their way to the horizon
They thought they were UFOs from space
So a general sent
A flying squad out there
To raise the alarm if it was true
Yet there on the horizon were
Only 99 balloons

99 jet airplanes
Each one was a great warrior
Thought that they were Captain Kirk
There were great fireworks
The neighbors didn't understand anything
And felt immediately felt "pissed off"/provoked
Yet there they shot on the horizon
At 99 balloons

99 war ministers
Matches and petrol cans
Thought that they were clever people
Already caught wind of great spoils [of war]
Shouted: War, and wanted power
Man, who would have thought
That one day it would come to this
Because of 99 balloons

99 years of war
Don't leave a place for victors
There are no ministers of war any more
No jet planes either
Today I'm doing my rounds
Seeing the world lying in ruins
Found a balloon
Think of you and let it fly

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Thanks to the people who sent in corrections.
Also check out the Nuclear War Songs Of The 80s page.