The English version of this song is
not a direct translation, and
AltaVista doesn't do a very good job of translating it, but I got this direct translation of the German lyrics from
inthe80s.com and it matches the very-
fragmented AltaVista translation, only better:
if you have some time for me
then I'll sing a song for you
about ninety-nine balloons
on their way to the horizon
perhaps you'll think of me a bit
then I'll sing a song for you
about ninety-nine balloons
who'd have thought it would come to this*
ninety-nine balloons
on their way to the horizon
mistaken for UFOs from space
so a general sent
a flying squad out there
to raise the alarm if it were true
yet there on the horizon were
only ninety-nine balloons
ninety-nine jet hunters
each one was a great warrior
mistook themselves for Captain Kirk
there were great fireworks
the neighbors didn't understand*
and immediately got offended*
yet there they shot on the horizon
at ninety-nine balloons
ninety-nine war ministers
matches and petrol cans
mistook themselves for clever people
had many a victory under their belts*
shouted: war, and wanted power
man, who would have thought
that one day it would come to this
because of ninety-nine balloons
ninety-nine years of war
doesn't leave a place for victors
there are no ministers any more
no fighter pilots*, either
today I'm walking around*
seeing the world lying in ruins
found a balloon
think of you and let it fly
*Many thanks to eliserh who corrected all lines marked with an asterisk.