Oh, how I pity you bloggers who weren’t even born in 1983. Sure, you have nice skin and your whole life in front of you and a bunch of other crap like that, but can you remember watching German pop singer Nena‘s 99 Luftballons video on brand-spanking-new MTV whenever the network wasn’t playing that clip of a rocket taking off? I think not!
Hot ’80s Nena
Hot 2007 NenaI’m quite amused by this story about her. Basically she told a bunch of German insurance salespeople to get up and dance — you know, because there was music and all — and they freaked out. Get over yourselves, German insurance salespeople! I can’t blame her for getting drunk before facing this crowd. “German insurance salespeople” sounds like the kind of audience that musicians must endure if they go to hell. You know that Satan totally has a warped sense of humor. Repent, Keith Richards, repent!
In other music news, blogger Chronicle of Habit did a great post on one of my favorite singers, the eccentric Kate Bush. It’s been too long since I saw the Wuthering Heights video with Kate’s interpretive dance of ballet and insanity. Check it out!
The white dress version
The red dress version
Is it just me, or does it seem like that song played continuously from ’83 until maybe June of last year? It was always either that or “Walking on Sunshine.”
I loooooved these two songs. And I still play the KB song when I teach WH.
Oh my goodness, I loved 99 Luftballons! I thought it was so poignant to be dancing away to a foreign song. Ah, the joys of puple eye-makeup and a perm in the 80s.
And Nena looks damn fabulous now too!
when i think of germans and nena i think of my ultimate favorite, nina hagen.
For those of us not from the 80s, we know this version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QYIlgRg9TY
Nena and Falco were part of the good German invasion of the 1980’s, not the “other” German invasion of the 1930’s & 1940’s.
LOL @ Del-V.
I prefer the red dress version of Wuthering Heights….her make-up is brilliantly insane!
And good for Nena and her hairy armpits! 😉
oh how i loved this song! okay, i still love this song and most of the music from the 80’s. those were such good times.
The 2002 version of “99 Luftballoons” inspired in me the same reaction as the Pussycat Doll covering “Rio” for Caress body wash. I had to turn it off. Not because it was bad, but because it feels morally wrong.
OMG – I loved that video (German version). I was SO there the first time. Wuthering Heights – so good. It’s on my iPod (not cuz I like it, just cuz I was there). Damn, makes me feel a) nostalgic and b) vaguely ancient. Thanks WendyB.
MTV was AMAZING when it first started. Oh, how it shaped my musical tastes when it began. I was 7! I remember dragging my mother to the RECORD store to buy INXS shaboo shabah album so I could play it continuously on my record player. I was transfixed by that video for The One Thing. Cheesy and HOT! I had the weirdest record collection as a child: Inxs, ACDC, Prince, Gogo’s. I remember the first time I saw the Sonic Youth video for Teenage Riot too and how I suddenly understood what cool really was.
LOVELOVELOVE Kate Bush! So sorry she’s been a recluse for the past, what, 25 years? She’s amazing.
Neeeeeena! I would sing along with a fake German accent. Lovely woman. Kind of looks like Britney in that 80s photo (foto?!)
bringing it back, bringing it back.
Cool, I’d never seen the German Nena video. I am now in love with her keyboard player. Hubba hubba, Hans!
Aaaaaarrrrggggghhhhh! I’m having a flashback!
That is a wonderful song. I’m addicted to it.
You have not experienced “99 Red Balloons” until you hear me sing it on “Singstar” for Playstation. I’m the total master of this song. I always get the top score when I sing it.
I may post a video in the not terribly distant future.
“[incomprehensible german] Captain Kirk!”
That song was good times, even though it involved dust that was a city.
So good …
And when are wer getting together, Ms. B?
I love that song, me and my boyfriend will burst out singing it at the most random times!
this makes me wish i was Dr. Who and could go back in time to a period in which I’d actually appreciate living in.
80s dancing is so awesomely awful.
But the guy playing the synthesizer has nice hair.
Ooh i love Nena <3
Nice song!
OMG you’re bringing back memories……….
I, for one, will be toasting to Nena and her drunkenness.
I recently included her in a post about the number 99:
http://www.1000demons.com/2008/04/no32-ninety-nine_05.html
You may well have given me fodder for my next blog demon…
ooooer a fellow 1983er! fantastic! i often get that song stuck in my head at random times. I’d say at least once a week, for completely unknown reasons. true!
Does being born in 1983 count? Well… loving all the Kate Bush, goes without saying but certainly never heard of Nena… thanks!
i really love Pat Benatar’s cover of wuthering heights better than the original. Kate’s version is kinda creepy, but i can’t deny the song she wrote beautiful. i just think i like the way pat treats it is better.
Just yesterday my best friend and I were driving the highway and she had Kate Bush on cd. Of course we started singing along with it like crazy women. I just wish we had flowy dresses so we could have paid homage to the video in her car.
I loved Kate Bush. I think I was born at just the right time for all of the 80’s wonderfulness because I got the good stuff (80-84) and none of the later nonsense.