Review From a Philippine Nena Fan Who Knows German
Glenn Garfield Ang | San Juan, Metropolitan Manila Philippines | 11/06/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is Nena's latest cd single with six versions of her classic hit "99 Luftballons", but only one of these six is the original version performed live. The other five are based on Nena's new cover of "99 Luftballons", which makes it more ballad-like. The radio version contains only the first, second, and fifth stanzas of the original song, although one could always sing along with the instrumentals in between the second and the fifth stanzas either the third or the fourth stanza. Then, after the fifth stanza, one could still sing along the fourth or third stanza. The same is true with the clean radio version. The album, Westbam remix, and Westbam remix radio edit versions contain the first, second, fourth, and fifth stanzas of the original song, but, again, one can always sing along with the instrumentals the third stanza, but this time between the second and fourth stanzas, instead of between the second and the fifth stanzas. Nena performed this new ballad-like cover of "99 Luftballons" as early as the 2001 live concerts just before the commercial release of CHOKMAH and a lot of Nena fans have responded very favorably to it, including myself. All the six versions available on this cd single are really wonderful and I would very highly recommend purchasing this Nena cd single, not only to Nena fans, but also to others who are open to appreciating truly magnificent music and singing!"
Good Re-make...
I. A. Pokk | USA | 02/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When a song is re-made -- 99% of the time will not be better than the first time around. This one here is no different. I am sorry to see how disappointed our listening friend Ramon (listed review here) was by buying this CD.
The new version is good, but nowhere as good as the original. Naturally. I think these attempts are just experiments and it is OK if the artist tries out different sounds. No one claimed that the original song was "broken" as Ramon put it. Far from it! It was one of the greatest songs of all time! By the way, Nena is NOT a ONE-HIT wonder -- as it is RELATIVE --what angle of the world we are looking at things.
Nena had several hits while having the Band and later she made many, many great solo albums of which her true fans really love. She is the biggest German artist of all time and that is no One HIT wonder. Nena started her music in the German New Wave in which it was accepted and customary to sing in German. She remained true to that image and practice which made her not as famous around the world as she could have become. In any case, buy this CD, whether or not you have or know the original song. The new 2002 99 Luftballons -- is a new version that is rocky, uplifting, happy and free! ..."
What's this?
Ramon Grupe Cacho | Makati, Metro Manila, The Philippines | 01/02/2003
(1 out of 5 stars)
"From the one-hit wonder band of the 80's came this glorious, catchy tune, which they somehow remade, remodelled; and, completely lost the essence of what made it a hit in the first place. I ordered this, because I thought that I could finally have the remixed/extended versions of their one and only hit outside Germany, but this new version is just terrible. Don't fix what's not broke! This is the perfect example of a bad attempt at fixing something that was already perfect. The only good thing in this single is the live old version of the song. The rest are just silly. Don't waste your money here."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1