Enigma "Return To Innocence (Single & Video, 12'' Vinyl, UK, Virgin Records, DINS123)"

"Return to Innocence" is a song by German musical group Enigma, released in December 1993 by Virgin as the lead single from the group's second album, The Cross of Changes (1993). It reached number one in over 10 countries, peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, and entered the top five in several other countries. "Return to Innocence" was the project's biggest hit in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number four on the Billboard Hot 100. Julien Temple directed its accompanying music video, which received heavy rotation on European music channels.

The song's melodic and talking vocals in English are provided by Angel X (Andreas Harde), and a short talking vocal by Sandra ("That's not the beginning of the end, that's the return to yourself, the return to innocence"), while an Amis chant ("Weeding and Paddyfield Song No. 1") sung by folk music duo Difang and Igay Duana opens the song and is repeated throughout. Hailing from Taiwan, these Amis musicians were in a cultural exchange program in Paris in 1988 when their performance of the song was recorded by the Maison des Cultures du Monde and later distributed on CD. The producer of Enigma, Michael Cretu, later obtained the CD and proceeded to sample it. In addition, the drum beat of the song was sampled from the Led Zeppelin song "When the Levee Breaks", played by John Bonham.

The song was used to promote several types of media in the mid-1990s, including film and TV commercials. In autumn 1994, the song was featured in an episode of the TV show My So-Called Life. In 1995, the song was used as the closing theme in Disney's live-action film Man of the House, as well as in the opening and closing of an Outer Limits episode. In 1996, the song was further popularised when it was used in a television advertisement to promote the 1996 Summer Olympics.

In March 1998, Difang and Igay sued Cretu, Virgin Records and a number of recording companies for unauthorised use of their song without credit. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money and all further releases of the song were credited (including royalties) to the Duanas. Cretu has stated that he had been led to believe that the recording was in the public domain and that he did not intentionally violate the Duanas' copyright.

English film, documentary and music video director Julien Temple directed the accompanying music video for "Return to Innocence", which depicts a man's life in reverse, starting with him dying and ending with his baptism as a baby. It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.

Track listings

European CD single

UK 7-inch and cassette single

US and Australian cassette single

1. "Return to Innocence" (radio edit) – 4:03
2. "Return to Innocence" (380 Midnight mix) – 5:55

UK and Australian CD single

Japanese maxi-CD single

1. "Return to Innocence" (radio edit) – 4:03
2. "Return to Innocence" (Long & Alive version) – 7:07
3. "Return to Innocence" (380 Midnight mix) – 5:55
4. "Return to Innocence" (short radio edit) – 3:01

UK and US 12-inch single

A1. "Return to Innocence" (380 Midnight mix) – 5:55

A2. "Return to Innocence" (radio edit) – 4:03

B1. "Return to Innocence" (Long & Alive version) – 7:07

US maxi-CD single

1. "Return to Innocence" (radio edit) – 4:03
2. "Return to Innocence" (Long & Alive version) – 7:07
3. "Return to Innocence" (380 Midnight mix) – 5:55
4. "Return to Innocence" (short radio edit) – 3:01
5. "Sadeness (Part I)" (radio edit) – 4:17

Japanese mini-CD single

1. "Return to Innocence"
2. "Age of Loneliness (Carly's Song)"