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)"

Enigma "The Rivers Of Belief (Single & Video, 7'' Vinyl, UK, Virgin Records, DINS 112)"

"The Rivers of Belief" is a 1991 song created by the musical project, Enigma. The single was the last to be released from MCMXC a.D..

On the album, the song is part three of the overarching song, "Back to the Rivers of Belief", which includes the songs "Way to Eternity" and "Hallelujah", which then segues into "Rivers of Belief". The single version of the song starts with a sample of the intro to Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor and a spoken passage by Sandra, before picking up where the album version begins.

Track listing:

1. "The Rivers of Belief" (Radio Edit) – 4:24
2. "The Rivers of Belief" (Extended Version) – 7:49
3. "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" – 3:46

Charts

Australia #160

Sweden #37

UK #68

Enigma "The Principles Of Lust (Single & Video, 7'' Vinyl, France, Virgin Records, 95031)"

"Principles of Lust" is a 1991 song created by musical project Enigma. It was released as the third single from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. (1990). On the album, "Principles of Lust" is a multi-part song consisting of two versions of "Sadeness" with "Find Love" in between. The single version is a remix of "Find Love" with some additional instrumentation.

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "The church choir hit-team changes the tempo way down low. Combined with Sandra's vocals and sighs plus some strange bubbling sounds, it should work wonders again."

Track listing:

CD single, UK

1. "Principles of Lust" (Radio Edit) – 3:25
2. "Principles of Lust" (Omen Mix) – 5:52
3. "Principles of Lust" (Jazz Mix) – 3:06
4. "Sadeness (Radio Edit)" – 4:17

CD single, US

1. "Principles of Lust" (Radio Edit) – 3:25
2. "Principles of Lust" (Everlasting Lust Mix) – 5:09
3. "Principles of Lust" (Album Version) – 4:20
4. "Principles of Lust" (Jazz Mix) – 3:06

CD single, Japan

1. "Principles of Lust" (Radio Edit) – 3:25
2. "Principles of Lust" (Everlasting Lust Mix) – 5:09
3. "Principles of Lust" (The Omen Mix) – 5:52
4. "Sadeness" (Meditation Mix) – 3:04

Enigma "Mea Culpa II (Single & Video, Australia, Virgin Records, DINS 104)"

"Mea Culpa (Part II)" is a song by German musical project Enigma. It was released in April 1991 as the second of four singles from their debut album, MCMXC a.D. (1990). Like their previous single "Sadeness (Part I)", it is sung in French and Latin, though "Mea Culpa (Part II)" also has a line in English, "The time has come". It was the project's second top ten hit in their native Germany, reaching number seven, as well as reaching the top ten in Belgium, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. However, it failed to match the success of "Sadeness (Part I)" in many other countries, reaching number 20 in Ireland, number 59 in Canada and number 55 in both Australia and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the single failed to chart on the Billboard Hot, but reached number seven on the dance chart. The accompanying music video for the song received heavy rotation on MTV Europe. Two music videos were made, the first for the orthodox version and the second for the catholic version.

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Follow-up to the mega hit Sadeness Part I: this time there's also the choice of a Catholic mix. How long do we have to wait until Pope John-Paul II takes action?"

Track listings:

7" single

1. "Mea Culpa Part II" (orthodox version) – 3:58
2. "Mea Culpa Part II" (catholic version) – 3:54

12" maxi

1. "Mea Culpa Part II" (fading shades mix) – 6:15
2. "Mea Culpa Part II" (orthodox mix) – 3:58
3. "Mea Culpa Part II" (catholic version) – 3:54
4. "Mea Culpa Part II" (LP version) – 5:05
5. "Communion: O sacrum convivium" – 4:42

CD single

1. "Mea Culpa Part II" (orthodox version) – 3:58
2. "Mea Culpa Part II" (catholic version) – 3:54

CD maxi

1. "Mea Culpa Part II" (fading shades mix) – 6:15
2. "Mea Culpa Part II" (orthodox mix) – 3:58
3. "Mea Culpa Part II" (catholic version) – 3:54

Enigma "Sadeness Part I (Single & Video, Germany, Vinyl 7, Virgin Records, 113 703)"

"Sadeness (Part I)" is a song by German musical project Enigma, released in October 1990 by Virgin Records as the lead single from their first album, MCMXC a.D. (1990). It was written by Michael Cretu, Fabrice Cuitad and Frank Peterson, and produced by the latter. The song features French lyrics whispered by Cretu's then-wife, Sandra and became an international hit, reaching number one in 14 countries. In the United States, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on both the Dance Club Play and 12-inch Singles Sales charts. Its music video was directed by Michel Guimbard, featuring a scribe dreaming of wandering into The Gates of Hell. A sequel to the song, "Sadeness (Part II)" featuring Anggun, was released on Enigma's eighth studio album, The Fall of a Rebel Angel (2016).

"Sadeness" was written by Michael Cretu (under the pseudonym Curly M.C.), Frank Peterson (under the pseudonym F. Gregorian), and Fabrice Cuitad (under the pseudonym David Fairstein). The song was named "Sadeness (Part I)" on its single release in Germany, and "Sadness Part I" on its single release in the United Kingdom and Japan. It is a sensual track based around "questioning" the sexual desires of Marquis de Sade; hence the German release name of "Sadeness", as opposed to the English word of "Sadness" used in the UK release. The track reached number-one faster than any new release in German history - before its video clip had even been finished. The record company Virgin had done virtually no promotion on the song. Sales took off purely on the strength of radio and club play.

In the 2017 book Stars of 90's Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers by James Arena, producer Frank Peterson recalled: "Well, we finished the song, and we were in total awe of ourselves. Michael's manager, who also managed Sandra, came out to Ibiza with us for a weekend, and we played him the track. He was sitting there listening and said, "That's very heavy going. You'll never get that on radio." We started thinking, "Oh shit." An hour later, our contact at Virgin tells us his secretary and other people at the office are fucking amazed by the song. He said he didn't get it, but everyone else seemed to love it. So pretty quickly the song came out."

The track makes use of the following:

• Gregorian vocals mostly sampled from the 1977 album Paschale Mysterium by the German choir Capella Antiqua München with conductor Konrad Ruhland. Particularly prominent is music from "Procedamus in pace!", an antiphon which is the second track on the album. The vocals were at first used without permission; a lawsuit followed in 1994 and was settled by compensation.
• Part of the drum beat is sampled from James Brown's song "Funky President (People It's Bad)".
• The track's main drum beat is sampled from Soul II Soul's 1989 song "Keep on Movin'"
• French lyrics whispered by Cretu's then-wife, Sandra, who at the time of Enigma's formation had already hit singles as a solo artist.

Ned Raggett from AllMusic commented, "Snippets of monks invoking the Almighty effortlessly glide in and out of a polite but still strong breakbeat, shimmering, atmospheric synth and flute lines and a Frenchwoman whispering in a way that sounds distinctly more carnal than spiritual (as her gasps for breath elsewhere make clear)." Keith Clark from Bay Area Reporter called the song "suggestive". Larry Flick from Billboard described it as "brilliant and quirky", remarking that "it is currently the fastest-selling single in German recording history." He added that it "has already raised the ire of religious groups for its use of traditional Gregorian chants within the context of orgasmic groaning and a tribal hip-hop groove." Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly described it as a "incense trance". Irish Evening Herald called it "one of the most seductive dance records of the past couple of years". Swedish Expressen noted that church song are used "as a very reliable vocal generator".

Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report wrote, "Listeners may not have a clue what it's about, but the mood created by this totally unique production will keep 'em glued and wanting more. Not only have the Germans demolished the Berlin Wall, they had the good sense to make this a number one "sod - as in (Marquis De Sade) ness." A reviewer from Music Week described it as "chanting monks and a sensual muttering rolling over a hypnotically rolling slow beat". Ian Cranna from Smash Hits noted the "atmospheric lines" of the song in his review, adding that it's "combining medieval monks' chants and wispy, wistful synthesiser driftings over hippety-hoppety beats." Bob Mack from Spin called it "the Dark Ages disco cut". He added that "the track starts with a standard call and response—but it's one of monks doing Gregorian chants. After the beats kick in, synth washes buoy the flute flourishes, while French spoken words and heavy female panting get the point across." Kimberly Chrisma from The Stanford Daily felt the result of combining Gregorian chant with "pulsating synthesizers" was "an ambient fantasia that made the heart throb and the mind tingle."

The single reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart on 13 January 1991, as well as in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. It reached the top spot on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it remained at the top for nine weeks. In the United States, the single peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in April 1991. The record sold over 500,000 copies in the US and was certified Gold there. The single has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. It earned a gold record in Australia, Austria, France, the Netherlands and the United States, and a silver record in the United Kingdom. It also earned a platinum record in Germany and Sweden.

The accompanying music video for "Sadeness (Part I)" was directed by Michel Guimbard, and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe. It shows a scribe who dreams of wandering among cathedral ruins. He comes up to Auguste Rodin's The Gates of Hell; and as the scribe looks on, he sees a woman (played by French model Kati Tastet) beyond it, who whispers the main lyrics from the song to him. The scribe then opens the gates and, realising what he has done, attempts to flee, but is dragged through the gates. The video ends with the scribe waking up.

In July 2013, Complex included "Sadeness (Part I)" in their list of "15 Songs That Gave Dance Music a Good Name", commenting, "We doubt that something like this, with lyrics in Latin and French that dealt with religion and the sexual desires of Marquis de Sade, would fly in today's pop charts, but there's something that was so undeniable about this new age/downtempo track that it was featured everywhere, from Single White Female to Tropic Thunder." In February 2022, Classic Pop ranked it number four in their list of the top 40 dance tracks from the 90's, praising it as "unique".

Track listings

2-track 7-inch single for France

1. "Sadeness Part I" (Radio Edit) – 4:17
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix) – 2:57

4-track 12-inch single for Europe

1. "Sadeness Part I" (Extended Trance Mix) – 4:57
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix) – 2:59
3. "Sadeness Part I" (Violent US Remix) – 4:57
4. "Sadeness Part I" (Radio Edit) – 4:14

4-track CD single for the UK

1. "Sadeness Part I" (Radio Edit) – 4:16
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Extended Trance Mix) – 5:04
3. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix) – 3:01
4. "Sadeness Part I" (Violent US Remix) – 5:03

5-track CD single for the US

1. "Sadeness Part I" (Violent US Remix) – 5:03
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix) – 3:01
3. "Sadeness Part I" (Extended Trance Mix) – 5:04
4. "Sadeness Part I" (Radio Edit) – 4:17
5. "Introit: Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas" – 3:04

2-track promotional CD single for Japan

1. "Sadeness Part I" (Ebi-Kuma Mix) – 4:40
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix)

Enigma "MCMXC A.D. (Mexico, Virgin Records, 219 786224 2)"

MCMXC a.D. is the debut studio album by the German musical project Enigma, led by the Romanian-German musician Michael Cretu. It was released in Europe by Virgin Records on 3 December 1990, and in the United States by Charisma Records on 12 February 1991. Cretu became fascinated with mixing archaic sounds with modern music after producing "Everlasting Love" by the German pop singer Sandra, for which he experimented with Gregorian chant. Following their marriage in 1988, Michael developed Enigma and recorded the album over the course of eight months in 1990 at A.R.T. Studios.

MCMXC a.D. combines new-age music with dance rhythms, Gregorian chant and themes of religion and sexuality, for which it received generally positive reviews. The Gregorian chant was sampled from recordings by Capella Antiqua München, which resulted in the Munich-based choir's label, Polydor Germany suing Cretu and Virgin Records for infringing on its "right of personality". The case was dropped after Cretu agreed to pay compensation.

MCMXC a.D. reached the top 10 on record charts in 10 countries, including the United States, where it stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for over five years. It was certified quadruple platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). "Sadeness (Part I)", "Mea Culpa (Part II)", "Principles of Lust" and "The Rivers of Belief" were released as singles. The lead single topped charts worldwide.

In 1987, Michael Cretu worked with Sandra on her song "Everlasting Love". Cretu experimented with Gregorian chant while working on the song with Sandra, and the chants appeared at the beginning of her song. He would become fascinated with incorporating archaic sounds into contemporary songs. Michael Cretu married Sandra in 1988 and came up with the idea of a new-age musical project, which would become known as "Enigma". MCMXC a.D. was recorded in 1990 in eight months at A.R.T. Studios, Cretu's studio located on the Spanish island of Ibiza. Cretu conceived the album as one continuous song; his philosophy when creating it was, "Contrary to the usual record-company philosophy, people are open-minded and starved for something unique." Cretu produced MCMXC a.D., with creative input from Frank Peterson and Fabrice Cuitad.

The first song recorded for the album was "Sadeness (Part I)". After making the song, Michael told Sandra Cretu, "This will be a huge hit or nothing at all." "Sadeness (Part I)" was released as a single on 1 October 1990. Michael Cretu wanted to be anonymous and wished for the single not to be promoted. He believed that it was not important for consumers to know who the producer is and wanted them to buy the single for the music itself. Due to this, he was credited as Curly M.C., while Peterson was credited as F. Gregorian, and Cuitad was credited as David Fairstein. Virgin Records promoted the song with radio and club-play only. Despite having virtually no promotion, "Sadeness (Part I)" became an international hit and reached number one in Germany faster than any previous new release, and prior to the completion of its music video.

MCMXC a.D. was released in Europe by Virgin Records on 3 December 1990, and in the United States by Charisma Records on 12 February 1991. Cretu still wanted to remain anonymous, believing that the consumers would buy the album for the music itself. The three producers were credited on MCMXC a.D. under the same monikers as on "Sadeness (Part I)": Cretu as Curly M.C., Peterson as F. Gregorian, and Cuitad as David Fairstein.

MCMXC a.D. is 40 minutes and 16 seconds long and is divided into seven tracks, two of which contain three separate songs each. The track "Principles of Lust" contains "Sadeness", "Find Love", and "Sadeness (Reprise)"; and "Back to the Rivers of Belief" contains "Way to Eternity", "Hallelujah", and "The Rivers of Belief". The album encompasses a range of genres, including new-age, worldbeat, and pop music; and it utilizes hip-hop and dance rhythms. The album is well known for its mixing of Gregorian chant and other religious overtones with sexuality; the lead single, "Sadeness (Part I)", being the prime example. It is a common misconception that, because "Sadeness (Part I)" employs Gregorian chants, the entire album contains such chants. In debunking this notion, Cretu stated that "'Sadeness' is only one piece of the puzzle." Larry Flick from Billboard further clarified, saying that "Mea Culpa" maintains the atmosphere of "Sadeness", but "without the aid of Gregorian chants." According to the Journal of Religion and Health, MCMXC a.D. follows the narrative of facing one's demons and making peace with them.

"The Voice of Enigma" was written solely by Cretu, and starts with a foghorn sound that is known as the "Enigma horn". After the foghorn, Louisa Stanley (an executive at Virgin Records at the time) starts talking and invites the listener to relax and take a deep breath, while an environmental soundscape plays in the background. "The Principles of Lust" track employs a drumbeat throughout similar to the R&B 1989 song "Keep On Movin'" by Soul II Soul, flute synth lines, and Cretu's whispers and "orgasmic breathing" that mark the song breaks. The first part, "Sadeness", includes a Gregorian chant taken from the track "Procedamus in pace!" from the 1976 album Paschale Mysterium by Capella Antiqua München. It also includes contributions from Fabrice Cuitad and Peterson. The song's French lyrics are a quizzical look at, and defense of, the 18th-century writer Marquis de Sade, who was notorious for writing literature delving into themes of sexual violence and domination.

"Callas Went Away" was written solely by Michael Cretu, and samples Maria Callas's singing. "Mea Culpa" was written by Cretu and Fabrice Cuitad and is a follow-up to "Sadeness". Like "Sadeness", "Mea Culpa" samples Gregorian chant from the Capella Antiqua München and thus evokes the same atmosphere. The song's theme "centers around guilt", according to the official Enigma website. "The Voice & the Snake" is based on the Book of Revelation and was sampled from "The Seven Bowls," which is the eighth track on the final album of the prog-rock band Aphrodite's Child, 666, released in 1972. "Knocking on Forbidden Doors" was written solely by Cretu. The "Back to the Rivers of Belief" track's three songs were mainly written by Cretu, with the song "The Rivers of Belief"—which centers around the Indian river Ganges and differs from the other songs in being more soulful—including contributions from Fabrice Cuitad.

Four songs from MCMXC a.D. were released as singles. "Sadeness (Part I)", known as "Sadeness" on the album and the first part of "The Principles of Lust" track, was released as the lead single on 1 October 1990. The single has sold at least 7 million copies worldwide, and was the fastest German single to reach number one, the week of 12 November 1990. The Los Angeles Times reported that the single reached number one in at least 14 other countries. "Mea Culpa (Part II)", known as "Mea Culpa" on the album, was released as the second single on 17 April 1991, and reached number seven on both the German charts and on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. The song charted at number four in France, and received a gold certification from the French National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing (SNEP). Cretu considers "Mea Culpa (Part II)" his favorite song from the album. "Principles of Lust" and "The Rivers of Belief" were both as singles released in 1991. The "Principles of Lust" single is a reworking of the song "Find Love". The single charted at number 90 in Germany, number 59 in the UK, and number 29 in France. "The Rivers of Belief" single is the third song of the "Back to the Rivers of Belief" album track. The single charted in the United Kingdom at number 68, and in Sweden at number 37.

MCMXC a.D. was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. Danny Serbib of Colorado Springs Magazine said that by adding Gregorian chant to the album, "[Cretu had] redefined the possible future of popular music." Mikko Stübner-Lankuttis from Deutsche Welle put MCMXC a.D. at number one on his "The Top 10 albums from Germany", saying "His combination of new-age sounds with dance beats regularly took the project to the top of the international charts."

AllMusic critic Ned Raggett said, "Michael Crétu's attempt at fusing everything from easy listening sex music and hip-hop rhythms to centuries-old Gregorian chants could not have been more designed to tweak the nose of high art." Marisa Fox wrote, for Entertainment Weekly, that while the album doesn't have as many accessible hits as other ones, "[the] journey through what the group calls 'music, spirit, and meditation' is entrancing as well as provocative."

In contrast, Brian Bourke, in the Syracuse Herald-Journal, stated that "once the novelty of Enigma's approach wears off", the rhythms underneath the songs have a sameness that is "irritating" in his eyes, with the exception of "The Rivers of Belief". The Village Voice critic Robert Christgau asserted that the "mellow electrobeat and Gregorian fog" of "Sadeness (Part I)" "provide[s] mutual relief", and suggested the other songs are disco filler with sexual content that is too lacking in vulgarity for his tastes.

MCMXC a.D. was a worldwide commercial success. According to The New York Times, the album had sold 12 million copies worldwide as of February 1994. In Germany, MCMXC a.D. entered the German Albums chart at number 60 for the week of 10 December 1990. It peaked at number three for the week of 24 December 1990 and left after appearing at number 72 for the week of 8 July 1991. The album re-entered the chart at number 68 for the week of 21 February 1994 and left after appearing at number 69 for the week of 21 March 1991. MCMXC a.D. re-entered the German Albums chart at number 80 for the week of 9 December 1996 and left after appearing at number 73 for the week of 13 January 1997. The album spent 46 weeks on the German chart, and has been certified double platinum by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), indicating shipments in excess of one million copies in Germany.

In the US, MCMXC a.D. entered the Billboard 200 at number 169 for the week of 2 March 1991. It stayed on the Billboard 200 for 262 weeks, peaking at number six for the week of 3 May 1991. On the US Top Catalog Albums chart, MCMXC a.D. peaked at number four for the week of 10 May 1997. The album has since been certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments in excess of four million copies in the US. In March 2013, Nielsen Soundscan reported a 4,784,320 individual copies sold in the US.

MCMXC a.D. topped the UK Albums Chart for the week of 20 January 1991, spending 60 weeks on the chart. The album has since been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments in excess of 900,000 copies in the UK. Elsewhere, MCMXC a.D. reached number one in Belgium, Greece, Portugal, and Spain; number two in Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland; number three in Austria, Canada, and Sweden; number four in Ireland and Norway; and number seven in the Netherlands.

Because MCMXC a.D. has themes of balancing good with evil, Cretu has been accused of putting Satanic content into the album. Many of the accusations were concerned with the Gregorian chant being Satanic. This resulted in many Catholic-backed radio stations in Europe banning "Sadeness (Part I)" from being played. While most of the press did not think that MCMXC a.D had Satanic implications, Charisma Records issued a press release denying such claims. Cretu stated that he did not mean for there to be any implications of Satanism with the album, revealing he wanted the combination of Gregorian chant and lyrics relating to the Marquis de Sade to be seen as a paradox.

In a 1990 interview with Verdens Gang, Cretu claimed that the Gregorian chants used on MCMXC a.D. were recorded in Romania and said that the singers were given their share of the "D-marks" Cretu got from "Sadeness" and the album. This proved to be false; in 1991 Capella Antiqua München, a Munich-based choir, recognized a sample of one of their recordings on MCMXC a.D. Their label, Polydor Germany, sued Cretu and Virgin Records for infringing on its "right of personality" in using the Gregorian chant samples in "Sadeness (Part I)" and "Mea Culpa". The lawsuit was settled out of court after Virgin publicly apologized for the infringement and Cretu agreed to pay compensation to the original creator of the samples.

Track listing

1990 original version

       1.-"The Voice of Enigma" Curly M.C. 2:21

       2.-"Principles of Lust"   Curly M.C., David Fairstein 11:43

            a."Sadeness"

            b. "Find Love"

            c. "Sadeness (Reprise)"

       3.-"Callas Went Away" Curly M.C. 4:27

       4.-"Mea Culpa" Curly M.C., Fairstein 5:03

       5.-"The Voice & the Snake" Curly M.C., F. Gregorian 1:39

       6.-"Knocking on Forbidden Doors" Curly M.C. 4:31

       7.-"Back to the Rivers of Belief"  Curly M.C., Fairstein ("The Rivers of Belief") 10:32

            a. "Way to Eternity"

            b. "Hallelujah"

            c. "The Rivers of Belief"

Total length: 40:16

Various Artists "Men Of The World 2 (Mexico, Sony Records, 2-516755)"

Men Of The World 2 is a New Age/Celtic/Electronic/Jazz/Pop compilation, released in 2004 in Mexico by Sony Music Special Marketing.

Tracklist:

1. Enigma   Sadeness 4:13
2. Robert Miles  Fable 7:13
3. Cusco   Montezuma 5:16
4. Mike Oldfield   The Voyager 4:22
5. Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra    Snakecharmer   3:51
6. David Lanz & Paul Speer   Rain Forest   4:13
7. Emil Montgomery   Cuculcán 3:50
8. Kitaro   Scope 4:52
9. Gregorian   Fields Of Gold 3:31
10. Jean-Michel Jarre  Equinoxe Part 4 6:54
11. Vangelis    To The Unknown Man 6:34
12. Hevia   El Garrotin 4:23
13. Ennio Morricone   Theme From "The Mission" 2:51
14. Mohicans    Main Title From "The Last Of The Mohicans" 4:32
15. Roberto Perera   The Artificial Dream 4:19
16. Yanni   Nightingale   5:44

Enigma "The Cross Of Changes (Holland, Virgin Records, 7243 8 39236 2)"

The Cross of Changes is the second studio album by the German musical project Enigma, headed by Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu, released on 6 December 1993 by Virgin Records internationally and by Charisma Records in the United States.

Following the worldwide commercial success of the first Enigma album, MCMXC a.D. (1990), Cretu began to write and record music for a new album at A.R.T. Studios, his home studio in Ibiza, Spain. Cretu sampled songs from several artists, including Vangelis, U2, Genesis and Black Sabbath.

The Cross of Changes was a commercial success. Upon its release, it debuted at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Enigma's second consecutive number-one album in the United Kingdom, and peaked at number nine on the Billboard 200 in the United States, where it sold over two million copies. In 1994, four singles were released from the album: "Return to Innocence", "The Eyes of Truth", "Age of Loneliness (Carly's Song)" (originally written for the film Sliver), and "Out from the Deep". A special limited edition of the album was released on 21 November 1994 on a 24-carat gold-plated disc, containing three additional remixes.

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Curly M.C.

1. "Second Chapter" 2:16
2. "The Eyes of Truth" 7:13
3. "Return to Innocence" Curly M.C./Kuo Ying-nan/Kuo Hsiu-chu   4:17
4. "I Love You ... I'll Kill You"   David Fairstein/Curly M.C.   8:51
5. "Silent Warrior" 6:10
6. "The Dream of the Dolphin" Fairstein 2:47
7. "Age of Loneliness (Carly's Song)" 5:22
8. "Out from the Deep" 4:53
9. "The Cross of Changes" 2:23

Total length: 44:12

Packaged in a standard jewel case with 14-page booklet. Pages 12 and 13 constitute an English merchandise catalogue that folds out from the booklet.

Recording information:

Recorded with the big help and support of E-Magic and Euphonix at A.R.T. Studios, Ibiza/Spain

Producer, Engineer: "Curly" Michael Cretu