Return to Innocence
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| "Return to Innocence" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Enigma | ||
| from the album The Cross of Changes | ||
| Released | January 4, 1994 | |
| Format | CD, cassette, 12" | |
| Recorded | A.R.T. Studios, Ibiza | |
| Genre | New Age | |
| Length | 4:03 | |
| Label | Virgin / EMI | |
| Producer(s) | Michael Cretu | |
| Certification | Gold (RIAA) | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Enigma singles chronology | ||
| "Carly's Song" (1993) |
"Return to Innocence" (1993) |
"The Eyes of Truth" (1994) |
"Return to Innocence" is a 1994 song created by the musical group, Enigma. The single was the first from their chart-topping second album, The Cross of Changes.
In the song, the main vocals are provided by Angel X (Andreas Harde) while the aboriginal Taiwanese chant was sampled from the "Jubilant Drinking Song" without the singers' permission. Kuo Ying-nan and Kuo Hsiu-chu, both Amis were in a cultural exchange program in Paris, France in 1988 when their performance of the song was recorded by the Maison des Cultures du Monde and made into a 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".
In 1996, the song was further popularised as it was used in a television advertisement to promote the 1996 Summer Olympics which was held in Atlanta, USA.
In March 1998, the couple sued Cretu, Virgin Records and a number of recording companies for unauthorised usage 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 Kuos. It should be noted that Mr. Cretu states that he had been led to believe that the recording was in the public domain, and did not intentionally violate the Kuo's copyright.
The music video for the song was filmed in Málaga, Spain, where Cretu also lives. The video shows a man's life going in reverse, starting with him dying (the scene was probably influenced by the 1930 Olexandr Dovzhenko film Earth) and ending with his birth, where he returns back to innocence (see here.)
"Return to Innocence" has been used in the 1994 movie Exit to Eden and the 1995 movie, Man of the House. It also featured prominently in an episode of The Outer Limits entitled "The Conversion". Furthermore it was used in an episode of My So-Called Life called "The Zit".
[edit] Single track listing
- "Radio Edit" – 4:03
- "Long & Alive Version" (Remixed by Curly M.C. and Jens Gad) – 7:07
- "380 Midnight Mix" (Remixed by Jens Gad) – 5:55
- "Short Radio Edit" – 3:01
- "Sadeness (Part I) (Radio Edit)" – 4:17
[edit] References
- Channel NewsAsia (Mac. 28, 1998). Taiwan Aborigines Sue Enigma, Music Companies. Channel News Asia.
- Craig Rosen (Mac. 4, 1999). Enigma Sued By Aboriginal Couple Over Song Rights. LAUNCHcast.
- Richard F. Roper (Jun. 23, 1999). Taiwanese Settle Lawsuit Claiming Their Original Composition Was Stolen; They Will Now Set Up Foundation. Business Wire.
