Throwback Thursday ‘Return to Innocence’ by Enigma (1994)

"Return to Innocence" was the lead single for Enigma's second album, The Cross of Changes. 

Enigma is a German musical group, but it's mostly one guy, Michael Cretu, that collaborates and mixes a bunch of musical influences together.

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Enigma formed with the purpose to make music that did not 'obey old rules and habits'. Michael Cretu wanted to make music with 'mystic and experimental components'.

Even if "Return to Innocence" seems super cheesy now, it was a pretty big deal in 1994! According to Wikipedia, "'Return to Innocence' was the project's biggest hit in the United States, reaching number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and number six on the Billboard Mainstream Top 40."

The music video shows a man's life going in reverse. It is thought the man is dying and sees his life flash before his eyes and apparently Enigma is the soundtrack to his life.

Michael Cretu used a CD recording of  Difang and Igay Duana performing the Amis people's chant heard in "Return to Innocence." He thought the recording was in the public domain. Well, it wasn't. Enigma settled with The Duanas for an undisclosed amount of money and they receive royalties.

"Return to Innocence" was featured in the Jonathan Taylor Thomas movie, Man of the House. It is in the wedding scene between Chevy Chase and Farrah Fawcett.

The song was also on an episode of My So-Called Life.

"Return to Innocence" was used to promote the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. What a coincidence? Just two weeks ago the Throwback Thursday song was the 1996 Olympics theme, "Reach" by Glorida Estefan that everybody totally loves and remembers fondly.

Also, if you watched any cable TV in the 90s, then you were probably tempted to buy Pure Moods. Pure Moods was a compilation album of new-age/world music and Enigma was featured prominently.

Remember this commercial?