The Return To Innocence

The Return to Innocence includes a catchy chant, and is also sung in English, unlike many of Cretu’s previous works. The song begins in the chant, much like a tribal African chant sung by a medicine man or elder. The chant is upbeat, and easy to remember, so that one may find him/herself humming it, unlike many of the complex Gregorian chants Cretu’s first album included. The man’s voice is smooth and clear; it uses different syllables in a quick sequence that often climaxes at one long note. The picture of freedom comes to mind, often relating it to animals especially in Africa since Africa is the home of many exotic animals who are not held in captive. The image of a flying bird or a running lion comes to mind, completely clear and free. This is because of the African beat and chanting, but also because of the freedom the melody implies.

The music begins after the first chorus of the chant, the rhythm straightforward and the beat is strong. The percussion is obvious, accenting strongly on all four beats in the four-four time signature. There is a low, bass drum sound once on beat one and twice on beat three. The snare drum fills in on two and four, and of course cymbals fill in throughout. The instrument used is a keyboard, which has sound very close to real percussion. Yet ones with a good ear can hear the differences since keyboard percussion has a much more synthesized sound. Aside from the percussion, long chords are played on the keyboard throughout the song, changing with each line of the lyrics. On top of both the percussion and long tones are keyboard effects. These are strange little sounds that help set the mood of the song. Often used in this song is a cosmic sound sometimes sounding a bit metallic and decreasing in the notes and pitch, going lower and lower the longer the sounds lasts.

The lyrics begin at the same time as the music, just after the chant. A man sings the song, often with whispers repeating his words. His voice is also smooth and very clear; it is easily mistaken for a woman’s voice because it is so smooth. The first chorus is sung at a medium volume, not very strong but more smooth and calm. After the first chorus, the chant comes in again, very strong, as if to reiterate what the singer just said, only louder and more proudly. In the second chorus, the singer sounds much stronger then he did in the first chorus, as if the chanting after the first chorus inspired him. It is strong and proud, as though it is proclaiming something, giving advice as though he had just learned something and is now proclaiming it to someone else.

The lyrics are, in fact, advice. The main verse starts out, "Don’t be afraid to be weak, don’t be too proud to be strong." This simply means that everyone has highs and lows in life. They are the experiences life is made up of. So, the listener should not be ashamed of his/her low points because everyone experiences them, and everyone likewise has strong moments. Next follows, "Just look into your heart, my friend. That will be the return to yourself, the return to innocence." By the use of the word "friend", the feeling is given that the writer has experienced the listener’s emotions and is now advising him/her, much like one friend does to another. He says that when one looks into one’s heart, they discover themselves, and that is when innocence will return to them. Following that more advice, "If you want, then start to laugh. If you must, then start to cry. Be yourself don’t hide, just believe in destiny." The words advise the listener to return to childhood, when feelings were not hidden, when people were not afraid to laugh or cry in front of others; tears did not mean one was weak, but even when one was weak, that was OK. It also says that to believe in destiny is to believe in what one will become. If ones destiny is to become a weak person, that person should be proud of being who they are, not ashamed. Then comes the verse, "Don’t care what people say, just follow your own way. Don’t give up and use the chance, to return to innocence." He says that every feeling is valid, that one feels those because the feelings are pure. If one is weak or strong, they should act that way because that is who they are. To deny feelings is to deny oneself. Finally the conclusion, "That’s not the beginning of the end, that’s the return to yourself. The return to innocence." Enigma continues to advise that one should not follow the crowd. These lyrics reiterate that one must follow their feelings, they must be true in what their emotions are. To do this is to become innocent.

Innocence is something that today’s society frowns upon. America is very focused on knowing all the truth and making sure everyone knows it as well. Today, sex is a subject taught to grade school children, whereas ten years ago, it was not until junior high or high school that a child learned of it. Violence is seen everywhere; even cartoons would be looked at as dull if they did not include some sort of violence. As time passes, each generation seems to loose their innocence at a younger age then the one before them. They are exposed to violence and sex, and they are forced to watch it on the news, in cartoons, in movies, and on T.V. In losing innocence, children realize that the world is not a happy place all the time, that it can be cruel, hateful, and often lack the morals and common decency they are raised to practice. Children begin to mimic what they see on T.V., they begin to believe that not everyone is concerned about their feelings, not everyone is good. Children lose faith and hope when their innocence is lost. Sometimes when innocence is first lost, children realize death is inevitable, that not everyone’s sadness can not be solved with ice cream or a smile, that they too can be harmed. This is the first time children begin to feel differently about the world and about themselves. It is then that children begin to become harder, not showing their feelings because they realize that to show their feelings makes them vulnerable to pain. Children grow to teenagers, who often have difficulties with their feelings. Society is telling them to hide their feelings and act "normal" when their own mind and heart is telling them to be open about their feelings, no matter the consequence. More often then not, teenagers grow to be hard adults, not showing their true feelings. These are the people Enigma is addressing.

In today’s age, people are very afraid of expression their true emotions. Many stereotypes have been set to label individuals according to their feelings. As adults, men are told that to cry is a sign of weakness. They are convinced they must be strong and proud. Men are taught that unless they are strong and determined, they are not men. The stereotypical image of a man defines him as a strong breadwinner, one who is able to support his family and who can enforce the rules in his household. They must watch sports and forget anniversaries; they must be able to hold a job and be masculine, meaning that they are handy and can repair a leak, and that they are physically fit. These are the "men" women seem to be after because society tells them that unless they fit this image, they are not as good. But as boys, they cried when they fell down. They painted pictures and colored outside the lines. They ran around in circles until they were dizzy. They never really held a grudge because they did not understand the word, they were always quick to forgive. They were not afraid to look up to others and they feared the dark without feeling that fear was unacceptable.

Women are told that they must be sensitive and nurturing. Today’s ideal woman is one that can cook, care for the kids, be a graceful host and hold a job. Women are looked at as needing to be comforting and caring. They are the ones children run to with a bruised knee. They are the ones others turn to for advice…these are the stereotypes of America’s woman. They must be faithful in every relationship and they must not have sex with men they are not in love with. But these stereotypical women are the same that had three "boyfriends" in the second grade; that played with dolls and were often very bossy, throwing tantrums when they did not have their way. They were the ones that sat in class twirling their hair, daydreaming. Their innocence lies in that they had always showed their true feelings as a child, and society’s stereotype of what they should be often takes over their true feelings. More and more today, these stereotypes are being torn down, and that is what "Return to Innocence" is about. Tearing down the walls of prejudice to see the inside of someone. Many people keep their true emotions hidden away, and those people are who "Return to Innocence" was written. So that they can be motivated to look beyond their fears of rejection from society and be proud of their emotions. That is innocence. Being true to oneself and one’s emotions. Returning to innocence is acting as a child does, acting on every emotion and not being worried of what others will say. "Return to Innocence" by Enigma uses music and words to get across the message to motivate society to maintain its innocence from childhood so that it does not stereotype others. Society has strong stereotypes on how men and women should act and Enigma voices the opinion that men and women should act out on how they feel, and only then are they not only true men or women, but also true humans. A human has emotions and feelings, but today people are told to hide their true emotions in order to act in an acceptable way. To do this is wrong, Enigma says. It is against oneself to deny their emotions. Enigma uses African tribal music and chanting to give the feeling of freedom. The words speak of having the freedom to express oneself openly, how freeing that can be in itself. Enigma uses the feeling of freedom in African sounds with a modern beat to convey the message of returning to innocence. The message is that freedom is the result of returning to innocence. One can only be free when they are true to themselves.