Sadeness (Part I)

"Sadeness (Part I)"
Single by Enigma
from the album MCMXC a.D.
Released	November 1990
Format	CD, cassette, 12"
Recorded	1990
Genre	New-age, downtempo
Length	4:16
Label	Charisma / Virgin / EMI
Writer(s)	Michael Cretu, Fabrice Jean Roger Cuitad, Frank Peter
Producer(s)	Michael Cretu
Enigma singles chronology
"Sadeness (Part I)" (1990) "Mea Culpa (Part II)" (1991)

A Gregorian medieval antiphon Cum angelis with a fragment of the Psalm 24 (23) for Palm Sunday used in "Sadeness"

"Sadeness (Part I)" is a song by German musical project Enigma. The song was released in November 1990 as the first of four singles from the project's first album, MCMXC a.D., and upon its release, it became an international smash hit, reaching number one in 24 countries and the top ten in many others, including the United States, where it made number five on the pop chart and number one on the dance chart.

History

"Sadeness" was written by Michael Cretu (under the pseudonym Curly M.C.), Frank Peterson (under the pseudonym F. Gregorian), and David Fairstein. The lyrics are in Latin and French; the Latin text includes a quotation from Psalm 24:7-8. The Extended Trance Mix from the CD single contains some additional male French lyrics. The female French lyrics in both this version and the regular one are whispered by Cretu's then-wife, Sandra, who at the time of Enigma's formation had already had hit singles as a solo artist.

The Gregorian vocals were mostly taken from the 1976 album Paschale Mysterium by the German choir Capella Antiqua München with conductor Konrad Ruhland, specifically from their track "Procedamus in pace! (Antiphon)". The vocals were at first used without permission; a lawsuit followed in 1994 and was settled by compensation.

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 with an insistent beat 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.

It was followed by a pseudo-sequel named "Mea Culpa (Part II)", which was a moderate commercial success compared with "Sadeness (Part I)".

Track listings

• 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 U.S.

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)
2. "Sadeness Part I" (Meditation Mix)

• 2-track 7-inch single for France

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

Music video

The video, directed by Michel Guimbard,^[1] shows a scholar, possibly a reference to Marquis de Sade, who falls asleep at a desk in his room while writing ... and has a fantastic, seductive, and enlightening dream. The scholar finds himself wandering among cathedral ruins. He comes up to Auguste Rodin's The Gates of Hell, which is probably the "Forbidden Door", according to the album concept. As the young man looks on, he sees a beautiful, succubus-like young woman (played by French model Cathy Tastet^[2][3]) beyond it. She whispers the main lyrics to him in a seductive tone - "Sade, dis-moi"; "Sade, donne-moi" or translated - "Sade, tell me"; "Sade, give me." The man turns and tries to flee, but relents to his desires and is "sucked" back through the door. At this point, the young man wakes from the dream and looks around anxiously, but finds only a light from his window shining down on him. The video was featured in The Brothers Grunt pilot episode: The Ceremony. Cathy (Kati) Tastet (born January 1, 1973 in Toulouse, France) Is a French model. She was represented by Elite Model Management in Paris and Amsterdam, and started her career in the USA after her appearance in the music video for "Sadeness" by Enigma in 1991, in which she acted out the role of a succubus.

Charts

The single reached number one on the UK Singles Chart in January 1991, as well as in over 20 other countries around that period.^[4] It remained at number one on the Eurochart for nine weeks. In the United States, it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in April 1991. The record sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S. and was certified Gold there.^[5] The single has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.^[6]

Peak positions Chart (1990–91) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 2 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 1 Canada Top Singles (RPM) 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 6 France (SNEP)[11] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[12] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 1 Italy (FIMI)[14] 1 Japan (Oricon) 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] 1 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[17] 1 Spain (AFYVE)[18] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[19] 1 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[20] 1 UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[21] 1 US Billboard Hot 100 ^1[22] 5 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play ^1[22] 1 US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks ^1[22] 6 US Billboard Hot R&B Singles 67 ^1 "Principles of Lust" ("Sadeness"/"Find Love"/"Sadeness")

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position Australian Singles Chart[23] 23 Austrian Singles Chart[24] 8 Dutch Top 40[25] 57 Swiss Singles Chart[26] 6 US Billboard Hot 100[27] 63 Sales and certifications Region Certification Sales/shipments Australia (ARIA)[28] Gold 35,000 Austria (IFPI Austria)[29] Gold 25,000 France (SNEP)[30] Gold 385,000[31] Germany (BVMI)[32] Platinum 500,000 Netherlands (NVPI)[33] Gold 75,000 New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 7,500 Spain (PROMUSICAE) Gold 25,000 Sweden (GLF)[34] Platinum 50,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[35] Silver 200,000 United States (RIAA)[36] Gold 500,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone ^xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of best-selling singles
• List of number-one hits of 1990 (Austria)
• List of number-one hits of 1990 (Germany)
• List of number-one hits of 1990 (Switzerland)
• List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1990
• List of European number-one hits of 1991
• List of number-one hits in Norway
• List of Swedish number-one hits
• List of number-one hits of 1991 (France)
• List of number-one singles of 1991 (Ireland)
• List of number-one singles from the 1990s (UK)
• List of number-one dance singles of 1991 (U.S.)

References

1. http://www.newagemusic.guide/new-age-music/the-story-behind-sadeness-part-i-video/
2. "Who's that girl?? Behind The Scenes of "ENIGMA - Sadeness Part I." video.". enigmamusic.com. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
3. Kati Tastet at the Internet Movie Database
4. "crocodile-music.de". crocodile-music.de. 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2010-10-14.
5. "American single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-06-29. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
6. Weinert, Ellie (1995-03-04). "Billboard Vol. 107, No. 9 – Casebook: Enigma". Billboard (Nielsen Business Media): 58. Retrieved 2011-08-07.
7. "Australian-charts.com – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
8. "Austriancharts.at – Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
9. "Ultratop.be – Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
10. "Enigma: Sadeness Part I" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
11. "Lescharts.com – Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in French). Les classement single.
12. "Offiziellecharts.de – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". GfK Entertainment Charts.
13. "Irish Singles Chart – Search for song". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved July 6, 2011.
14. "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: E". Hit Parade Italia. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
15. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Enigma search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
16. "Charts.org.nz – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Top 40 Singles.
17. "Norwegiancharts.com – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". VG-lista.
18. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
19. "Swedishcharts.com – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Singles Top 100.
20. "Swisscharts.com – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Swiss Singles Chart.
21. UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com . Retrieved 14 April 2008.
22. Billboard Allmusic.com . Retrieved 10 September 2008.
23. 1991 Australian Singles Chart aria.com . Retrieved 10 September 2008.
24. 1991 Austrian Singles Chart Austriancharts.at . Retrieved 10 September 2008.
25. "Single top 100 over 1991" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
26. 1991 Swiss Singles Chart Hitparade.ch . Retrieved 10 September 2008.
27. "Billboard Top 100 - 1991". Retrieved 2009-09-15.
28. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
29. "Austrian single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved June 29, 2012. Enter Enigma in the field Interpret. Enter Sadeness in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
30. "French single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in French). InfoDisc. Select ENIGMA and click OK
31. "Les Singles en Or :" (in French). Infodisc.fr. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
32. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Enigma; 'Sadeness Part One')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
33. "Dutch single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
34. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
35. "British single certifications – Enigma – Sadness Part I". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 29, 2012. Enter Sadness Part I in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Silver in the field By Award. Click Search
36. "American single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 29, 2012. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH

External links

• Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics