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Sadeness (Part I)

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"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).[1]

"Sadeness (Part I)"
Single by Enigma
from the album MCMXC a.D.
B-side"Introit: Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas"
Released1 October 1990 (1990-10-01)
Genre
Length4:16
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Michael Cretu
Enigma singles chronology
"Sadeness (Part I)"
(1990) 		"Mea Culpa (Part II)"
(1991)
Music video
"Sadeness (Part I)" on YouTube
The Gregorian antiphon Procedamus In Pace! Cum Angelis. This music, used in "Sadeness", was composed for the Easter liturgy.

History

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"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.[2]

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."[3]

Music

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The track makes use of the following:

Critical reception

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"This is what I totally believe—the song combined so many things. It was culture, it was hip, it was new sounding, and people couldn't tell where in the world it came from. American, French, Italian? They had no idea. It sounded so familiar, but yet so foreign at the same time. I think that was the key to its success."

—Frank Peterson talking about the success of the song.[3]

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)."[7] Keith Clark from Bay Area Reporter called the song "suggestive".[8] Larry Flick from Billboard described it as "brilliant and quirky", remarking that "it is currently the fastest-selling single in German recording history."[9] 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."[10] Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly described it as a "incense trance".[11] Irish Evening Herald called it "one of the most seductive dance records of the past couple of years".[12] Swedish Expressen noted that church song are used "as a very reliable vocal generator".[13]

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."[14] A reviewer from Music Week described it as "chanting monks and a sensual muttering rolling over a hypnotically rolling slow beat".[15] 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."[16] 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."[17] 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."[18]

Chart performance

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The single reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart on 13 January 1991,[19] 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.[20] The single has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.[21] 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.

Music video

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The accompanying music video for "Sadeness (Part I)" was directed by Michel Guimbard,[22] and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.[23] 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[24][25]) 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.[26]

Impact and legacy

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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."[27] 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".[28]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications and sales for "Sadeness (Part I)"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[71] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[72] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[73] Gold 400,000*
Germany (BVMI)[74] Platinum 500,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[75] Gold 75,000^
Sweden (GLF)[76] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[77] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[78] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for "Sadeness (Part I)"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Europe 1 October 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
 Virgin [79]
United Kingdom 3 December 1990
  • 7-inch vinyl
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 [80]
Japan 21 April 1991 Mini-CD [81]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Getz, Dana (8 August 2016). "Enigma announce first album in 8 years". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 9, 2016.
  2. ^ "Spotlight: Enigma" (PDF). Music & Media. January 12, 1991. p. 12. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Arena, James (2017). Stars of 90's Dance Pop: 29 Hitmakers Discuss Their Careers. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc.
  4. ^ a b "Sadeness by Enigma on WhoSampled". WhoSampled.
  5. ^ "Sadeness by Enigma on Genius". Genius.
  6. ^ "Sadeness by Enigma on WhoSampled". WhoSampled.
  7. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Enigma – MCMXC A.D.". AllMusic. Retrieved November 5, 2020.
  8. ^ Clark, Keith (June 6, 1991). "Dedicated to de Sade". Bay Area Reporter. p. 59. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  9. ^ Flick, Larry (December 15, 1990). "Dance Trax: Equipment To Keep Biz Spinning During Switch To CD" (PDF). Billboard. p. 27. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  10. ^ Flick, Larry (January 26, 1991). "Single Reviews: New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. p. 95. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  11. ^ "1991 chart flashback". Entertainment Weekly. March 18, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  12. ^ "Enigma's Sadeness". Evening Herald. April 16, 1992. page 44.
  13. ^ Expressen. January 26, 1991.
  14. ^ Sholin, Dave (February 1, 1991). "Gavin Picks > Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report. No. 1841. p. 56. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  15. ^ "Dance" (PDF). Music Week. December 8, 1990. p. 13. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  16. ^ Cranna, Ian (January 23, 1991). "Review: LPs". Smash Hits. p. 46. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  17. ^ Mack, Bob (April 1991). "Singles". Spin. p. 94. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  18. ^ Chrisma, Kimberly (March 31, 1994). "A hit centuries in the making". The Stanford Daily. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  19. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 13 January 1991 - 19 January 1991". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  20. ^ "American single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  21. ^ Weinert, Ellie (March 4, 1995). "Billboard Vol. 107, No. 9 – Casebook: Enigma". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. p. 58. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
  22. ^ "The Story Behind Sadeness Part I video". 26 August 2014.
  23. ^ "Station Reports > TV > MTV/London" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 1, no. 3. January 19, 1991. p. 22. Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  24. ^ "Who's that girl?? Behind The Scenes of "ENIGMA - Sadeness Part I." video". enigmamusic.com. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  25. ^ Kati Tastet at the Internet Movie Database
  26. ^ "Enigma - Sadeness - Part i (Official Video)". YouTube. February 28, 2009. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
  27. ^ Nappy (July 12, 2013). "15 Songs That Gave Dance Music a Good Name". Complex. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  28. ^ "90s Dance – The Essential Playlist". Classic Pop. February 21, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  29. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  30. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  31. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  32. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1492." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  33. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1463." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  34. ^ a b c d e "Top 10 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 7. 16 February 1991. p. 18. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  35. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 3. 19 January 1991. p. 23. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  36. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in French). Les classement single.
  37. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  38. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Sadness Part 1". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  39. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Enigma" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
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  41. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Top 40 Singles.
  42. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I". VG-lista.
  43. ^ "Top 10 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 13 April 1991. p. 30. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  44. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Singles Top 100.
  45. ^ "Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Swiss Singles Chart.
  46. ^ "Enigma: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  47. ^ "Enigma Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  48. ^ "Enigma Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  49. ^ "Enigma Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  50. ^ "Enigma Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  51. ^ "Enigma Chart History (Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  52. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending April 27, 1991". Cash Box. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  53. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  54. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1990". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 September 2008.
  55. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1991". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  56. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1991 – Singles" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  57. ^ "Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55, no. 3. 21 December 1991. p. 8. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  58. ^ "Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55, no. 3. December 21, 1991. p. 11. ISSN 0315-5994 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  59. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51/52. 21 December 1991. p. 21. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  60. ^ "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  61. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1991" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  62. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  63. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  64. ^ "Top Selling Singles of 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  65. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 1991". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  66. ^ "1991 Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. London. 11 January 1992. p. 20. ISSN 0265-1548. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  67. ^ "The Year in Music: 1991 – Top Pop Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. 21 December 1991. p. YE-14. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  68. ^ "The Year in Music: 1991 – Top Dance Club Play Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. 21 December 1991. p. YE-32. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  69. ^ "The Year in Music: 1991 – Top Dance Sales 12-Inch Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. 21 December 1991. p. YE-32. ISSN 0006-2510 – via World Radio History.
  70. ^ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on 29 August 2000. Retrieved 26 March 2022.
  71. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  72. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  73. ^ "French single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in French). InfoDisc. Select ENIGMA and click OK. 
  74. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Enigma; 'Sadeness Part One')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  75. ^ "Dutch single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 29 June 2012. Enter Sadeness in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1991 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  76. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  77. ^ "British single certifications – Enigma – Sadness Part I". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  78. ^ "American single certifications – Enigma – Sadeness Part I". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  79. ^ "Enigma" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 2. 12 January 1991. p. 12.
  80. ^ "Enigma: Sadness Part 1". Music Week. 1 December 1990. p. viii.
  81. ^ "サッドネス・パート1 | エニグマ" [Sadness part 1 | Enigma] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
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