Enigma - Meanings

Meanings

Sadeness and Marquis de Sade

Sadenessis about Marquis de Sade (pronounced sahd). Marquis de Sade was born in 1740 and died in 1814. He was a controversial French novelist and essayist whose works were considered so obscene that many of them remained unpublished until the mid-1900s. He is regarded by some as insane and offensive, and by others as brilliant and descriptive. Donatien Alphonse Francois Sade was born in Paris and started showing signs of mental disturbance in his 20's. This disturbance was shown through his scandals, acts of cruelty, and sexual behavior. Sade spent most of the years from 1768 to 1803 in prison as a result of his writings and actions. He was placed in an asylum in 1803, where he died in 1814. Some of Sade's better known works include Philosophy in the Bedroom (1795), and 120 Days of Sodom, which was not published until 1904. In his writings, Sade tried to show that criminal acts and sexual abnormalities are natural to human behaviour. Not surprisingly then, the word sadism comes from his name! (Sadism refers to the enjoyment of cruelty, usually for sexual gratification) These days, his works are used to illustrate certain psychological theories. It is interesting to note that on MCMXC a.D. the track is called Sade ness (notice the extra 'e'), a reference to his surname which was the result of a wordgame that Michael Cretu and his manager, Jrgen Thrnau, made up. The single that was released in the UK and Australia was called Sadness because the record companies decided to go with the dictionary spelling.

The Chants in Sadeness

LATIN CHANT

Procedamus in pace In nomine Christi, Amen

TRANSLATION

Shall we proceed in peace In the name of Christ, Amen

EXPLANATION

Antiphon used on Palm Sunday (the before Easter), when priests consecrate the palms and before the procession with palms. Deacons sing 'Procedamus in pace' and all of the others answer 'In nomine Chriti, Amen'

LATIN CHANT

Cum angelis et pueris, fideles inveniamur

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TRANSLATION

With angels and children, the faithful singing (in heaven)

EXPLANATION

Antiphon sung before Psalm 23(24) and other Psalms on the Palm Procession on Palm Sunday.

LATIN CHANT

Attollite portas, principes, vestras et elevamini, portae aeternales: et introibit rex gloriae Quius est iste Rex glorie?
TRANSLATION

Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in Who is He, this King of glory?
EXPLANATION

Psalm called 'Antiphonal psalm for solemn entry into the sanctuary' sung on Palm Sunday when people with palms in their hands walk in the procession around a church or inside it. Taken from Psalm 23/4 of the Bible.

Callas
Callas Went Away is about Maria Callas, who was born in 1923 and died in 1977. She was an American-born soprano who become one of the world's best-known opera singers because of her fiery temperament and stirring singing and acting abilities. She made her debut in Athens at the age of 14, and made her U.S. debut in 1954 at the age of 31. Callas Went Away has references to Maria Callas in both the mentioning of her voice in the lyrics, and also in the use of soprano singing throughout the song.

The Bible and MCMXC a.D.

The Voice & The Snake The Voice & The Snake has a direct link to the Revelations from the New Testament of the Bible. Revelations notably discusses the scroll with seven seals. When each seal was broken open, a particular result occurred - the first on the earth, the second on the sea, the third on the rivers, the fourth on the sun, the fifth on the beast, the sixth on the stars, and the seventh on the air. This also relates to the first 'verse' of the track. Below are the references of the second 'verse', which details exactly what the results were, with the corresponding passages from the Bible:
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The earth turned grey The first angel blew his trumpet. Hail and fire, mixed with blood, came pouring down on the earth. A third of the earth was burnt up, a third of the trees, and every blade of green grass (Rev 8:7) The sea turned black Then the second angel blew his trumpet. Something that looked like a huge mountain on fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea was turned into blood (Rev 8:8) The rivers turned red Then the third angel blew his trumpet. A large star, burning like a torch, dropped from the sky and fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water (Rev 8:10) The sun turned cold Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet. A third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that their light lost a third of its brightness (Rev 8:12) The beast turned pale Then I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying high in the air say in a loud voice, 'O horror! horror! How horrible it will be for all who live on earth when the sound comes from the trumpets that the other three angels must blow!' (Rev 8:13) The stars turned fast Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet. I saw a star which had fallen down to the earth, and it was given the key to the abyss. (Rev 9:1) The air turned to poison Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet... the horses' heads were like lions' heads, and from their mouths came out fire, smoke, and sulphur. A third of mankind was killed by those three plagues: the fire, the smoke, and the sulphur coming out of the horses' mouths (Rev 9: 13, 17-18)

The Rivers of Belief The Rivers of Belief is essentially a continuation of The Voice & The Snake and Knocking on Forbidden Doors as it continues through the Revelations in the Bible. The first reference is shown where in the song it is sung 'And when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, silence covered the sky'. In Revelations 8:1, it is stated that 'When the lamb broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour'. The second reference is where it is sung 'Take me back to the rivers of belief my friend. I look inside my heart. I look inside my soul. I promise you, I will return'. The rivers are in reference to Revelations 22:1, where it is stated 'The angel also showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, and coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb'. The rest is in reference to where John falls down to his feet, ready to worship the angel. Here Jesus says, 'Listen! I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, and give to each one according to what he has done' (Rev 22:12).

The Chant in The Eyes Of Truth

MONGOLIAN CHANT

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Alsin gazrin zeregleenn Aduu shig mal shig torolzonoo khuoo Alia khongor huugee Aisuy baihadnn bayarlalaa
TRANSLATION

In the distance the mirage stands out like horses and cattle. Very glad to see my beloved son.
EXPLANATION

This chant is part of a National Mongolian song called 'Als gazrin zereglee ' (Mirage in the distance). Mongolian singer: ChimidTsayee

Subtlety of Silent Warrior

Silent Warrior is interpreted as Cretu's 'position against the murderous insanity of colonization and the combined genocide of the American Indians'. The entire album repeats this theme, at least at the beginning and again at the end.

Man?
The Dream of the Dolphin refers to an old saying of shamans telling people that the dolphins have slept away the conquest of the land and envy man for it. This is how scientists explain why dolphins attack creatures of the sea but not humans.

Symbols and Pictures from The CROSS Of Changes

The Back Cover On the back cover of the album The CROSS Of Changes is the track listing with each track's number surrounded by a symbol. The number of edges (connected 'lines') for each track is the quite obviously the same as the track number itself. In a letter from March 1995, Michael Cretu stated that the album was partly based on numerology, but gave no further details. He is far too fascinated with numerology and astrology. It is sad to see such talent wasted on such a superstitious mind. The CD The writing on the CD itself is ancient Sumerian, dating approximately between 4,000-2,000B.C. The astrological symbols on the outside represent each house of the zodiac, including their position in the sky, while the symbols in the middle represent seven of the twelve 'celestial' bodies (the Sumerians believed in a twelth planet which orbited every 3,600 years). A Few of the Symbols The circle with horns on it is Taurus The two wavy lines are Aquarius The 6 and 9 together are Cancer Pictures The woodcut lithograph is a drawing of the Hindu god Shiva performing the dance of creation. The

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drawing of a man inside a double circle is believed to have come from witchcraft and ceremonial magic and similar bullshit.

Morse Code
The morse code at the start of the album Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! has no meaning, according to Michael Cretu. He stated that the sample used comes from space.

The Chants in The Child In Us

SANKSRIT CHANT

prasanna vadanaam.h saubhaagyadaaM bhaagyadaam.h hastaabhyaaM abhayapradaam.h maNigaNairnaanaavidhairbhuushhitaam.h

TRANSLATION

who is of smiling face, bestower of all fortunes whose hands are ready to rescue anyone from fear who is adorned by various ornaments with precious stones
EXPLANATION

These lines have been taken from the 'dhyaana-shloka' (invocation song) of 'lakshmi ashhTottara shatanaama stotraH' ('108 Names of Lakshmi'). Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity. The actual 'shloka' goes like this (tranliteration as per ITRANS):
FULL SANSKRIT TEXT

vande padmakaraaM prasanna vadanaam.M saubhaagyadaaM bhaagyadaam.M hastaabhyaaM abhayapradaam.M maNigaNairnaanaavidhairbhuushhitaam.M bhaktaabhiishhTa phalapradaaM harihara brahmaadibhiH sevitaaM paarshve pa.nkajasha.nkhapadma nidhibhir- yuktaaM sadaa shaktibhiH
FULL TRANSLATION

I salute the Goddess, who bears lotus flowers in hands, who is of smiling face, bestower of all fortunes, whose hands are ready to rescue anyone from fear, who is adorned by various ornaments with precious stones, who showers boons fulfilling the ambitions of Her devotees, who is worshipped by Hari, Hara and Brahma, who is the possesser of wealth ('nidhi') symbolized by Lotus and conch-shell ('sha.nkha-padma').

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Enigma - Meanings
LATIN CHANT

Puer natus est nobis et filius datus est nobis cujus emperium super humerum

TRANSLATION

For to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder
EXPLANATION

'Puer Natus est Nobis' is a carol. It means 'a child is born to us'. These words are taken from Isaiah 9:6. It is called an 'Introit': text which is sung or read before mass, when the priest goes to the altar to pray mass, or he himself reads it when he stops in front of altar and before he starts to pray mass. It is the beginning of mass.

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