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In late 1996 the world’s music market resounded with the French proclamation: “Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!” and marked the world-wide release of Engima’s third instalment.

The opener also titled “Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!” declares: “Things are changing, but nothing changes. And still there are changes” – giving a clear outline of the theme of the album. Michael Cretu considered the third release as the “child” of the previous two albums – by combining the elements of the “parents”, he created a unique, outstanding and very thought-provoking album.

The thematic trend centers on the existential question “Why do we exist”. According to Michael Cretu the central question of our being is not “to be or not to be” but “why” – and the track “Why” conveys these thoughts and ideas.

The first single release “Beyond The Invisible” picks up on these recurring thoughts and ideas transforming the seemingly impalpable perceptions into an organic sound-scape. Whereas the second single release “T.N.T. For The Brain” focuses on a different theme altogether – resolving the personal conflict within yourself. It is a raging mental debate about social conventions, morals, ethics and wishful thinking, which can turn into a mind-blowing experience: “T.N.T. For the Brain”.

“Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!” is the third of the seven Enigma albums released to date: “MCMXC a.D.”, “The Cross Of Changes”, “The Screen Behind The Mirror”, “Voyageur”, “A Posteriori” and the most recent release “Seven Lives Many Faces”.

"My intention of the third album was to mix the basic elements of the first and the second one. It is based on the theory of numerology which says: the first is the father, the second is the mother, and the third is the child. I concluded: the child must have the attitudes of both, the father and the mother - E1 and E2.

Many people from the media misunderstood this. They thought, I had no ideas anymore and I want to reboil the soup, but it wasn't my intention at all.

In fact I became father at that time, and I felt to make a smooth record. It was very hard for me to be a lonesome wolf and a philosopher musically on the one hand, and on the other hand you have to take care about this screaming little kids with their innocent eyes. This is why "Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!" gives the impression of a very harmonic atmosphere."

Produced and Engineered by Micheal Cretu
Recorded at A.R.T. Studios, Ibiza/Spain
All songs published by Enigma Songs/Mambo Music
© + ® 1996 Virgin Schallplatten GmbH

Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!

Things are changing
But nothing changes
And still, there are changes
Le roi est mort, vive le roi!

Morphin Thru Time

Earth, a biosphere. A complex, subtly-balanced life support system.

...et turtur nidum, ubi reponat pullos suos:
altaria tua, Domine virtutum, Rex meus, et Deus meus.

We are floating over the line
Let us follow our mind
All our life we'll wait for the answer
And the question is: Why?

If we're following our mind
We can glide into light
No one knows if there'll be an answer
While we're morphing thru time.

We are floating over the line
Let us follow our mind
All our life we'll wait for the answer
And the question is: Why?

We're just travellers in endless space.

Third Of Its Kind

The first is the father
The second is the mother
And the third is the child.

Beyond The Invisible

I look into the mirror
See myself, I'm over me
I need space for my desires
Have to dive into my fantasies

I know as soon as I'll arrive
Everything is possible...
Cause no one has to hide
Beyond the invisible

Close your eyes...
Just feel and realize
It is real and not a dream
I'm in you and you're in me

It is time
To break the chains of life
If you follow you will see
What's beyond reality

Ne irascaris Domine,
ne ultra memineris iniquitatis.
Ecce civitas Sancti facta est deserta:
Sion deserta facta est:
Jerusalem desolata est.
Domus sanctificationes tuae et gloriae tuae...

Why! ...

I was childish and unfair
To you, my only friend
I regret, but now it's too late

I can't show you anymore
The things I've learned from you
Cause life just took you away

I'm asking why
I'm asking why
Nobody gives an answer
I'm just asking why

But someday, we'll meet again
And I'll ask you...

I'll ask you why
Why it has to be like this
I'm asking you why
Please give me an answer

Many years of stupid fights
Till we accept to see
How it was and would always be

Why it has to be like this
Why we don't realize
Why we're too blind to see
The one who's always on our side

Just tell me why
Why it has to be like this
That the good ones disappear
I'm asking you why

The Child In Us

Puer natus est nobis, et filius datus est nobis
cujus emperium super humerium

Some day you came
And I knew you were the one
You were the rain
You were the sun
But I needed both
Cause I needed you

You were the one
I was dreaming of all my life
When it is dark
You are my light
But don't forget
Who's always our guide...
It is the child in us.

T.N.T. For The Brain

Smell your skin
Feel your breath
You on my side
I couldn't resist

I hope I'll understand some day
What's the meaning of this crazy game?
It is real and pure...
T.N.T. for the brain

If there's no pain
Rules are still the same
I'm with you, just lead me
I'm ready to play
T.N.T. for the brain

Don't be scared
And have no fear
I will show you what it means

If there's no pain
Rules are still the same
I'm with you, just lead me
I'm ready to play
T.N.T. for the brain

What you feel is insane
It is love and not a game

The Roundabout

Life is a wheel of changes
But changes are life
And someday we will have to say goodbye
But our spirit will survive

Love is phasing, love is moving
To the rhythm of your sight
In the darkness, I get closer
To the crossing point of light

Reason is lasting, passion is living
And dying is teaching us how to live.

Prism Of Life

I am hunted by the future
Will the future be my past?
Or is time a fade-out picture
Of my everlasting cast?

Love is phasing, love is moving
To the rhythm of your sight
I get closer to the crossing point of light.

Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloriae.
Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus...

Let us try to live our lost illusions
They're the sun at night
If we don't, we'll never taste the spice of life

And when it seems that we're in a dead-end street
There's no reason to cry
Cause we have a helping hand who's always aside
Forever light.

Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth.
Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloriae.
Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus...

Odyssey Of The Mind

There's no teacher
Who can teach anything new.
He can just help us to understand
The things we always knew.

  • Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!
  • Morphin Thru Time
  • Third Of Its Kind
  • Beyond The Invisible
  • Why! ...
  • The Child In Us
  • T.N.T. For The Brain
  • The Roundabout
  • Prism Of Life
  • Odyssey Of The Mind