After quitting school to enter a musical contest, Shiina was quickly signed to EMI, then promptly left Japan to avoid the trappings of contract work. After returning, she quickly released a series of singles and albums, all self-penned (a relative rarity for Japanese pop artists), and all meeting with great success on the Japanese charts. A hiatus to start a family followed, itself followed (after a divorce) by both a new album and a new side project, the band 東京事変. (Tokyo Jihen - or Tokyo Incidents)
After more success with the band, Shiina returned to a solo career in 2006 as the Music Director for the film 「さくらん」(Sakuran), quickly taking the number one slot on the Oricon charts with the album Heisei Fuuzoku released in tandem with a major soundtrack project. Following was a B-sides album which peaked quickly at the number one Oricon slot. In the years proceeding this, she spent most of her time dedicated to Tokyo Jihen occasionally revisiting her solo work.
Despite being involved in the main Japanese pop scene, Shiina has created a niche for herself based on a much wider musical range than most artists. Where most pop singers develop a basic sound based on contemporary pop aesthetics and throwaway lyrical matter, Shiina builds on a base of jazz, rock, Motown, and even French chanson equally well (the chanson works especially well with her trademark nasal delivery), infusing her projects with a very different aesthetic, and gaining a fan base separate from the core constituents of the Japanese pop apparatus.
Despite the release of album 三毒史 (trivisa-itihasa) in 2019, released after a myriad of singles being majorly included in aforementioned work. In 2020, Ringo and band Tokyo Jihen turned their backs to their past, doing a major reunion, with the drop of a few projects, such as sixth studio album 音楽.
Discography
Singles
幸福論 (Koufukuron)(1998)
歌舞伎町の女王 (1998)
ここでキスして。 (Koko de kisu shite)(1999)
本能 (1999)
幸福論(1999)
ギブス (Gibs)(2000)
罪と罰 (2000)
真夜中は純潔 (2001)
絶頂集 (2000)
茎(STEM)~大名遊ビ編~ (2003)
りんごのうた (Ringo no Uta)(2003)
この世の限り (Kono Yo no Kagiri) (2007) (With Saitou Neko and her brother Shiina Junpei)
ありあまる富 (Ariamaru Tomi)(2009)
カーネーション (Carnation)(2011)
自由へ道連 (Traveling Companion to Freedom) (2012)
いろはにほへと (Les Couleurs Chantent) (2013)
孤独のあかつき (The Solitude of Dawn) (2013)
NIPPON (2014)
至上の人生 (A Life Supreme) (2015)
最果てが見たい (2015)
長く短い祭 (2015)
神様、仏様 (2015)
ジユーダム (2016)
目抜き通り (2017)
獣ゆく細道 (2018)
Albums
無罪モラトリアム (Muzai Moratorium) (1999)
勝訴ストリップ (Shouso Strip)(2000)
加爾基 精液 栗ノ花(Karuki Za-men Kuri no Hana)(2003)
平成風俗 (Heisei Fuuzoku) (2007) (with Neiko Sato)
三文ゴシップ (Sanmon Gossip) (2009)
日出処 (Hi Izuru Tokoro) (2014)
三毒史 (trivisa-itihasa) (2019)
Covers Album
唄ひ手冥利~其ノ壱~ (Utaitemyori Sonoichi)(2002)
逆輸入 ~港湾局~ (Reimports Vol.1) (2014)
逆輸入 〜航空局〜 (Reimport Vol.2 -Civil Bureau Aviation) (2017)
Compilations
私と放電 (Me & Electric Discharge) (2008) - (B-Sides)
ニュートンの林檎 (Apple of Universal Gravity) (2019) - (Overview)
いろはにほへと
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
恋しいだれかをそっと追い掛けるの?
甘い果実よ なぜ蜜を隠して黙っている
美味しい所をだれかに残しているの?
おしえてよ もう騙されないわ
仮初めの彩度だけぢゃ厭なの
色眼鏡割り棄てて
敢えないなみだに今日を滲ませるの?
判るのよ ちゃんと見極めるわ
モノクロの濃度だけで好いの
色仕掛取り止めて
気高いあなたもこの大自然の一端ね
わたしに見せてよ今尚未開拓の根源
生きているあなたいのちは無色透明
黄色い百合よ なぜ別れ際に咲っている
万代不易を欲するのは無為と云うの?
丸い目をすかして求めた全部が愛しい
浅い夢見やしゃんせ さあ見やしゃんせ
The song "Les Couleurs Chantent" by 椎名林檎, which translates as "The Colors Sing," is a poetic and introspective piece which begins by asking why we run after someone we miss or hide the sweetness of our fruit. The singer then inquires about the purpose of melting the sun into the red sky, and why we desire unalterable permanence in our fleeting lives. The lyrics encourage us to see beyond the illusions and false appearances, shedding the colored glasses that warp our perception of reality. The enchanting melody of the song and the poignant lyrics remind us to cherish the beauty found in the present moment, to seek the truth, and to embrace the unknown.
As the song continues, the lyrics draw parallels between the natural world and human experience. The singer asserts that the listener, who is a part of this vast and exquisite world, should share with her the secrets still hidden within the unexplored roots of the earth. She implores us to unveil the illusions created by the world and to discover the transparent nature of existence. Finally, the song ends by posing questions about the origin and meaning of life and encourages the listener to look deep inside themselves for answers.
Line by Line Meaning
青い空よ なぜ雲をかかえて走っていく
Why does the blue sky rush with clouds, following someone dear?
恋しいだれかをそっと追い掛けるの?
Is it to calmly follow someone beloved?
甘い果実よ なぜ蜜を隠して黙っている
Why do sweet fruits hide their nectar and stay quiet?
美味しい所をだれかに残しているの?
Are they leaving the best parts for someone else to enjoy?
おしえてよ もう騙されないわ
Tell me, I won't be fooled again.
仮初めの彩度だけぢゃ厭なの
I'm tired of just temporary colors.
色眼鏡割り棄てて
I'll cast aside these rose-colored glasses.
赤い空よ なぜ太陽なんて溶かしていく
Why does the red sky dissolve the sun?
敢えないなみだに今日を滲ませるの?
Is it to blur today with hopeless tears?
判るのよ ちゃんと見極めるわ
I understand, I'll discern properly.
モノクロの濃度だけで好いの
I'll be fine with just the intensity of the monochrome.
色仕掛取り止めて
I'll stop using colored threads.
気高いあなたもこの大自然の一端ね
You, so noble, are just a small part of nature.
わたしに見せてよ今尚未開拓の根源
Show me the roots of yet-untouched parts.
生きているあなたいのちは無色透明
Your life is colorless and transparent.
黄色い百合よ なぜ別れ際に咲っている
Why do yellow lilies bloom at parting?
万代不易を欲するのは無為と云うの?
Is wanting eternity just a fruitless endeavor?
丸い目をすかして求めた全部が愛しい
I love everything I saw with wide-open eyes.
浅い夢見やしゃんせ さあ見やしゃんせ
Shallow dreams, let's see them, let's see.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Ringo Shiina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@theerei
青い空よなぜ雲をかかえて走っていく
恋しいだれかをそっと追い掛けるの?
甘い果実よなぜ蜜を隠して黙っている
美味しい所をだれかに残しているの?
おしえてよもう騙されないわ
仮初めの彩度だけぢゃ厭なの
・・色眼鏡割り棄てて・・
赤い空よなぜ太陽なんて溶かしていく
敢えないなみだに今日を滲ませるの?
判るのよちゃんと見極めるわ
モノクロの濃度だけで好いの
・・色仕掛取り止めて・・
気高いあなたもこの大自然の一端ね
わたしに見せてよ今尚未開拓の根源
生きているあなたいのちは無色透明
黄色い百合よなぜ別れ際に咲っている
万代不易を欲するのは無為と云うの?
丸い目をすかして求めた全部が愛しい
浅い夢見やしゃんせさあ見やしゃんせ
@noxlux97
お人形さんみたいで本当に可愛い。
青い空よなぜ雲をかかえて走っていく
恋しいだれかをそっと追い掛けるの?
甘い果実よなぜ蜜を隠して黙っている
美味しい所をだれかに残しているの?
おしえてよもう騙されないわ
仮初めの彩度だけぢゃ厭なの
・・色眼鏡割り棄てて・・
赤い空よなぜ太陽なんて溶かしていく
敢えないなみだに今日を滲ませるの?
判るのよちゃんと見極めるわ
モノクロの濃度だけで好いの
・・色仕掛取り止めて・・
気高いあなたもこの大自然の一端ね
わたしに見せてよ今尚未開拓の根源
生きているあなたいのちは無色透明
黄色い百合よなぜ別れ際に咲っている
万代不易を欲するのは無為と云うの?
丸い目をすかして求めた全部が愛しい
浅い夢見やしゃんせさあ見やしゃんせ
@user-eg5sq1cx6m
椎名林檎の半径1kmぐらいの範囲の枯れた花とかまた返り咲きそう
@user-ef4nx1rc3j
で、二度と枯れないのね
@MC-ic6mc
1kmは広すぎるwww
でも分かる。
@user-qf1fo7ui2j
でも逆に姉さんには枯れた花々に包まれてて欲しい感もある
@yukino3539
シシ神様やんw
@user-ip4nh2xz1r
不老不死💕
@user-hq2ff6lp3y
ピアノのコンクールみたいな静けさと歌い終わった後の無機質な拍手が良すぎない?
@user-io7vr5sv1z
同感です💖
@user-rj8ky1wy4l
楽器隊の立ち位置も含めて洗練されてる。ドレッサーの上でコスメが演奏会してるみたい。
@mamedame111
表現綺麗すぎるだろ、、、