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)
ハツコイ娼女
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
美しい獣を観る
捜していたものを見つけた悦びを
いま唄に代えよう
届いて
"あなたの名前を知りたい
嗚呼きっといつか呼べます様に"
神秘は識らない
己が奇跡だとは
後ろめたい気持ちのわたしは
言い訳も唄に代えよう
例えば
"あなたの鼓動を聴きたい
嗚呼ずっと遥か遠くからも"
"あなたの視点を読みたい
嗚呼今日が逃げてゆく前に
あなたの名前を呼びたい
嗚呼どうかあなた疎まないで"
The lyrics to 椎名林檎's song ハツコイ娼女 express the desire for connection and intimacy with another person. The singer describes watching a beautiful, mysterious creature and experiencing joy in finding what they were searching for. They then express a desire to substitute their joy for a song, and ask for their message to be heard.
However, the singer also expresses feelings of guilt and self-doubt about their own status as a miracle. They make excuses and attempt to substitute these feelings with a song as well. The second verse includes similar desires for connection, where the singer wants to hear the other person's heartbeat and see things from their perspective. They conclude with a plea to be able to call the other person by their name without being shunned.
Overall, the song portrays a search for intimacy despite self-doubt and fear of rejection. The lyrics convey a strong desire to connect with another person on a deeper level and to be seen and heard.
Line by Line Meaning
神秘で出来た 美しい獣を観る 捜していたものを見つけた悦びを いま唄に代えよう 届いて
I have found joy in observing a beautiful and mysterious beast, and I will now express that joy through song. Please hear me.
"あなたの名前を知りたい 嗚呼きっといつか呼べます様に"
I long to know your name, so that I may one day call out to you.
神秘は識らない 己が奇跡だとは 後ろめたい気持ちのわたしは 言い訳も唄に代えよう 例えば
I do not understand the mystery of life, but I try to convince myself that I am a miracle. Even if it is just an excuse, I will express it through song. For example,
"あなたの鼓動を聴きたい 嗚呼ずっと遥か遠くからも"
I long to hear your heartbeat, even from far away, always.
"あなたの視点を読みたい 嗚呼今日が逃げてゆく前に あなたの名前を呼びたい 嗚呼どうかあなた疎まないで"
I want to understand your point of view before this day slips away, and I want to call out your name, please don't be a stranger to me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ringo Sheena
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind