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)
光合成
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
痛い暇を恋と呼ぶ様に
青梅を疾走して居る期間は憂鬱
都会 故 強靭さ
間も無く其の日がやって来る予定
...もうすぐ
悲哀以外の才を譲りいよ
挨拶は
新(ネオ)ウィッス君限定と云う
遺憾 故 快進さ
間も無く其の日がやって来る予定
...もうすぐ
青梅を疾走して居る期間は憂鬱
都会 故 快進さ
間も無く其の日がやって来る予定
...もうすぐ
挨拶は
新(ネオ)ウィッス君限定と云う
遺憾 故 快進さ
間も無く其の日がやって来る予定
...もうすぐ
The lyrics of 椎名林檎's song 光合成 express a feeling of impatience and anxiety about an upcoming event. The singer is lamenting the passage of time, using a metaphor of being on a fast-moving train (青梅を疾走して居る期間は憂鬱), and feeling trapped by the speedy, impersonal nature of modern city life (都会故強靭さ). The singer desires to be released from their pain and discontent, and to be offered some other talent or opportunity (悲哀以外の才を譲りいよ 芝居依頼を佞(ねい)と呼ぶ様に). However, the singer also seems to be resigned to their fate, knowing that the day they dread is coming soon (間も無く其の日がやって来る予定) and that they will have to face it despite their misgivings (遺憾故快進さ).
Line by Line Meaning
暗い色の塀に届きそう
It feels like I can reach the dark-colored wall.
痛い暇を恋と呼ぶ様に
I call my painful free time 'love.'
青梅を疾走して居る期間は憂鬱
The time spent running wild in the countryside is melancholy.
都会 故 強靭さ
The city causes toughness.
間も無く其の日がやって来る予定
That day is coming soon.
...もうすぐ
...very soon.
悲哀以外の才を譲りいよ
Give away talents besides sadness.
芝居依頼を佞(ねい)と呼ぶ様に
I call theater requests flattery.
挨拶は
新(ネオ)ウィッス君限定と云う
My greeting is limited to Neo Weiss kun.
遺憾 故 快進さ
Regret causes progress.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: 林檎 椎名
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind