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)
凡才肌
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
わたしを還してくれ
生を受けた歓び哀しみ
骨身に浴びせて
生きて死にたい
お腹が空いて考える
さあ何を犠牲に満たそう
さあ誰に恵んでもらおう
どうにも差し出せる品が無い
あなたもそうでしょ? 嗚呼!
労働するたび空虚が付き纏う
これも同じです 等閑だよ
そうあなたもわたしも
空いてる穴を求めては
今日を彷徨う
淋しくなって考える
さあ何処を理性に任そう
夢が乾いて考える
さあ如何に凌いで癒そう
どうにもラクをする技が無い
あなたもそうでしょ? 嗚呼!
賞讃はヒトを孤独へ追い払う
殺し文句は嫌い 安直だよ
そうあなたとわたしが異なる
偏旁と云うのは とんだ間違い
天才等という言葉が突き放す
素知らぬ顔して 冒涜だよ
そうあなたとわたしの何方が変り果てたかを
問い質したい
These lyrics are from the song "凡才肌" by 椎名林檎, which translates to "Ordinary Talent" in English. The song explores themes of yearning for homecoming, the struggle of existence, and the feelings of loneliness and emptiness.
The first verse expresses a longing to return to one's homeland, being overwhelmed by the contrasting emotions of joy and sorrow that accompany life. The desire to live but also to experience death is conveyed, suggesting a complex and nuanced relationship with existence.
The second verse reflects on the emptiness one feels when hungry and thirsty, contemplating what sacrifices can be made to fulfill those needs. The lyrics suggest a lack of resources or means to satisfy these desires, which the singer assumes others can relate to as well.
In the third verse, the lyrics delve into feelings of loneliness and the search for meaning. The singer contemplates where to place their trust and rationality, as dreams dry up and the need to endure and heal becomes crucial. Again, there is an acknowledgment of the limitations and frustrations in finding an easy way out.
The chorus touches on the idea that praise and recognition can push people into a state of loneliness, dismissing them as cliché and simplistic. The lyrics highlight the differences between the singer and the listener, labeling the notion of genius as a misunderstanding and an insult. The desire to question and confront the transformation that both the singer and the listener have undergone is expressed.
Overall, "凡才肌" delves into the complexities of human existence, the yearning for fulfillment and purpose, and the challenges presented by societal expectations and labels.
Line by Line Meaning
空よ山よ川よ故郷の海よ
Oh, empty sky, mountains, rivers, and the sea of my hometown, please bring me back
わたしを還してくれ
Bring me back
生を受けた歓び哀しみ
The joy and sorrow of being born
骨身に浴びせて
Immersing deep into my bones and body
生きて死にたい
I want to live and die
お腹が空いて考える
Thinking while hungry
さあ何を犠牲に満たそう
Now, what sacrifices should I make to satisfy?
喉が渇いて考える
Thinking while thirsty
さあ誰に恵んでもらおう
Now, who should I seek blessings from?
どうにも差し出せる品が無い
I don't have anything to give
あなたもそうでしょ? 嗚呼!
You're the same, right? Ah!
労働するたび空虚が付き纏う
Every time I work, emptiness clings to me
これも同じです 等閑だよ
This is the same, it's insignificant
そうあなたもわたしも
Yes, you and I
空いてる穴を求めては
In search of an empty hole
今日を彷徨う
Wandering through today
淋しくなって考える
Thinking when feeling lonely
さあ何処を理性に任そう
Now, where should I entrust my reason?
夢が乾いて考える
Thinking when dreams have dried up
さあ如何に凌いで癒そう
Now, how should I endure and heal?
どうにもラクをする技が無い
I don't have any tricks to make it easy
あなたもそうでしょ? 嗚呼!
You're the same, right? Ah!
賞讃はヒトを孤独へ追い払う
Praises drive people to loneliness
殺し文句は嫌い 安直だよ
I hate cliché lines, they're too direct
そうあなたとわたしが異なる
That's how you and I are different
偏旁と云うのは とんだ間違い
To call it prejudice is a big mistake
天才等という言葉が突き放す
The words like genius push away
素知らぬ顔して 冒涜だよ
With an innocent face, it's blasphemy
そうあなたとわたしの何方が変り果てたかを
So, I want to ask which one of us has changed so much
問い質したい
I want to question
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ringo Shiina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
opi pi
空よ山よ川よ
故郷の海よ
わたしを還してくれ
生を受けた歓び哀しみ
骨身に浴びせて
生きて死にたい
お腹が空いて考える
さあ何を犠牲に満たそう
喉が渇いて考える
さあ誰に恵んでもらおう
どうにも差し出せる
品が無い
あなたもそうでしょ?
嗚呼!労働するたび
空虚が付き纏う
これも同じです
等閑(なおざり)だよ
そうあなたもわたしも
空いてる穴を求めては
今日を彷徨う
淋しくなって考える
さあ何処を理性に任そう
夢が乾いて考える
さあ如何に凌いで癒そう
どうにもラクをする
技が無い
あなたもそうでしょ?
嗚呼!賞讚はヒトを
孤独へ追い払う
殺し文句は嫌い
安直だよ
そうあなたとわたしが
異なる偏旁(つくり)
と云うのはとんだ間違い
天才等という言葉が
突き放す
素知らぬ顔して
冒涜だよ
そうあなたとわたしの
何方が変り果てたかを
問い質したい
opi pi
空よ山よ川よ
故郷の海よ
わたしを還してくれ
生を受けた歓び哀しみ
骨身に浴びせて
生きて死にたい
お腹が空いて考える
さあ何を犠牲に満たそう
喉が渇いて考える
さあ誰に恵んでもらおう
どうにも差し出せる
品が無い
あなたもそうでしょ?
嗚呼!労働するたび
空虚が付き纏う
これも同じです
等閑(なおざり)だよ
そうあなたもわたしも
空いてる穴を求めては
今日を彷徨う
淋しくなって考える
さあ何処を理性に任そう
夢が乾いて考える
さあ如何に凌いで癒そう
どうにもラクをする
技が無い
あなたもそうでしょ?
嗚呼!賞讚はヒトを
孤独へ追い払う
殺し文句は嫌い
安直だよ
そうあなたとわたしが
異なる偏旁(つくり)
と云うのはとんだ間違い
天才等という言葉が
突き放す
素知らぬ顔して
冒涜だよ
そうあなたとわたしの
何方が変り果てたかを
問い質したい
まにょん
センスしかない!!めっちゃ笑わせてもらいました笑笑笑ありがとうございます
Emilie Siran Gao
haahahahah genius!!
田中みずき
その下瞼なに笑 1:26
ヤマクロネコ
意識を利用すると時間は超越できる
でも、一度死ぬけど
ヤマクロネコ
相変わらず気がおかしい事をと言われそうですが、実際に経験してます。
ヤマクロネコ
あまり話さない方がいいのかな?
異常でしたから逃げました。
ヤマクロネコ
福島第一原発で起きた事象。
知ってます?
原子炉より少し離れた街で起きてます。
ヤマクロネコ
死ぬって何なの?
考えてみて下さい。
小型の原子炉を幾つか使うと特殊な場が生まれます。
LiLo Loswarn covers
Haha ! Is it what it inspired you ? :-D