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)
労働者
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
おさらば
面倒はいやだ
あやかりたいよ
うるわし
文明はいいな
一体いくら掛かるの
とても間に合わない
身体と時間が 無い
浮かばれたいよ
いずれは
頑張ってるって
明け暮れたいよ
いますぐ
天職はなに?
一体何時つながるの
止め処ない充足まで
仕合わせになりたい
だれか助けて頂戴!
したいことだけしてたい
痛いのは余り好きじゃない
期待通りに思惑通り
夢を叶えて
乗り込みたいよ
おしらす
公平にどうぞ
手を組みたいよ
お偉がた
鞭撻をどうぞ
一体何処で買えるの
初回投資よろこんで
相殺ラクしておトク
美味しい薔薇色人生
したいことすら知らない
辛いのは余り堪えられない
からい毒にあまい薬
盾と矛
あっちを立てりゃこちらが
嫌いな相手にも好かれたい
事情を呑んでる間に生涯
費やしそうで
したいこと見付からない
なげいては格好付かない
怒ったように慎め口
上は見ないぜ
したいことだけしてたい
悪いのは何奴だ顔見せな
始終くだを巻いていても
お願い夢を見させて
The song 労働者 (Roudousha) by 椎名林檎 (Ringo Shiina) talks about the struggles of the working class, and touches upon themes of wanting to escape the monotony of labor, the desire for a better life, and the realization that achieving it seems impossible. The opening lines "ずらかりたいよ おさらば 面倒はいやだ" showcase this desire to "slack off," to say goodbye to the difficulties that come with work, and to find something more beautiful than what society deems as important. The line "身体と時間が 無い" further emphasizes the challenges of trying to achieve a comfortable life when one's physical and temporal resources are limited.
As the song continues, there is a call for help, with the lyrics "だれか助けて頂戴!" indicating a need for aid from someone or something outside of oneself. There is also an attempt to express an affinity for a higher calling, with the lyrics "天職はなに?" asking what one's ultimate purpose might be. However, this is juxtaposed with a sense of frustration, as the singer is unable to find a way to connect with this meaning.
The final lines of the song express a desire for personal fulfillment, with the lyrics "したいことだけしてたい" appearing a few times. There is also a sense of rebellion in wanting to shake off the social expectations that come with work and the pressures to conform. All in all, the song highlights the challenges and complexities of finding meaning and joy in one's everyday life, particularly when work takes up a significant portion of one's time and energy.
Line by Line Meaning
ずらかりたいよ
I want to run away
おさらば
Goodbye
面倒はいやだ
I don't want any trouble
あやかりたいよ
I want to imitate others
うるわし
Beautiful
文明はいいな
Civilization is good
一体いくら掛かるの
How much does it cost after all?
気持ち良い生活まで
The good life is enticing
とても間に合わない
It's just unrealistic
身体と時間が 無い
But I don't have the physical energy and time
浮かばれたいよ
I want to become successful
いずれは
Eventually
頑張ってるって
I want to prove myself
明け暮れたいよ
I want to work day and night
いますぐ
Right now
天職はなに?
What's my calling?
一体何時つながるの
When will it all connect?
止め処ない充足まで
Until I feel content
仕合わせになりたい
I want it to be fate
だれか助けて頂戴!
Someone please help me!
したいことだけしてたい
I just want to do what I want
痛いのは余り好きじゃない
I don't like pain much
期待通りに思惑通り
As I expect and hope
夢を叶えて
Make my dreams come true
乗り込みたいよ
I want to jump in
おしらす
Fairly
公平にどうぞ
Please do it fairly
手を組みたいよ
I want to collaborate with someone
お偉がた
People in power
鞭撻をどうぞ
Give me a whip
一体何処で買えるの
Where can I purchase this?
初回投資よろこんで
I hope to invest the initial payment
相殺ラクしておトク
I want to offset and save
美味しい薔薇色人生
A sweet, rosy-colored life
したいことすら知らない
I don't even know what I want to do
辛いのは余り堪えられない
I can't bear too much misery
からい毒にあまい薬
Sweet medicine to a bitter poison
盾と矛
Shield and spear
あっちを立てりゃこちらが嫌いな相手にも好かれたい
I want even my enemy to like me if I flatter them
事情を呑んでる間に生涯費やしそうで
I feel like I'll never stop worrying about life and waste it
したいこと見付からない
I can't find what I want to do
なげいては格好付かない
Whining doesn't look good
怒ったように慎め口
Watch your mouth, don't be angry
上は見ないぜ
I'm not looking up
悪いのは何奴だ顔見せな
Who's to blame? Show me your face
始終くだを巻いていても
Even though you keep bowing your head
お願い夢を見させて
Please let me dream
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ringo Sheena
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
kyoto incidents
えげつない、、、ただでさえ難しい労働者、それの百鬼ver.だなんて、、、それをこのクオリティで演奏できるの凄すぎます、、、
他の演奏も聴いてみたい、、、
your ghost
百鬼ver.だし自然に歌えてて素晴らしいと感じました。ここまで再現出来たら演者も気持ち良いものですね♪
ticktack0921
このカバー最高ですね。
椎名林檎の中でもファンキーチューンだと思いますが、ホーン隊の合いの手は勿論、ボーカルの方がオリジナルのコピーに留まらず、自由に自分の中でこの曲を咀嚼消化して歌い切っている姿勢に心打たれました。
breakからのブルージーなKey展開も最 to the高だし、もう少し聴かせてよ的な終わり方もときめきました。
皆さま頭脳偏差値も高く、各方面から引くて数多なのだとは推察しますが、もし音楽方面の未練が残るのだとすれば、こういった方々の将来を支える日本の音楽業界であって欲しいなと心底思いました。
Enjoy your life heartly!!的な老婆心からのコメントで失礼いたしました。
rms
林檎ちゃんの特徴を得てるのにオリジナル感あって素敵です💓💓
つち
格好良い!✨
にぶるすにぶるす
ボーカルすげー良いですやん
ちゅんむら
この方の歌もっと聞きたいです!
ま。
東大ヤバ…憧れる…
令和世紀末
うまい!!
日々
ホーン本気や!
めっちゃ好き!