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)
幸福論
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
愛し愛されたいと 考えるようになりました
そしてあたしは君の強さも
隠しがちな弱さも汲んで
時の流れと空の色に
何も望みはしない様に
エナジイを燃やすだけなのです
本当のしあわせは目に映らずに
案外傍にあって 気付かずにいたのですが
かじかむ指の求めるものが
見慣れたその手だったと知って
あたしは君のメロディーやその
哲学や言葉 全てを
守る為なら少し位
する苦労もいとわないのです
時の流れと空の色に
何も望みはしない様に
素顔で泣いて笑う君の
そのままを愛してる故に
あたしは君のメロディーやその
哲学や言葉 全てを
守り通します君が其処に
生きてるという真実だけで
幸福なのです
The lyrics to 椎名林檎's song 幸福論 reflect the search for true happiness and the realization that it lies within simple things that we often overlook. As the singer has grown older and wiser, she has come to understand that true happiness cannot be found in material possessions or success. Instead, she longs to be loved and to love others in return. She recognizes both the strength and weakness of her loved one and accepts them for who they are. The passing of time and the color of the sky no longer hold any hope or expectation for her, but in her loved one's simple and genuine expressions of emotion, she finds the energy to keep going.
The singer further realizes that true happiness was always there, right beside her, waiting to be recognized. She recognizes that the things she had been seeking were right in front of her all along, in the touch of her loved one's hand, and the melodies, philosophies, and words that they shared. In her love for her loved one's true self, she accepts all aspects of them, and is willing to endure any hardship to protect them. She derives happiness from the knowledge that they are alive and with her.
Line by Line Meaning
本当のしあわせを探したときに 愛し愛されたいと 考えるようになりました
When I started searching for true happiness, I realized I wanted to give and receive love.
そしてあたしは君の強さも 隠しがちな弱さも汲んで
I take in both your strength and hidden weakness.
時の流れと空の色に 何も望みはしない様に 素顔で泣いて笑う君に エナジイを燃やすだけなのです
I burn with energy just seeing you, who doesn't expect anything from the flow of time or the colors of the sky, but just cries and laughs as yourself.
本当のしあわせは目に映らずに 案外傍にあって 気付かずにいたのですが
True happiness was surprisingly close by all along, but I didn't realize it because it wasn't something that I could see.
かじかむ指の求めるものが 見慣れたその手だったと知って
When my numb fingers sought something, I realized it was your familiar hand.
あたしは君のメロディーやその 哲学や言葉 全てを 守る為なら少し位 する苦労もいとわないのです
I don't mind going through a little bit of trouble to protect everything about you, including your melodies, philosophies, and words.
あたしは君のメロディーやその 哲学や言葉 全てを 守り通します君が其処に 生きてるという真実だけで 幸福なのです
I will protect everything about you, including your melodies, philosophies, and words until the truth that you exist there, gives me true happiness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Ringo Shiina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind