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（悦楽編）
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
素顔で泣いて笑う君にエナジィを燃やすだけなのです
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いる故に
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。
君が其処に生きているという真実だけで 幸福なのです。
The lyrics of "幸福論（悦楽編）" by 椎名林檎, also known as "Theory of Happiness (Pleasure Edit)," revolve around the quest for true happiness and the role of love in achieving it. The first lines convey a realization that the pursuit of true happiness involves the desire to be loved and to love. As the singer further reflects on this idea, she emphasizes the importance of accepting both the strengths and weaknesses of her loved one and cherishing their honest emotional expression. She finds that true happiness may not be apparent, but is often close by, unnoticed.
The middle stanza speaks to the recognition of a familiar touch and the willingness to go to great lengths to protect and nurture the love and philosophy of her partner. In the final lines, the singer declares that she finds happiness simply in knowing that her partner exists and is being true to themselves.
The lyrics of "幸福論（悦楽編）" touch on themes of love, acceptance, and the search for true happiness. The title translates to "Theory of Happiness (Pleasure Edit)."
Line by Line Meaning
本当のしあわせを さがしたときに
When I searched for true happiness
愛し愛されたいと考えるようになりました。
I began to think about wanting 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、
And I understand both your strength and vulnerability that you tend to hide.
時の流れと空の色に何も望みはしない様に
I won't expect anything from the passage of time and the color of the sky
素顔で泣いて笑う君にエナジィを燃やすだけなのです
I just want to burn my energy for you crying and laughing with your true face
本当のしあわせは目に映らずに
True happiness is invisible
案外傍にあって気付かずにいたのですが...。
But it was unexpectedly close by without me realizing it…
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、
Knowing that what my numb fingers were looking for was that 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 some trouble to protect everything about your melody, philosophy, and words.
時の流れと空の色に何も望みはしない様に
I won't expect anything from the passage of time and the color of the sky
素顔で泣いて笑う君のそのままを愛している故に
It's precisely because I love you for being yourself crying and laughing with your true face
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。
I will protect everything about your melody, philosophy, and words.
君が其処に生きているという真実だけで 幸福なのです。
Just the truth that you are living there makes me happy.
Writer(s): 椎名 林檎, 椎名 林檎
Contributed by Scarlett F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.