椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo, also sometimes spelled "Sheena Ringo" or "Shéna Ringö")… Read Full Bio ↴椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo, also sometimes spelled "Sheena Ringo" or "Shéna Ringö"), born November 25, 1978 in Saitama and raised in Fukuoka, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist. Her family name is Shiina (椎名) and she chose to perform as Ringo instead of her birth name Yumiko (裕美子) because - as a shy child - her cheeks would blush red like an apple (the fruit being 'ringo' in Japanese).

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)

Akane Sasu Kiro Terasaredo
椎名林檎 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

何時もの交差点で彼は頬にキスする
また約束もなく今日が海の彼方に沈む

ヘッドフォンを耳に充てる
アイルランドの少女が歌う
夕暮れには切な過ぎる
涙を誘い出しているの?

振り返る通りを渡るひとに見蕩れる
また約束も無く彼がビルの彼方に消える

ヘッドフォンを耳に充てる
ファズの利いたベースが走る
夕焼けには切な過ぎる
涙を誘い出しているの?

今の二人には確かなものなど何も無い
偶には怖がらず明日を迎えてみたいのに

I place the headphones on my ears and listen someone sings a song
I feel so blue

Now darlin', promise me and please tell me something words to soothe
Don't wanna cry, I don't wanna cry

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to 椎名林檎's song 茜さす帰路照らされど… explore the fleeting nature of love and the longing for stability and reassurance in a relationship. The singer of the song is left feeling vulnerable as her lover kisses her cheek and disappears without promise of returning, making her question the strength of their relationship. The use of headphones and music as a device in the song suggests an escape into one's internal world, emphasizing the loneliness of the singer's experience.

The contrast of the upbeat melody and the bittersweet lyrics, coupled with the use of traditional Irish folk music, makes for a unique and poignant listening experience. The song also features intricate instrumentation, including a prominent bassline and guitar riffs, in contrast to the minimalist and subdued nature of the vocals. This creates an interesting dynamic that draws the listener in to focus on the lyrics and mood of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

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He kisses me on the cheek at the usual intersection

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Today disappears beyond the sea without any promise

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Placing the headphones on my ear

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A girl from Ireland sings

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It's so sad at dusk

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Is this song making me want to cry?

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I'm fascinated by the person crossing the street looking back

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He disappeared beyond the building without any promise

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The heavy bass rocks out

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It's so sad in the evening glow

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There's nothing certain between us right now