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)
As You Wish
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
夢を見てゐる金色エナメルが伍本揃ふ
其処で 鳥渡だけ 休憩を お口に合ひますか さあだうぞ
唯濃密な接吻を お口に合ひますか
生命さへ怪しき瞬きに過呼吸
貴方に塗つて戴いた金色エナメルが壱拾本揃ふ
此処で やつとこさ 完成品 お眼鏡は如何 さあだうぞ
「愛したひとは貴方だけ」善くも平氣で濡れし此の色目よ
似合ふのは さう 興味本位な金色の爪
そして燃ゆる頬令今宵は果実色に
無言の意圖か熟れゆく鎖骨のお皿
注いで 銘酒の内の取つて置きなら
処變はればお相手も變はつて往きます
虚構みたいに真赤のエナメル弐拾本揃ふ
此処でも 矢張り 同様に 御顔色を窺ひつ さあだうぞ
唯恍惚と心中を 御顔色を窺ひつ
「愛と謂う言葉が嫌ひです」善くも平氣で抜かす此の色目よ
似合ふのは さう 鋭利で気丈な真赤の爪
そして燃ゆる頬 血液に似た色に
日向の意圖か熟れゆく羞恥心のお庭
注いで 銘酒の内の取つて置きなら
だつて明日は如何生る身 露知れず 果てはたつた一時先の未来
其れすら確かぢや無いもの 確かぢやないでせう
「愛するひとは貴方だけ」是がたつた一時の真事で痛くもない
剥いではまた塗つて戴く爪
「愛と謂う言葉は不要です」いとも容易に濡れし此の色目を
新しく演出して さあ何方でも
お好きな様に
The lyrics of 椎名林檎's song おこのみで depict a surreal world where the singer surrenders their fingers to someone and asks if they would like a dense kiss, while golden enamel dreams appear in multiples of five. The singer seems to be experiencing a panic attack, as their life blinks suspiciously and they struggle to breathe, surrounded by completed products and curious, gold nails. The person they surrendered their fingers to judges their expression, as if they are indulging in the pleasure of submission. The singer questions whether they truly love the person they are with, even as they peel off their nails and paint them again, and declares that they do not need the word "love." The song is a commentary on the complex emotions that come with love and submission, as well as the surreal nature of dreams and the difficulty of understanding one's own heart.
Line by Line Meaning
指と謂う指を貴方に委ね疎通
I surrender this thing called a finger to you for communication
夢を見てゐる金色エナメルが伍本揃ふ
I have five golden enamel dreams
其処で 鳥渡だけ 休憩を お口に合ひますか さあだうぞ
Would you care for a break with just Toritoh? Go ahead
唯濃密な接吻を お口に合ひますか
Does only a deep, intense kiss suit your taste?
生命さへ怪しき瞬きに過呼吸
Even my breathing becomes erratic at the uncertain blink of life
貴方に塗つて戴いた金色エナメルが壱拾本揃ふ
I have eleven golden enamel things that you painted for me
此処で やつとこさ 完成品 お眼鏡は如何 さあだうぞ
Finally, it's complete. Do you like how it looks? Go ahead
唯従服の快感を お眼鏡は如何
Does the pleasure of a submissive outfit suit your taste?
「愛したひとは貴方だけ」善くも平氣で濡れし此の色目よ
"The person I loved is only you" - these words, delivered calmly, are soaked in this color
似合ふのは さう 興味本位な金色の爪
What matches this look is a curious golden nail
そして燃ゆる頬令今宵は果実色に
And my burning cheeks turn the color of a fruit tonight
無言の意圖か熟れゆく鎖骨のお皿
Silent intention or the plate of the ripening collarbone
注いで 銘酒の内の取つて置きなら
Pour me a drink and keep the rest for later
処變はればお相手も變はつて往きます
As things change, so do my companions
虚構みたいに真赤のエナメル弐拾本揃ふ
I have twenty red enamel things that seem like fiction
此処でも 矢張り 同様に 御顔色を窺ひつ さあだうぞ
Again, I am trying to read your expression here. Go ahead
唯恍惚と心中を 御顔色を窺ひつ
Do I only see a trance in your expression?
「愛と謂う言葉が嫌ひです」善くも平氣で抜かす此の色目よ
"I hate the word love" - these words, said calmly, escape this color
似合ふのは さう 鋭利で気丈な真赤の爪
What matches this look is a sharp and courageous red nail
そして燃ゆる頬 血液に似た色に
And my burning cheeks turn the color of blood
日向の意圖か熟れゆく羞恥心のお庭
Is it the intention of the sun or the ripening shame garden?
だつて明日は如何生る身 露知れず 果てはたつた一時先の未来
Who knows what tomorrow holds? The future is just a moment that has already passed
其れすら確かぢや無いもの 確かぢやないでせう
Even that might not be certain, but that's not for sure
「愛するひとは貴方だけ」是がたつた一時の真事で痛くもない
"The person I love is only you" - that was the truth of a moment, and it doesn't hurt
剥いではまた塗つて戴く爪
I will strip and have my nails painted again
「愛と謂う言葉は不要です」いとも容易に濡れし此の色目を
"I don't need the word love" - this color is easily soaked
新しく演出して さあ何方でも お好きな様に
Let's try a new performance. Whoever you are, however you like
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ringo Sheena
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind