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)
Sigma
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That I'm always changing
When all I really do
Is not stay true to your illusions
You phone & talk marriage
Cover up the mouthpiece
Cursing at your mother
I am not your possession
Not another toy for the boy
Weary of your direction
Tired of your desire to control
Honey, I've got tell you
It's like walkin' tightrope
I'm leaving your island
Built a ship of my own
I just want simple peace
So I say good bye, tatty bye, oh yeah
Three, two, one, zero
I am not your possession
Not another toy for the boy
Weary of your direction
Tired of your desire to control
Sure I cook lunch for you
If you are pure & spotless
I'm leaving your island
Built a ship of my own
I just want simple peace
So I say good bye, tatty bye
Honey, I've got tell you
It's like walkin' tightrope
I'm leaving your island
Built a ship of my own
I just want simple peace
So I say good bye, tatty bye, ah yeah
The lyrics of Σ by 椎名林檎 (Shiina Ringo) are about a person who has been accused of betrayal and changing too much. However, the singer asserts that they are not being untrue to themselves, but rather they are simply not conforming to the illusions of the accuser. The second verse describes a phone conversation where the accuser talks about marriage while simultaneously complaining about their mother and dinner. The singer then asserts their independence by saying that they are not a possession or a toy to be controlled, and that they are tired of the accuser's attempts to manipulate them. The final verse describes the singer's attempts to leave the relationship and find peace.
Overall, the lyrics describe a relationship where one person is trying to control and manipulate the other, while the other person is trying to assert their independence and find peace.
Line by Line Meaning
You say I betray you
You accuse me of being disloyal to you
That I'm always changing
You believe I am constantly altering my behavior and opinions
When all I really do
In reality, all I do
Is not stay true to your illusions
Is fail to conform to your fantasies and delusions
You phone & talk marriage
You call me on the phone and discuss the prospect of getting married
Cover up the mouthpiece
You put your hand over the phone's speaker so your conversation is private
Cursing at your mother
You use profanity to insult and berate your own mother
Grumbling 'bout your dinner
You complain discontentedly about the meal you just ate
I am not your possession
I am not an object that belongs to you
Not another toy for the boy
I am not a plaything for you to control
Weary of your direction
I am tired and unhappy with the path you are leading us down
Tired of your desire to control
I am fatigued and frustrated by your need to be in charge
Honey, I've got tell you
Sweetheart, I have to inform you
It's like walkin' tightrope
This situation is like balancing on a narrow, unstable wire
I'm leaving your island
I am departing from your isolated and limiting world
Built a ship of my own
I have constructed my own vessel to travel on my own journey
I just want simple peace
I only desire tranquility and calm
So I say good bye, tatty bye, oh yeah
Therefore, I bid farewell, farewell, oh yes
Three, two, one, zero
Countdown to departure
Sure I cook lunch for you
Certainly, I prepare midday meal for you
If you are pure & spotless
On the condition that you are completely clean and flawless
I'm leaving your island
I am departing from your isolated and limiting world
Built a ship of my own
I have constructed my own vessel to travel on my own journey
I just want simple peace
I only desire tranquility and calm
So I say good bye, tatty bye
Therefore, I bid farewell, farewell
Honey, I've got tell you
Sweetheart, I have to inform you
It's like walkin' tightrope
This situation is like balancing on a narrow, unstable wire
I'm leaving your island
I am departing from your isolated and limiting world
Built a ship of my own
I have constructed my own vessel to travel on my own journey
I just want simple peace
I only desire tranquility and calm
So I say good bye, tatty bye, ah yeah
Therefore, I bid farewell, farewell, oh yes
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ringo Sheena
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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