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)
Yami Ni Furu Ame
椎名林檎 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
東西線はあたしを乗せても 新宿に降ろしてくれなくて
辿り着けない
此処に欲しい腕や髪や首筋
貴方の嫌う生温い雨に濡らされてゆく
貴方に降り注ぐものが譬え
許すことなど出来る訳ない
此の手で必ず守る
側に置いていて
天気予報が外れてばかりの毎日が見させた嘘の闇
高揚も時めきも溜め息も 消耗しやがて失くなりそうで
招きたくない
空々しい土の香や向日葵の
すぐにも迎う馨しい絵画と化する日など
貴方を知り尽くすことが譬え
可能だろうが不可能だろうが
満たされる日が来る筈もない
身体が生きている限り
側に置いていて
貴方に身を委すことが譬え
危険だろうが安全だろうが
留め金などが在る筈もない
全て惜しみなく挙げる
貴方に降り注ぐものが譬え
雨だろうが運命だろうが
許すことなど出来る訳ない
此の手で必ず守る
側に 側に置いていて
The lyrics of 椎名林檎's song 闇に降る雨 describe a situation of frustration and helplessness, where the singer is unable to reach her desired destination, and is instead stranded in the rain. The song starts with her waking up from a dream due to the intense heat and humidity, and she cannot leave the train which takes her to the wrong station. The lyrics then describe her feelings of wanting someone to lean on: "Here, I want your arms, your hair, your neck. I am getting wet in the tepid rain that you hate."
The lyrics employ the use of metaphors to describe the emotions and experiences. Rain is used as a symbol of fate and the hardships which cannot be avoided, as she sings "What is pouring down on you, be it the rain or destiny, I cannot allow forgive it. I will surely protect you with my hands, by my side." The use of "I" and "you" in the lyrics suggest that this is a message to a loved one, where the singer is determined to stay by their side and protect them, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
余りの暑さに目を醒まし さっき迄見ていた夢の中
I awoke from a dream I was just having, due to the unbearable heat.
東西線はあたしを乗せても 新宿に降ろしてくれなくて
The train I got on wouldn't take me to my desired station Shinjuku, no matter what I did.
辿り着けない
此処に欲しい腕や髪や首筋
貴方の嫌う生温い雨に濡らされてゆく
Despite my efforts, I cannot reach what I desire in this life, and everything I hold dear will eventually be ruined by the lukewarm rain that you hate so much.
貴方に降り注ぐものが譬え
雨だろうが運命だろうが
許すことなど出来る訳ない
此の手で必ず守る
側に置いていて
Whatever may come down upon you, whether it's rain or fate, I cannot simply forgive it. But I promise to protect you with these hands, always keeping you by my side.
天気予報が外れてばかりの毎日が見させた嘘の闇
高揚も時めきも溜め息も 消耗しやがて失くなりそうで
The darkness of lies that I have seen in everyday living, where the weather forecasts never seem to be right. The exhilaration, excitement, and even sighs that I feel seem to disappear, and I feel a sense of exhaustion.
招きたくない
空々しい土の香や向日葵の
すぐにも迎う馨しい絵画と化する日など
I do not want to invite in the days when everything becomes a beautiful painting, with the fragrance of empty soil and sunflowers that we will soon enjoy welcoming.
貴方を知り尽くすことが譬え
可能だろうが不可能だろうが
満たされる日が来る筈もない
身体が生きている限り
側に置いていて
Even if it is possible for me to know everything about you, it is impossible for me to be fulfilled, for as long as my body lives. So please stay by my side, always.
貴方に身を委すことが譬え
危険だろうが安全だろうが
留め金などが在る筈もない
全て惜しみなく挙げる
Even if it means putting my life in your hands, whether it's dangerous or safe, there is no reason for me to hold back anything, for there will be no latch or lock that can stop me.
貴方に降り注ぐものが譬え
雨だろうが運命だろうが
許すことなど出来る訳ない
此の手で必ず守る
側に 側に置いていて
Whatever may come down upon you, whether it's rain or fate, I cannot simply forgive it. But I promise to protect you with these hands, always keeping you by my side.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ringo Shiina
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind