The Lion and the Cobra


The Lion and the Cobra is the debut album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, released on 4 November 1987 by Ensign and Chrysalis Records. O'Connor recorded the album while in the later stages of pregnancy with her first child. The title of the album is from "you will tread upon the lion and cobra", and the track "Never Get Old" opens with an Irish language recital of Psalm 91 by singer Enya. The photograph of O'Connor on the album cover was taken by Haysi Fantayzee member Kate Garner. The covers of the United States and Canada issues differed from the European release, as it was decided a more subdued pose would present a "softer" image of O'Connor.
The first single, "Troy", peaked at number eight in the Netherlands and number 12 in Belgium. The second single was "Mandinka", was a mainstream pop hit in the UK, peaking at number 17 in the singles chart, as well as number six in her native Ireland. "I Want Your " was featured in the 1988 horror film . The album charted worldwide, reaching number 27 in the United Kingdom and number 36 on the US Billboard 200.

Critical reception

listed the album at number 46 on its list of Best Albums of the 1980s, saying "The Lion and the Cobra is regal, majestic, and allegorical, an album rife with images of war, slain dragons, and ghosts, and it's one of the most electrifying debuts in rock history". Pitchfork's Cameron Cook, listing the album at number 44 on its list of 200 Best Albums of the 1980s, stated that "The Lion and the Cobra’s themes of patriotism, sexuality, Catholicism, and social oppression set the stage for a career marked by a resolute sense of independence".

Track listing

Personnel

Weekly charts

Certifications

!scope="row"|Worldwide