The Lion and the Cobra

The Lion and the Cobra is the 1987 debut album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor. O'Connor, age 20 at the time, recorded the album while heavily pregnant with her first child.
The photograph of O'Connor on the album cover was taken by Haysi Fantayzee member Kate Garner. The U.S. cover differed from the European release, as it was felt a more subdued pose would present a "softer" image of O'Connor.
The video for "Mandinka" was shown heavily after debuting 24 January 1988 on 120 Minutes on MTV. The single was a mainstream pop hit in the UK, peaking at #17 in the singles chart, as well as her native Ireland. "I Want Your (Hands On Me)" debuted in May 1988 on the same show, featuring a rap interlude by MC Lyte. The song was featured in the 1988 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master.
The album featured prominent session musicians John Reynolds on drums, former Adam and the Ants and Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist Marco Pirroni and Mike Clowes Friction Groove .
The title of the album is from Psalm 91:13 "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.
Additional single b-sides include "Still Listening" and "The Value of Ignorance".
The album sold 2,500,000 copies worldwide.
Slant Magazine listed the album at #46 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980's 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".