The Lion and the Cobra
| The Lion and the Cobra | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 5 October 1987 | |||
| Recorded | 1986–1987 | |||
| Studio | Oasis Studios (Camden, London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:21 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Sinéad O'Connor chronology | ||||
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| Alternative cover | ||||
North American cover art | ||||
| Singles from The Lion and the Cobra | ||||
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The Lion and the Cobra is the debut studio album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, released on 5 October 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 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.
"I'm really proud of them," O’Connor remarked of the album's songs, and her reluctance to perform them, in 2005. "For a little girl to have written some of those songs… I wrote my songs as therapy, if you like. I don't go back to it. I don't want to go there emotionally. I haven't paid all this money for therapy for fucking nothing."
The photograph of O'Connor on the album cover was taken by ex-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 the star.