Track Listing

1. Jackie
2. Mandinka
3. Jerusalem
4. Just Like U Said It Would B
5. Never Get Old
6. Troy
7. I Want Your (Hands On Me)
8. Drink Before The War
9. Just Call Me Joe

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14077 in Music
• Released on: 1990-07-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

CD Description
Though Sinead O'Connor's THE LION AND THE COBRA did not have the market impact of her follow-up I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN'T GOT, and lacks that album's polish and sense of assurance, the Irish spitfire's debut is still arguably her finestrecording. There is an edge here that dazzles, and the darkatmosphere of the album--its unsettling tension, Celtic flavours, and dynamic contrasts--is completely seductive.
Most of the tracks are characterised by a sound that is at once minimal, intimate, expansive, and contemporary. O'Connor'svocals seem fully formed here, and her trills, swoops, sharp turns, and snarls are let loose on "Troy", "Jerusalem", and "Just Like You Said It Would Be". The brighter rock song "Mandinka" and the dance-flavoured "I Want Your (Hands on Me)" were radio hits, they help vary the set while blending seamlessly with the moody cast of the record. This was one of the most impressive debuts of the late-'80s, and though O'Connor's volatile public persona would eventually undermine hercareer, the power and passion of THE LION AND THE COBRA still hold up today.

Customer Reviews

Guitar driven genius before the promo and A&R people changed her into a cabaret act.
I find Sinead's albums patchy but the good ones are brilliant - this debut and "Faith and Courage" are religious stuff, not in any churchy orthodox sense but in that life, the universe and everything sense. This is far superior to "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" or "Am I Not Your Girl" - a whole different thing, not cabaret, MOR stuff but cutting edge venomous songs - full of passion, love and anger. Full of pain, joy, and life experience.

With the exception of "Just call me Joe" (a dirge) and maybe "Drink before the War" -(okay but nothing special) - these are all terrific tracks delivered with a commitment and conviction that you can only do on your debut album. It is mysterious and innovative but wholly accesible.
Great guitar driven music.

Amazing. Unequalled.
Sinead O'Connor has the best female voice I have ever heard, over Cat Power, Skin, even Janis Joplin. It's all showcased on this album. The first time I heard Troy I couldn't believe it was the same person who had done I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got (the only album I had heard of hers before). Not that that isn't a great album. The Lion & the Cobra is different because it is RAW. The strength of emotion is overwhelming. The most powerful collection of songs Sinead has ever recorded, and a must for fans and newcomers alike. Highlights : Troy, Jackie (please, please, ignore the Placebo version. Much as I love Brian Molko, he cannot compete vocally), Drink Before the War (so bitter, so strident, so - dare I say it - TOPICAL).
You will not regret hearing this. It's beautiful.

Gob smacking!
The first time I heard Sinead O'Connor sing Mandinka, I could barely believe my ears. Then I heard the album, with Mandinka, Jerusalem and Just Like U Said It Would Be in rapid succession and believed I'd uncovered a true original with a haunting voice and some of the most creative songwriting of its day.

So had a lot of other people, it's true, and some of Sinead's later career failed to live up to the heights of her first album, but you've got to admire the freshness of this effort, even now. Just a few low spots on this disk, but don't let that put you off a truly memorable recording.