The Lion and the Cobra is the debut album by Irish singer Sinéad O'Connor, released on 5 October 1987[4] by Ensign and Chrysalis Records.

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.

In the UK, Neil Perry of Sounds awarded the album five stars out of five and stated, "I can think of no finer debut this year", and continued, "I challenge you to hear the voice and remain unmoved".

"[17] In the NME, Michele Kirsch described the record as "a weird but pleasant surprise" and wrote how O'Connor "busies herself with the usual domestic hell atrocities" but "salvation comes in the form of unpredictable phrasing and strange little yelps of despair".

[19] In a write-up for Slant Magazine's list of the best albums of the 1980s, where it placed at number 46, Sal Cinquemani called The Lion and the Cobra "regal, majestic, and allegorical" and "one of the most electrifying debuts in rock history.

"[20] It was ranked at number 44 on Pitchfork's 2018 list of the best 1980s albums, with Cameron Cook saying that its "themes of patriotism, sexuality, Catholicism, and social oppression set the stage for a career marked by a resolute sense of independence.