Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1987…
#6 – The Lion and the Cobra – Sinéad O’Connor
This summer I included Sinéad O’Connor’s debut album on a list of my favorite first albums. And after today’s post, I’ll be just two songs shy of posting its entire tracklist as Songs of the Day.
It keeps popping up because, nearly 40 years after it dropped, it is just as electric, immersive, and gripping. Few albums announce a new creative voice this confidently.
O’Connor would go in a lot of directions after The Lion and the Cobra, including the mega-success of sophomore effort I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got and the mega-controversies sparked by her outspoken political views. That wellspring of talent and directness is all right here on this brilliant album.
From the haunting opener, ‘Jackie,’ to the grungy dirge of closing track ‘Just Call Me Joe,’ this album is a journey bursting with attitude and emotion.
Minor hit ‘Mandinka‘ is a blast, while ‘Troy‘ and ‘Just Like U Said it Would B‘ are soul-baring epics. And just when you think you have it figured out, the album throws you for a loop with the sexy dance bop ‘I Want Your (Hands on Me).’
I didn’t hear The Lion and the Cobra until several years later, but I bet it was a rush to discover O’Connor through this great album when it first came out.
Ran down and the lady said it
Got torn down and the priest just said it
Got burned down
They give me five years, five years
It’s my turn
[Verse 1]
Ran down and the lady said it
Got torn down and the priest just said it
Got burned down
They give me five years, ooh, five years
It’s my turn
[Chorus]
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
[Verse 2]
Getting tired of you doing this to me
I’m gonna hit you if you say that to me
One more time
I wanna see you and you’re saying you’re busy
Wanna stop it and you said it would be easy
It sure takes time, ooh
[Verse 3]
Hope your next time gonna be the last time
Hope you don’t two-time, it’ll be the best time
There won’t be no next time
Show time
I hope you do what you said when you swore
You’d make it better, deliver all the letters
On time
[Chorus]
Jerusalem
Jerusalem, ah
[Chorus]
Jerusalem
Jeru—
Jerusalem
Jerusalem
