"Once Bitten, Twice Shy" is a 1975 song written and recorded by Ian Hunter, from his debut solo album Ian Hunter, which reached No. 14 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]
| "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ian Hunter | ||||
| from the album Ian Hunter | ||||
| B-side | "3,000 Miles from Here" | |||
| Released | 4 April 1975 | |||
| Recorded | January–March 1975 | |||
| Studio | AIR Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock and roll[1] | |||
| Length | 3:52 | |||
| Label | Columbia Records/Sony Music Entertainment | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ian Hunter | |||
| Producer(s) | Ian Hunter, Mick Ronson | |||
| Ian Hunter singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The song was included in the 2017 feature-length biographical documentary, and compilation soundtrack,[3] entitled Beside Bowie: the Mick Ronson Story.[4]
The song has been covered by The Angels, Shaun Cassidy, and Eddie & The Hot Rods, among others.
Great White cover
| "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Great White | ||||
| from the album ...Twice Shy | ||||
| B-side | "Slow Ride" | |||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Studio | Total Access (Redondo Beach, California) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:24 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ian Hunter | |||
| Producer(s) | Alan Niven, Michael Lardie | |||
| Great White singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music videos | ||||
| "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" on YouTube | ||||
"Once Bitten, Twice Shy" was covered in 1989 by American rock band Great White on their fourth album, ...Twice Shy. This version was also released as a single, which charted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, at No. 6 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart[9] and again in the UK.[10]
This version's video was placed on New York Times list of the 15 Essential Hair-Metal Videos.[11]
Critical reception
Billboard's reviewer came to conclusion that success of LP in its chart will be a "strong support" to single and "should place this boogieing rocker on a large number of playlists."[12]
Charts
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[13] | 11 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[14] | 83 |
| US Billboard Hot 100[15] | 5 |
| US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[16] | 6 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[17] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Track listings
Ian Hunter 1975 single
- "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" – 3:52
- "3,000 Miles from Here" – 2:48
Great White 1989 single
- "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" – 5:20
- "Slow Ride" – 3:53
- "Wasted Rock Ranger" (Cassette only)