Hunter began his musical career on the bass guitar. An early foray into music was as an entrant in a talent competition at one of Butlin's holiday camps, performing "Blue Moon" as part of a skiffle group with Colen York and Colin Broome.
Hunter memorialized how he left his family in a later song, "23A Swan Hill," the address of his teenage home in Shrewsbury above a police station where his father was the Station Sergeant. He notes in concert that "my Dad was real mean" and did not approve of his son's artistic direction, in contrast to his "grand dad", referenced in "Cleveland Rocks", as "he was a rocker and I am, too".
So Hunter took off for Butlin's and "never looked back". Bandmates York and Broome came from Northampton, and were in a band called The Apex, which Hunter soon joined to play rhythm guitar. In 1963, while living in Northampton, he formed his own band, Hurricane Henry and the Shriekers. With Tony Marriott and guitarist Julian Coulter, the Shriekers worked steadily in Northampton, and by 1965 had picked up Freddie 'Fingers' Lee as a pianist and frontman. In a 2004 DVD interview Hunter volunteers Lee and their gigs in Hamburg as a major turning point, when he first began to "actually think maybe I could do this instead of working in factories".
In 1966 Hunter moved to London, where he joined The Scenery with guitarist Miller Anderson, drummer Dave Dufort, and keyboard player Dante Smith. By 1967 Smith and Dufort had left the band while John Vernon Smith joined on drums. The Scenery recorded some material with Bill Farley at Regent Sound, which was released without the band's knowledge in France and Japan. In early 1968, The Scenery had run its course and Miller Anderson joined Dave Dufort in Paper Blitz Tissue.
Also in 1968 Hunter remained in the band to back up Freddie Lee in the At Last The 1958 Rock and Roll Show, along with drummer Pete Philips and guitarist Chris Mayfield. The group got a regular booking at The Angel in Edmonton, and drew interest from both Chrysalis and NEMS but the group was never signed by them. Mayfield was soon replaced by the ever traveling Miller Anderson, and the group released a single on CBS called "I Can't Drive." As the short-lived rock and roll revival began to wane, At Last the 1958 Rock and Roll Show changed its name to Charlie Woolfe and released a final single, "Dance, Dance, Dance".
Hunter played sporadically in various other bands throughout the 1960s, including The New Yardbirds, and backed Billy Fury, The Young Idea and David McWilliams. He also worked as a journalist and staff songwriter for the firm Francis, Day & Hunter (no relation). Other jobs he took during these years included road-digging for a local council, and reporting for a local newspaper.
By 1969 Hunter was married and had two children, but was still hoping for a return to making music full time. That year he auditioned for and joined yet another band, Silence. Silence soon renamed themselves after a novel by Willard Manus, published in 1966: Mott The Hoople. By this time Hunter had taken to wearing the sunglasses that have long since become his trademark (photos of him without his "shades" are rare). The band was a live smash in England although their early U.S. tours on the coasts were slow in building a following. Whilst a critical success and despite being renowned for being an excellent live act, Mott the Hoople did not achieve sustained commercial success. After a dreary 1972 concert in a "gas cylinder" in Switzerland, they announced their disbandment.
David Bowie, a longtime fan of the band, was upset and offered them a song he had just written. As Ian recalls in a 2004 DVD interview, "He offered us 'Suffragette City', which I didn't think was good enough. And then he sat down on the floor, Regent Street it was in a publisher's office and plays 'All The Young Dudes' on an acoustic guitar." It shot to No. 3 in the UK singles chart and Mott had new life.
Mott the Hoople then had considerable commercial success with the albums All the Young Dudes (1972, produced by Bowie); Mott (1973) and The Hoople (1974). The band began to score financially with songs such as "Roll Away The Stone," "Golden Age Of Rock ´N´ Roll," "Honaloochie Boogie," "All The Way From Memphis," "Saturday Gigs," and especially "All The Young Dudes." When in 1973 original lead guitarist Mick Ralphs left to form Bad Company, Hunter began to play guitar until a replacement could be found but at the same time he was increasingly pressured to write hits for the band. Luther Grosvenor took over as lead guitarist, Grosvenor, aka Ariel Bender, was briefly replaced by Mick Ronson after the release of a live album following The Hoople. However, Hunter left the band in December 1974. The remaining members carried on under the names Mott and British Lions. Hunter has written a memoir, Diary of a Rock'n'Roll Star, detailing a U.S. tour with Mott the Hoople.
In March 1975 Ian Hunter joined forces with Mick Ronson, formerly the leading member of David Bowie's backing band The Spiders from Mars and a member of Mott the Hoople for a brief time. Hunter's first single from his eponymous solo album was the UK Top 40 hit "Once Bitten Twice Shy". Hunter's best selling solo album was You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic. It was released in 1979 with Ronson and several members from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. Two songs from You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic became successes for other artists. "Cleveland Rocks" was covered by the Presidents of the United States of America, whose version was used as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Also, "Ships" became a No. 9 pop hit in the USA in late 1979 for Barry Manilow.
During his solo career Hunter frequently worked with Ronson until the latter's death in 1993, but he has also had musical connections with many other artists, including Queen, Mick Jones (The Clash), Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, Jaco Pastorius, Dennis Elliot (Foreigner), and David Bowie.
His album, Rant (2001), received wide critical acclaim and he won Classic Rock Magazine Songwriter's Award in October 2005.
In 2007 his latest album "Shrunken Heads" was released and it clearly shows that Ian Hunter is still very much alive.
Once Bitten Twice Shy
Ian Hunter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm a hummin' and a strummin' all over God's world
You can't remember when you had your last meal
And you don't know just how a woman feels
You didn't know what rock and roll was
Until you met my drummer on the Grey tour bus
I got there in the nick of time
Now it's the middle of the night on the open road
The heater don't work and it's oh so cold
You're lookin' tired, you're lookin' kinda beat
The rhythm of the street sure knocks you off your feet
You didn't know how rock and roll looked
Until you caught your sister with the guys from the group
Halfway home in the parking lot
By the look in her eye she was givin' what she got
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
Oh, woman you're a mess, gonna die in your sleep
There's blood on my amp and my Les Paul's beat
Can't keep you home, you're messin' around
My best friend told me you're the best lick in town
You didn't know that rock and roll burned
So you bought a candle and you lived and you learned
You got the rhythm, you got the speed
Mama's little baby likes it short and sweet
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
Alright! I didn't know you had a rock and roll record
Until I saw your picture on another guy's jacket
You told me I was the only one
But look at you now, it's as dark as it's gone
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
The lyrics to Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten Twice Shy" follow the story of a woman who is experiencing the difficulties of the rock and roll lifestyle. The singer describes the hardships she faces as a touring musician, including being hungry and tired from constant traveling. The woman in the song is naive to the world of rock and roll until meeting the drummer of the band, and is exposed to the darker side of the lifestyle when she catches her sister with members of the group. The singer is wary of her behavior, as he states that she may "die in her sleep" due to her recklessness.
The chorus of the song, "My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy," expresses the singer's reluctance to trust this woman again, as he has been hurt in the past. The end of the song sees the singer discovering that the woman he thought was loyal to him has been unfaithful, and he is once again hesitant to trust.
Overall, the lyrics explore the consequences of rock and roll fame, including betrayal and loneliness. The singer warns that even though the lifestyle may be glamorous on the surface, it can also lead to heartbreak and mistrust.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the times are gettin' hard for you little girl
You're going through tough times.
I'm a hummin' and a strummin' all over God's world
I'm travelling and performing music everywhere.
You can't remember when you had your last meal
You're starving.
And you don't know just how a woman feels
You don't understand the struggle of being a woman.
You didn't know what rock and roll was
You were unaware of the genre of music called rock and roll.
Until you met my drummer on the Grey tour bus
You discovered rock and roll through my drummer while travelling on the Grey tour bus.
I got there in the nick of time
I arrived just in time to save you.
Before he got his hands across your state line, yeah
Before he could take advantage of you while crossing state borders.
Now it's the middle of the night on the open road
We're driving late at night on a highway.
The heater don't work and it's oh so cold
The heater in the car is broken and it's extremely cold.
You're lookin' tired, you're lookin' kinda beat
You look exhausted and fatigued.
The rhythm of the street sure knocks you off your feet
The pace of city life is tiring and overwhelming for you.
You didn't know how rock and roll looked
You were unfamiliar with the fashion style of rock and roll.
Until you caught your sister with the guys from the group
You saw your sister with members of a rock and roll band.
Halfway home in the parking lot
We're halfway home and parked in a parking lot.
By the look in her eye she was givin' what she got
Your sister was engaging in sexual activity based on the expression on her face.
Oh, woman you're a mess, gonna die in your sleep
You're a disaster and may die in your sleep.
There's blood on my amp and my Les Paul's beat
There's blood on my equipment and it's been damaged during a performance.
Can't keep you home, you're messin' around
You can't stay faithful and are cheating.
My best friend told me you're the best lick in town
My friend told me you're the best sexual partner around.
You didn't know that rock and roll burned
You didn't realize the dangerous and wild nature of rock and roll.
So you bought a candle and you lived and you learned
You tried to enjoy rock and roll safely, but eventually learned from experience.
You got the rhythm, you got the speed
You now understand and appreciate the beat and energy of rock and roll.
Mama's little baby likes it short and sweet
You prefer rock and roll songs that are brief and catchy.
Alright! I didn't know you had a rock and roll record
I was unaware that you were a fan of rock and roll music.
Until I saw your picture on another guy's jacket
I discovered your interest in rock and roll through a photo on another man's jacket.
You told me I was the only one
You lied to me and said I was the only person you were interested in.
But look at you now, it's as dark as it's gone
You've fallen to a point of no return and it's very sad.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy babe
I'm cautious and hesitant after being hurt before.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I'm skeptical and leery from my past experience.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I'm cautious and hesitant after being hurt before.
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy babe
I'm very cautious and hesitant after past mistakes.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I'm skeptical and leery from my past experience.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ian Hunter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
johnny zell
Well the times are gettin' hard for you little girl
I'm a hummin' and a strummin' all over God's world
You can't remember when you had your last meal
And you don't know just how a woman feels
You didn't know what rock and roll was
Until you met my drummer on the Grey tour bus
I got there in the nick of time
Before he got his hands across your state line, yeah
Now it's the middle of the night on the open road
The heater don't work and it's oh so cold
You're lookin' tired, you're lookin' kinda beat
The rhythm of the street sure knocks you off your feet
You didn't know how rock and roll looked
Until you caught your sister with the guys from the group
Halfway home in the parking lot
By the look in her eye she was givin' what she got
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
Oh, woman you're a mess, gonna die in your sleep
There's blood on my amp and my Les Paul's beat
Can't keep you home, you're messin' around
My best friend told me you're the best lick in town
You didn't know that rock and roll burned
So you bought a candle and you lived and you learned
You got the rhythm, you got the speed
Mama's little baby likes it short and sweet
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
Alright! I didn't know you had a rock and roll record
Until I saw your picture on another guy's jacket
You told me I was the only one
But look at you now, it's as dark as it's gone
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
Richard Clarkson
Absolute magic, from “‘Allo” to the last tinkle of the ivories!
James Whitney
Absolutely!!
Michael Clark
Thank David Bowie, if he hadn't given Ian All the Young Dudes, the world might never have recognized their talent.
That would have been a crime.
They were musical geniuses and that song gave them the fame they deserved.
Øyvind Kristoffersen
And No one would recognized Bowie
ragnorr2001
damn rigjt
dennis hasenbalg
So Sad but true! The Kinks and Mott The Hoople never got the credit they deserve! 2 of my favorite bands
Michael Clark
@dennis hasenbalg And The Tubes.
Ronald Tant
The songwriting and delivery of Hunter and the immense arranging and playing talents of Ronson ,now that’s Rock at it’s best.
Phillip Brown
Mick's solo is my favorite of all time.
Steve Asay
Sadly you never hear this version on any classic rock stations