The oldest of three sons born to Shirley Jones and Broadway entertainer/television star Jack Cassidy, he first found success as a teen idol, following in the footsteps of his elder half-brother, David Cassidy of TV's The Partridge Family. He went to Beverly Hills High School.
He released several successful singles in the late 1970s. His first single, "Morning Girl", a The Neon Philharmonic classic, didn't chart in the USA but did well in Europe.[citation needed] His second single, a cover version of The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron", hit #1 in the United States in 1977, and he, like David, became a major teen idol. He achieved two further top ten singles with cover versions of Eric Carmen's "That's Rock 'N' Roll" and "Hey Deanie" in 1977 and his first three albums also sold well. Cassidy and his mother Shirley Jones of the Partridge Family are the only mother and son to each have a song reach number one on the Billboard Hot One Hundred Charts.[citation needed] Cassidy also achieved chart success and toured in Australia.
Cassidy starred opposite Parker Stevenson in the popular The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries television series, which ran for several seasons on ABC-TV, starting in 1977. In 1987, Cassidy joined the cast of the Daytime Soap Opera General Hospital for several months, playing the character of Dusty Walker from 1987–1988. He was first in a series of young, male, blond actors to appear on General Hospital, followed by Chris Aable in 1988 and Steve Burton in 1989. Cassidy made his Broadway debut in 1993 in a production of Blood Brothers alongside brother David Cassidy - the first time the two brothers had ever appeared together professionally. Along with Petula Clark who played the mother, this production was a major success and achieved great critical acclaim.
Among his credits as a TV producer were the creation of the short-lived Fox Television Network Action/Adventure series Roar, which starred the then-unknown Heath Ledger. Other writing and producing credits include Cold Case, The Agency, and the creation of American Gothic as well as the 2005 ABC series Invasion.
Cassidy has two children from his first marriage with model Ann Pennington, and one child from his second marriage, with actress Susan Diol. On August 28, 2004, Cassidy married a third time, to producer Tracey Turner, with whom he has two children.
Once Bitten Twice Shy
Shaun Cassidy Lyrics
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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 Shaun Cassidy's "Once Bitten Twice Shy" detail the lead singer's experience with a girl he met on tour. The girl is struggling financially and emotionally, unable to remember her last meal and not knowing how it feels to be a woman. The singer, perhaps taking advantage of her vulnerability, introduces her to rock and roll and takes her under his wing. However, as they travel, things become increasingly complicated as the girl becomes tired and overwhelmed by the rhythm of the street.
The singer learns that the girl is not as innocent as he thought, catching her in a sexual act with his friend. This betrayal causes him to feel "once bitten twice shy", implying that he will be more cautious in the future. Meanwhile, the girl continues to act recklessly, as demonstrated by her flagrant infidelity and her willingness to stay out all night.
The song can be interpreted as a cautionary tale about the dangers of promiscuity and the potential for heartbreak. The lyrics also highlight the power dynamics at play in relationships, particularly when one person holds financial and social power over the other.
Line by Line Meaning
Well the times are gettin' hard for you little girl
You're going through a tough time, girl.
I'm a hummin' and a strummin' all over God's world
I am constantly performing and traveling everywhere.
You can't remember when you had your last meal
It's been awhile since you last ate.
And you don't know just how a woman feels
You can't understand what it's like to be a woman.
You didn't know what rock and roll was
You were clueless about rock and roll music.
Until you met my drummer on the Grey tour bus
You learned about rock and roll from my drummer while on tour.
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 had the chance to cross state lines with you.
Now it's the middle of the night on the open road
We're driving on the open road in the middle of the night.
The heater don't work and it's oh so cold
The car's heater is broken and it's freezing inside.
You're lookin' tired, you're lookin' kinda beat
You're exhausted and worn down.
The rhythm of the street sure knocks you off your feet
The energy of the street can be overwhelming.
You didn't know how rock and roll looked
You didn't have a clear idea of what rock and roll looked like.
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 in a parking lot.
By the look in her eye she was givin' what she got
Your sister seemed to be enjoying herself.
Oh, woman you're a mess, gonna die in your sleep
You're a disaster and your life will end badly.
There's blood on my amp and my Les Paul's beat
There's blood on my amplifiers and guitar.
Can't keep you home, you're messin' around
You can't be trusted at home, you're always fooling around.
My best friend told me you're the best lick in town
My friend told me you're the best lover in town.
You didn't know that rock and roll burned
You didn't know that rock and roll destroyed people's lives.
So you bought a candle and you lived and you learned
You tried to learn from your mistakes.
You got the rhythm, you got the speed
You have a natural talent and energy for rock and roll.
Mama's little baby likes it short and sweet
You prefer your rock and roll songs to be short and catchy.
Alright! I didn't know you had a rock and roll record
I just found out that you have a history with rock and roll.
Until I saw your picture on another guy's jacket
I only found out when I saw a picture of you on someone else's clothing.
You told me I was the only one
You promised me that I was the only person you were interested in.
But look at you now, it's as dark as it's gone
You've changed and become someone I don't recognize.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
I've been hurt before and now I'm cautious.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I've been hurt before and I don't want it to happen again.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I've been hurt before and I'm not taking any chances.
I said my, my, my, I'm once bitten twice, shy babe
I've been hurt before and I'm a little scared now.
My, my, my, I'm once bitten twice shy baby
I've been hurt before and I don't want to make the same mistake again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ian Hunter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind