Burning The Ground Exclusive
NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
I originally posted this single back in October 2014, but for Spooky Season Spins 2025 I’m proud to share a brand-new, meticulously restored transfer — crisp, clean, and better than ever.
Spooky Season Spins Begins! 🎃💀🕸️
October is here, and that means it’s time to dust off the cobwebs, dim the lights, and turn up the volume — Spooky Season Spins officially begins today on Burning The Ground!
To kick things off, I’m featuring a rare and fascinating 7″ single pairing two tracks that perfectly capture that eerie ‘80s edge: 3 Speed – “Once Bitten” backed with Maria Vidal – “Just One Kiss.”
Released in 1985, this promo single was tied to the cult horror-comedy Once Bitten, starring a young Jim Carrey and Lauren Hutton. The A-side, “Once Bitten” by 3 Speed, brings that quintessential mid-80s movie soundtrack energy — upbeat, synthy, and a little bit dangerous. Flip it over, and Maria Vidal (best known for her hit “Body Rock”) delivers “Just One Kiss,” a sultry, atmospheric cut that’s dripping with vampiric allure.
3 Speed, a synth-rock band formed in Boston, enjoyed considerable success following the release of the Once Bitten soundtrack. At one point, they were even opening for Pat Benatar. Despite this momentum, MCA Records never petitioned the band to record a full-length LP, commissioning them instead to write songs for other soundtracks — including Rad and Savage Streets.
Both tracks on this single — “Once Bitten” and “Just One Kiss” — were written by legendary songwriting duo Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who went on to craft some of the biggest hits of the 1980s and 1990s, including “Like A Virgin,” “True Colors,” “So Emotional,” and “Eternal Flame.”
“Just One Kiss” had actually been recorded earlier, in 1982, by Rick Springfield for his album Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet — making the Once Bitten versions a fascinating bridge between early ‘80s pop-rock and mid-decade soundtrack synth-pop.
This record is one of those under-the-radar soundtrack gems that never got a wide release, making it a real treat for collectors and spooky-season DJs alike.
So cue the fog machine, light a few candles, and let’s sink our teeth into this one — the first Spooky Season Spin of 2025.
🩸 Stay tuned all month long for more hauntingly good 12″ and 7″ treats from the darker corners of the 1980s dancefloor.
SIDE A:
Once Bitten 3:39
Performed By – 3-Speed*
SIDE B:
Just One Kiss 4:00
Performed By – Maria Vidal
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Curb Records – MCA-52717, MCA Records – MCA-52717
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock
CREDITS:
- Engineer – Brian Reeves
- Producer – Richie Zito
- Written-By – B. Steinberg*, T. Kelly*
NOTES:
From the MCA/CURB LP, MCA-6154, “Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack “Once Bitten.”
Buy the 7″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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Greetings, relatively new fan of your glorious site. Both of these tracks are outstanding! It’s a real shame Maria Vidal’s Hands Off from the full soundtrack never got a single release. That might be my favorite track from the movie. It is featured during the ‘dance off’ where Lauren Hutton and the vastly underrated Karen Kopins ‘battle’ over Jim Carrey. Sadly I ve never heard a good sounding copy of that one yet. Picked up a bootleg CD of the soundtrack but it doesn’t sound so great. It absolutely pales in comparison to these two beautifully restored songs from the… Read more »
Hi JP — welcome to Burning The Ground! I’m really glad you found the site and that you’re enjoying these Spooky Season Spins! I completely agree with you — “Hands Off” is a fantastic track and one of the highlights of Once Bitten. That dance-off scene with Lauren Hutton and Karen Kopins is pure ‘80s gold. It’s such a shame it never got a proper single release, and you’re right — finding a good-sounding version has been nearly impossible. The bootlegs floating around definitely don’t do it justice. I’m thrilled you’re enjoying this new transfer of “Once Bitten” and “Just… Read more »
Awww, thank you for such a nice reply (Greatest)Dj Paul. And really, just a massive thank you for sharing your hard work with all of us. Every era has great (or at least pretty good) music and movies but there sure is something magical about the 80’s. Even the movie soundtracks were out of this world – this spooky single is just one example of that. Can’t even think of any recent movies with a soundtrack even close to anything that came out of the 80’s. If you can’t tell, I am in full agreement that the 80’s are simply… Read more »
I’m so glad you brought this back Paul!! I love this single and especially Linda Chase’s vocals. I think Ian below is right – I have your original transfer from 2014 and I believe it’s the promo. I’m glad to get both sides of your new transfer. Looking forward to this Spooky Season Spin! Thank you Paul!!
You’re welcome, Retro Hound. That is correct, I originally posted the promo with the same track on both sides. I love the soundtrack, and the film is a fun one 🙂
Thank you very much.
I just wished 3-Speed would have released at least one album.
I am there with you. I love their sound.
I am a bit confused by this ‘re-post Paul. Your post of ‘Once Bitten’ in 2014 was a promo copy which has the 3 Speed track repeated on both sides. What you have shared with us today is the ‘standard copy’ (confusingly they used the same catalogue number) as it has the Maria Vidal track on the back…but the ‘Artwork’ folder contains the cover from the previously shared promo…?
Hi Ian — you’re absolutely right, and thank you for catching that! The 2014 post featured the MCA promo pressing with “Once Bitten” on both sides, while this new Spooky Season Spins post is the standard commercial 7″ single that includes “Just One Kiss” by Maria Vidal on the flip.
MCA actually released the standard version using the same sleeve as the promo, which definitely adds to the confusion since both carried the same catalog number. I have had this happen before with other singles where the label was a bit sloppy with the sleeve. Sorry for the confusion.
Paul, the front design is the same but promo sleeves have ‘Promotional Copy Not For Sale’ at the right near the top on the back. The commerical release has ‘b/w “Just One Kiss” Performed by Maria Vital’ there instead. You’ve got the same promo back with both your rips. Maybe the sleeves on yours have got mixed up…?
Both of my copies have the same sleeve. Maybe the seller I bought them from gave me the incorrect sleeve.
Looks that way Paul. These things happen.
Thanks for this rip Paul! (Would it be possible to post a nice scan of the labels as it seems – as per Discogs at least – the standard version was released with a generic sleeve.). Thank you! 🙂
I love “Spooky Season” on Burning The Ground. Paul, you always deliver the best tracks that fit in with the Halloween spirit! You also pick records that are better and more varied than the old same old, same old! I am really looking forward to the flip side here. I love Maria Vidal, so it’s great to hear another song by her. I do love 3 Speed’s record, too. When I was at college, the radio station I worked at got the “Once Bitten” soundtrack as a promo from MCA. It was a cool record to listen to. I am… Read more »
Hey Jeff — thank you so much! I’m really glad you’re enjoying Spooky Season Spins! I always try to dig a little deeper for tracks that fit the Halloween vibe without falling back on the usual suspects, so your comment means a lot. That’s awesome about your college station getting the Once Bitten soundtrack — what a great promo to have in rotation back then. The flip side with Maria Vidal is such a cool discovery, especially knowing her connection to Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. And yes — I’ve heard Andy Bell’s cover of “Xanadu,” and you’re right, it’s… Read more »