Meaning
What does Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am mean?
Wham, bam, thank you ma’am is a slang phrase used for a quick, rough and unemotional sex.
It is mostly associated with prostitution where the pleasure of the prostitute is neglected and the client wants to get about his business as soon as possible.
Origin
What's the origin of Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am?
The phrase first emerged in the 1950s, and was first used in The Greenville News in 1950, for describing speedy bank procedures.
“Wham, bam, thank you ma’am” would also appear in Dean Martin’s song, released in August, 1950.
By the end of the decade, the expression would spread far and wide and would become the choice phrase for describing a quickie.
Spread & Usage
How did Wham, Bam, Thank You Ma’am spread?
Small Faces released a song in 1969, also titled “Wham, bam, thank you ma’am” which helped further embed the phrase in people’s lexicons.
It was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2003.
External resources
- Wordhistories.net – History of the phrase ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’
- Freakonomics – Where Does “Wham, bam” Come From?