I recently saw an advertisement in front of a store that advertised "a glam slam spectacular sale". I have seen the phrase pop up in othe places too from time to time. My question is the song the foundation of this expression or had it been used before?

Just bored and curious.

I suspect he did. I should think it emanates from a combination of the phrase 'Grand Slam' which means a sweeping success or total victory, and 'Glam' short for 'glamorous' as in 'glam rock'.

Though I've never heard of anyone other than Prince use it myself.

I'm fairly certain it borrows from "slam dance" and combines it with "glam/glamorous".

GottaLetitgo said:

I've been seeing it used a lot too. And I thought at first "OOOOOhhh!! P is gonna be mad if he's not getting payed for this!!!" Isn't it short for "Glamorous Slamming"? or something? I should know seeing as how that's my fave song of his.

i thought Denny's came up with it.

It's a play on the phrase "grand slam" - as in tennis.

Yes, he was the first person to say "glam slam" and yes, it's been used a lot since 1988.

Anx said:

I always thought it was a combined play of the phrases 'grand slam' and 'clam slam'

and I think Suffragette City can take a little credit for it as well...

the saying/joke "Grand Slam think you mama you really make my day" predates the song

SlamGlam said:

Joke? It's not funny. And saying? It doesn't make sense and I've never heard it.

No, I think FruitToAttactBears is right, the lyrics to David Bowie's Suffragette City include "Ohhh, wham bam thank you ma'am!" that's just GOT to be an influence.

metalorange said:

there was also a TV show from 87 called "grand slam thank you mama"

*drops knowledge*

'Wham-bam thank you ma'am'is an American courtship term that dates back to the 19th century" when people traveled over bad roads. When the passengers were being bounced around, the gentleman could steal a kiss and usually express his gratitude with a 'Thank-ye-ma'am,' that expression becoming synonymous for a quick kiss or for any hole in the road that caused riders to bump up and down. It wasn't long before some wit took this innocent phrase to bed, or to the side of the road somewhere, and elaborated on it, for in 1895 we find recorded the related expression 'wham bam (thank-ye-ma'am) for quick coitus. As a matter of fact, the first recorded use of both expressions occurs in that year.

SlamGlam said:

Not round my neck of the woods there wasn't.

You're making that up.

FruitToAttractBears said:

Wham Bam! not grand slam! AND "Grand Slam, Thank You Ma'am" was not a TV show but the name of an episode of "Designing Women"


and i remember the joke "wham bam thank you mama, you reall make my day"

metalorange said:

yeah i goffed with my search... it was just an episode of "Designing Women"

SlamGlam said:

What I don't understand, is that the whole joke or the punchline or what?

"...and then the priest said, wahm bam than you mama, you reall make my day!"

metalorange said:

all i remember was that line was said several times...

Anx said:

lol...i thought the same thing..u beat me 2 it