Released 9 May 1975 Genre Glam rock | Length 4:33 | |
B-side Raining In My Champagne | ||
Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam) is a single from rock band Slade. It was written by lead singer Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea. The single was released in 1975 and peaked at #7 in the UK, spending 7 weeks on the chart and only one week in the top 10. This became Slade's last top ten hit for 6 years. It is notable for the use of a keyboard with a funky clavinet sound - at the time new to a Slade single, although piano and organ had been used in previous material.
Contents
Record Mirror magazine voted the single #10 on the top 10 best singles in February 1976.
The song appeared on the American version of the 1974 album Slade in Flame, which was released via Warner Bros. Records during 1975.
Background
The song was originally titled "Here's To Your Health, Here's To Your Wealth". This version was later recorded by the band using a similar melody to "Thanks for the Memory" for the b-side of their 1985 hit single "All Join Hands". The b-side was titled "Here's To (The New Year)".
Thanks For The Memory was censored upon release because the BBC took offence at the line "have a love smell on your sheet". Holder soon re-recorded the vocal as "have some honey with your meat" to allow play on Top of The Pops.
In the first two weeks, the single had sold 200,000 copies.
Holder cited the song as one of his favourites in a 1976 Capital Radio interview that was issued in the September–October 1979 fan club newsletter.
The front cover of the Slade Fan Club Newsletter for June and July 1975, featured a reprint of the single's promotional photo of Slade.
The track was covered by the artists Go Crazy (pseudonym used for Ian Edmundson's solo recordings - issued initially as a cassette single in 1992 via the Perseverance Fan club magazine and then given as a free download in 2005) and also by Not Fragile.
Promotion
A promotional video was created for the single, whilst the band performed the song on the UK TV show Shangalang as well as an unknown UK Granada show. The band's live performances were also a form of promotion.
Music video
Like the "Far Far Away" music video, this video was again directed by either Gavrik Lasey or Richard Loncraine who was working with Slade on the 1975 "Slade in Flame" film. It featured vocalist/co-writer Noddy Holder in his red and yellow spotted jacket and huge kipper tie, and guitarist Dave Hill in his black studded cowboy-type gear. Bassist/co-writer Jim Lea remembered that manager/producer Chas Chandler wasn't too pleased with the end result.
Formats
- "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)" - 4:34
- "Raining In My Champagne" - 4:12
- "Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam)" - 3:10
- "Raining In My Champagne" - 2:53
Critical reception
Upon release, Sounds magazine wrote "'Memory' is a considerable change of pace for Slade, leaning neither to their proven hard rock formula nor their more recent tunefulness, but implying at times both of these things whilst being, in essence, almost funky. One of their best in my view and one hopes that the heavily perspiring public will agree with me."
Record Mirror magazine gave the single a sideway thumb, symbolising the song may or may not be a hit. The magazine wrote "Very fast, driving single from Noddy and the lads, the first for some time that hasn't been taken from the Slade in Flame film. The reaction from fans on their current tour seems to be as strong as ever, but that same reaction doesn't seem to have been as evident in their recent chart placings."
Melody maker stated "It's their best..."
In early 2010, Classic Rock magazine featured Slade as part of their ‘The Hard Stuff Buyers Guide’ where the magazine reviewed numerous Slade albums. As part of this article, an ‘Essential Playlist’ listed 14 Slade songs which included Thanks for the Memory (Wham Bam Thank You Mam).