# Origin of "bow chikka wow wow" to denote porn music in conversation. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 16, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099 "2003-01-16T23:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WolfDaddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dbc845/32.png) [@WolfDaddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfDaddy)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/1 "2003-01-16T23:54:33Z")
The title of the topic says it all. Nearly everyone I know uses some variation of the “bow chikka wow wow” onomatopoeia to signify the horrible music in pornography. No one, though, knows how it originated, and it keeps me awake at night. Since there’s an almost limitless number of ways to actually spell the onomatopoeia, researching its origins on the web have turned up nothing useful. I and several others remember a nameless stand-up comic who used the onomatopoeia in his comedy routine, but sadly none of us remember his name or if indeed this is where the whole thing got started. Help? ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/2 "2003-01-17T00:14:25Z")
have you ever watched a 70’s porno? ---
**Author:** ![Slugworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4bbf92/32.png) [@Slugworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slugworth)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/3 "2003-01-17T00:15:40Z")
Find a copy of the CD, “Pornogroove”, and all your questions will be answered. Quite simply, that’s the way porno music from the 70s sounded. Re-reading your post, it sounds almost like you already knew that, in which case I’m not sure of the answer, or even exactly what you’re asking. If you already know that’s what the music sounded like, it’s pretty self explanatory how that became the onomatopoeia. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/4 "2003-01-17T00:16:11Z")
I always considered it to be “bow chikka bow bown” ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/5 "2003-01-17T00:19:27Z")
It’s a basic funk rhythm. ---
**Author:** ![WolfDaddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dbc845/32.png) [@WolfDaddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfDaddy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/6 "2003-01-17T00:23:28Z")
I’ve been around since the 70s, and I know what funk is, but as far as I know, the usage of the phrase in the common vernacular in America began in the late 80s or early 90s. I’m trying to find out who or what was responsible for its propagation. Unless you’re all saying we woke up one day and started to use the phrase all at once and all spontaneously… ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/7 "2003-01-17T00:53:40Z")
There was a comedian several years ago - I forget his name or which TV show I saw him on or when it was (late 80s or early 90s maybe?) - who did a pretty funny bit about porno music and how when you heard the “bow chikka”, someone was about to get some. After that was when people I knew started using it during the course of conversations. For some reason, I’m thinking I saw the guy on MTV’s “Half Hour Comedy Hour”. But, being that it was that long ago, it’s hard telling. If anyone know who that was or has the clip, I’d like to know. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/8 "2003-01-17T00:58:12Z")
I’ve always heard “whomp whomp chikka chikka bow wow”, personally. Perhaps it’s a regionalism. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/9 "2003-01-17T01:02:02Z")
you said you’re been around since the 70’s. I assume that means you were born in the 70’s in which case the late 80’s early 90’s you would have been a teenager. I think the ‘bow chikka wow ow’ was around before then, you just didn’t notice or didn’t get it because you were too young for such things. ---
**Author:** ![WolfDaddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dbc845/32.png) [@WolfDaddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfDaddy)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/10 "2003-01-17T01:12:10Z")
Quintas, I should have said around _during_ the 70s, not since. I still stand by my assertion that the phrase didn’t enter the vernacular until the late 80s or early 90s…though it’s entirely possible the phrase was in use til before then, it didn’t, uh, explode in its usage til around that time if I’m remembering correctly. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/11 "2003-01-17T01:14:15Z")
I thought it referred to the wah-wah pedal used in the music that accompanied many a porn flick. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/12 "2003-01-17T02:22:49Z")
IIRC I think Dennis Leary the comic has been using these exact words for 10-15 years (at least) in one of his comedy routines to describe 70’s porn music. This might explain how the specific “bow chikka wow wow” entered the popluar vernacular. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/13 "2003-01-17T02:52:41Z")
Having watched several 70s (mid and late) pornos I have yet to hear anything like that. In fact most of the music set to those pornos could have been written by “The Carpenters” it seems. I imagine the saying did get a huge boost in popularity from the episode of “Friends” where Joey and Chandler get free porn and refuse to turn off the TV or change the channel. After a few days Rachel finds her self walking around singing “Bow chika bow-wow” not knowing where it’s from. I believe they said it was the theme song to “Good Will Humping.” ---
**Author:** ![Teebone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teebone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teebone)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/14 "2003-01-17T08:27:19Z")
Quintas that’s exactly what I was thinking. Nothing like seeing two (or more) go at it to some funk-kay music. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/15 "2003-01-17T09:25:33Z")
Shaft! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/16 "2003-01-17T11:49:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Quintas \* > \*\*have you ever watched a 70’s porno? \*\* No. Is it expected that most people have? I can’t see why, considering porn, being much more widespread and accepted now, is by an enormous majority of a more recent vintage. ---
**Author:** ![Coil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Coil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coil)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/17 "2003-01-17T13:41:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WolfDaddy \* > \*\*… it keeps me awake at night. \*\* If it is keeping you awake, maybe you should consider turning off the TV. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Recliner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a88e57/32.png) [@Recliner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Recliner)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/18 "2010-03-03T21:44:28Z")
> [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](#): > > I thought it referred to the wah-wah pedal used in the music that accompanied many a porn flick. Bingo, I think. The classic porn soundtrack would be a “raunchy” and highly suggestive bass-lline: anything where you can draw out and bend a note (booooowwwwwppppp…), and you’ve got an aural approximation of…making sweet love. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/19 "2010-03-03T21:50:44Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > No. Is it expected that most people have? I can’t see why, considering porn, being much more widespread and accepted now, is by an enormous majority of a more recent vintage. An enormity of suck, more like it. Or so I’ve been told. 😃 I always thought the bow chik-a chik-a was the sound of a guitar through a wah wah pedal (as someone else noted above), which was a common thing in 70’s porn. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-bow-chikka-wow-wow-to-denote-porn-music-in-conversation/149099/20 "2010-03-03T21:51:02Z")
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