Fascinating observation, Firebrand. Makes me wonder how old you are.
Richie Havens and Marvin Gaye did them too—two artists that I like very much. But I think It Was a Very Good Year is the worst song in that category, not exactly the same but boasting about all his women as if they were vintages of wine.
BTW, it doesn’t have to do with age. Some of the raunchiest songs are from before I was born. The blues and the rhythm and blues that I love so much had numbers that were outrageous and they got away with it because it wasn’t mainstream.