But creepily enough, from '30s delta bluesman Robert Johnson's beating-until-satisfied "Me and Devil Blues" to Jackie Gleason's 1954 "One Of These Days — Pow!" to Dion's face-slapping 1962 "Little Diane" to Lou Reed exclaiming "you better hit her" in "There She Goes Again" to the Intruders chasing girls and beating 'em up in their 1968 beach-soul hit "Cowboys to Girls" to the "wifebeating has been around for 10,000 years" headline fronting Guns N' Roses Lies, those in favor seem more prevalent.
Source: wiktionary