From the 1977 #5 US Hot 100 "Brick House" by the Commodores. This hit single contained a discription of the "brick house" woman who had a "36-24-36" body.
The song itself was later remixed by Lionel Richie (formerly from the Commodores), and Rob Zombie.
She knows she got everything that a woman needs to get a man, yeah.
How can she use, the things she use?
36-24-36, what awinning hand!
Used in the AC/DC song "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheep," the number 36-24-36 was the number of the main character. People thought that it was actually the band's phone number. It was instead meant to be guitarist Angus Young's ideal statistics of a woman.
Supposed "ideal" vital statistics for a female. It's been around at least since the 60's: the term is used in the tag of episode "The Correct Way to Kill" of The Avengers, 1967.