‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ is a song by the American band the Bangles. It was released in September 1986 as the third single from the band's second studio album, Different Light (1986). It was the band's first number-one single, being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was ranked Billboard's number-one song of 1987. The song was the third single released from Different Light. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1986. The song reached a peak of number three on the UK Singles Chart in November 1986 and reached number one in the US on December 20, staying at the top of the Hot 100 for four weeks, carrying it over into January 1987. The success of the song and ‘Manic Monday’ propelled Different Light to number two on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the group's most successful album.
Liam Sternberg said he was inspired to create the song while on a ferry crossing the English Channel. When the vessel hit choppy water, passengers stepped carefully and moved their arms awkwardly while struggling to maintain their balance, and that reminded Sternberg of the depiction of human figures in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. He wrote the words ‘Walk like an Egyptian’ in a notebook. Later, Sternberg looked back in the notebook and, composing the melody with a guitar, he put together an up-tempo song with lyrics about Egyptian hieroglyphs, the Nile River, crocodiles, desert sand, bazaars and hookah pipes and then segued into modern scenes of blonde waitresses, school children and police officers.
The biggest hit for the Bangles, ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ gave them a new level of notoriety, but not the kind they wanted. Formed in 1981, they wrote their own songs and were a big part of the Los Angeles Paisley Underground movement, which included eclectic acts like Rain Parade and The Dream Syndicate. These Paisley bands did well with critics but never broke big, except the Bangles. Their first album, released in 1984, had a '60s sound with lots of clever, well-constructed songs written by their guitarists, Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson. It did well and earned them a spot opening for Cyndi Lauper. Their second album, Different Light, was their breakthrough, but the big hits were songs written by outsiders. First came ‘Manic Monday,’ written by high-profile Bangles fan Prince. Then ‘If She Knew What She Wants,’ written by Jules Shear.
Then came ‘Walk Like an Egyptian,’ a goofy romp written by another outside writer that the band didn't think would get released as a single because it was "too weird." It shot to #1 and became a sensation, but the group's rock pedigree took a hit. Suddenly they were known for this quasi-novelty song instead of their own compositions. The song does have their stamp on it though: every Bangle could sing, and three of them get a verse on "Egyptian." The guitar riff is also their distinctive sound, something Vicki Peterson had been developing for a while (check out ‘He's Got a Secret’ from their first album).
Bangles drummer Debbi Peterson didn't perform on this song at all; percussion was done with a drum machine. When they performed it live, which you can see in the video, Debbi abandoned her drum kit and moved out front with a tambourine as a backing track played the drums. The famous whistling after the guitar solo was machine made, according to Vicki Peterson. In concert, Debbi would mime it.
Labels – Columbia, Bangle-a-lang Music
Songwriter – Liam Sternberg
Producer – David Kahne
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1: Vicki Peterson; (All)]All the old paintings on the tomb
They do the sand dance, don't you know?
If they move too quick (Oh-way-oh)
They're falling down like a domino
All the bazaar men by the Nile
They got the money on a bet
Gold crocodiles (Oh-way-oh)
They snap their teeth on your cigarette
[Pre-Chorus: Vicki Peterson; (All)]
Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
(Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh)
[Chorus: Vicki Peterson]
Walk like an Egyptian
[Verse 2: Michael Steele; (All)]
The blonde waitresses take their trays
They spin around, and they cross the floor
They've got the moves (Oh-way-oh)
You drop your drink, then they bring you more
All the school kids so sick of books
They like the punk and the metal band
When the buzzer rings (Oh-way-oh)
They're walking like an Egyptian
[Pre-Chorus: Michael Steele; (All)]
All the kids in the marketplace say
(Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh)
[Chorus: Michael Steele]
Walk like an Egyptian
[Guitar solo]
[Verse 3: Susanna Hoffs; (All)]
Slide your feet up the street, bend your back
Shift your arm, then you pull it back
Life is hard, you know (Oh-way-oh)
So strike a pose on a Cadillac
If you want to find all the cops
They're hanging out in the donut shop
They sing and dance (Oh-way-oh)
They spin the clubs, cruise down the block
All the Japanese with their yen
The party boys call the Kremlin
And the Chinese know (Oh-way-oh)
They walk the line like Egyptian
[Pre-Chorus: Susanna Hoffs; (All)]
All the cops in the donut shop say
(Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh)
[Chorus: Susanna Hoffs]
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian