Walk Like An Egyptian
The Bangles (L. Sternberg)
Vicki, Michael, Susanna

Originally "Colours," "the Supersonic Bangs" and "the Bangs", the all singing/all performing four-woman the Bangles formed in 1981 and sprung from the L.A. paisley underground scene. Later they traded their garage ban...

Album: Different Light
Date: 1986
U.S. Chart: 1
U.K. Chart: 3

Songfacts:  
Songwriter Liam Sternberg wrote this. He got the idea when he was on a ferry boat, and saw people struggling to keep their balance. The way they held out their arms and jerked around made it look like they were doing Egyptian movements, and if the boat moved suddenly, they would all topple over.
This was the biggest hit for The Bangles, but it's one of their least favorite songs.
All members except drummer Debbi Peterson sang a verse. Peterson was originally supposed to sing the whole thing, but producer David Kahne had each member audition the lyrics to determine who would sing what verse.
This was offered to Toni Basil, but she turned it down. The Bangles needed one more song to complete their album, so they took it.
The difficult recording process caused a lot of tension within the band. These tensions would eventually break them up.
In the US, this was the #1 song of 1987.

All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know
If they move too quick (oh whey 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 whey oh)
They snap their teeth on your cigarette

Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian

Blonde waitresses take their trays
They spin around and they cross the floor
They've got the moves (oh whey 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 whey oh)
They're walking like an Egyptian

All the kids in the marketplace say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian

Slide your feet up the street bend your back
Shift your arm then you pull it back
Life is hard you know (oh whey 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 whey oh)
Spin the clubs cruise down the block

All the Japanese with their yen
The party boys call the Kremlin
And the Chinese know (oh whey oh)
They walk the line like Egyptian

All the cops in the donut shop say
Ay oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian