Walk Like an Egyptian

"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a number-one hit from the album Different Light by The Bangles in 1986. Liam Sternberg wrote the song after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance, which reminded him of figures in Ancient Egyptian reliefs. The opening lyrics state, "All the old paintings on the tombs/They do the sand dance don't you know". The reference to the sand dance possibly refers to a music hall routine performed by Wilson, Keppel and Betty where Wilson and Keppel danced around in the postures portrayed on the reliefs wearing the fez while Betty watched. David Kahne had each member of the group sing the lyrics to determine who would sing each verse, with Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson and Michael Steele each singing lead vocals on a verse in the final version. Kahne did not like any of Debbi Peterson's leads and she was relegated to backing vocals. This angered Peterson and caused tension within the group as she felt the rest of the group wasn't being supportive to her, a fact that worsened when the drumming in the song is done by a drum machine instead of Peterson's, further diminishing her role in the song.

[Verse 1: Vicki Peterson] 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 Foreign types with the hookah pipes say (Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh) Walk like an Egyptian [Verse 2: Michael Steele] 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 All the kids in the marketplace say (Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh) Walk like an Egyptian [Verse 3: Susanna Hoffs] 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 All the cops in the donut shop say (Way-oh-way-oh, ooh-way-oh-way-oh) Walk like an Egyptian Walk like an Egyptian