The Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian

“Walk Like an Egyptian” 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.

The 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.

Sternberg was part of a vibrant ’70s music scene in Akron, Ohio, where he wrote and produced for the almost-famous Jane Aire & The Belvederes and Rachel Sweet. That gritty city is the antithesis of Los Angeles, but by the mid-’80s Akron was in musical decline and LA was where it was happening, so that’s where he pitched his demos. The “Walk Like An Egyptian” demo, with a vocal by Marti Jones, got the attention of Bangles producer David Kahne, who had them record the song.

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.

In the US, this was the #1 song of 1987 according to Billboard’s year-end chart. It held the top spot for four weeks.

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. Debbi’s sister Vicki Peterson got the first verse, bass player Michael Steele (a girl, despite the name) the second, and Susanna Hoffs the third.

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 Bangles didn’t have a problem with the song itself, but when it made them famous it also made them miserable – they were burned out and their friendships fractured. The hits kept coming (“Eternal Flame,” “In Your Room”) until they couldn’t it anymore; they broke up in 1989 at the peak of their powers.

The music video for “Walk Like an Egyptian” was nominated for Best Group Video at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards. It shows the Bangles performing the song at a concert and scenes of people dancing in poses similar to those depicted in the Ancient Egyptian reliefs that inspired Sternberg. Most of these people were filmed on the streets of New York City, although special effects were used to modify photos of Diana, Princess of Wales and the then Prince Charles, the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and the Statue of Liberty.

In a popular scene from the video, Susanna Hoffs was filmed in a close-up where her eyes moved from side to side. When asked about the scene in an interview, she explained that she was looking at individual audience members during the video shoot, which took place with a live audience. Looking directly at individual audience members was a technique she used to overcome stage fright and she was unaware that the camera had a close-up on her while she was using this technique, switching between one audience member on her left and one on her right.

Musicians:
Susanna Hoffs – lead and backing vocals, electric rhythm guitar
Vicki Peterson – lead and backing vocals, electric lead guitar
Michael Steele – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar
Debbi Peterson – backing vocals
David Kahne – E-mu Emulator II, LinnDrum programming, “dog head” shaker

“Walk Like an Egyptian” – Single by The Bangles from the album Different Light
Released September 1, 1986
Songwriter Liam Sternberg
Charted No.1 in US, No.3 UK, No.1 Australia, No.1 West Germany, No.1 Belgium, No.1 Canada, No.1 Spain