Walk Like an Egyptian

The harmony of 'Walk Like an Egyptian' is deliberately minimal, using just two chords for the verses and three for the chorus. This simplicity is the song's secret weapon — the sparse harmonic framework creates space for the Middle Eastern-flavored melody to shine. The bVII chord in the chorus adds a Mixolydian touch that prevents the progression from feeling too predictable, while the overall beginner-level chord vocabulary makes it one of the most accessible 80s hits for guitar players.

Songwriter Liam Sternberg was crossing the English Channel on a ferry when choppy waters caused passengers to stumble and flail their arms to keep balance. The awkward movements reminded him of the stylized poses of human figures in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. He jotted 'Walk like an Egyptian' in his notebook, and later composed an up-tempo song with a guitar, weaving together imagery of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the Nile, crocodiles, desert sand, bazaars, and hookah pipes before transitioning into modern vignettes of blonde waitresses, schoolchildren, and police officers.

Written by Liam Sternberg after watching passengers sway on a ferry crossing the English Channel, 'Walk Like an Egyptian' became the Bangles' first number-one hit in the US and Billboard's top song of 1987. Its Middle Eastern-flavored melody over a minimalist two-chord groove, rotating lead vocals across three band members, and iconic dance moves made it one of the most recognizable pop songs of the 1980s.