Walk Like an Egyptian

The harmony of 'Walk Like an Egyptian' is deliberately and strikingly minimal — a near-static I–IV oscillation in A major that never resolves to the dominant. Its exotic, angular character derives entirely from rhythm: the syncopated LinnDrum pattern, the staccato guitar riff, and Kahne's tape-loop percussion evoke ancient Egypt far more effectively than any harmonic device could. This is a rare case where the rhythmic architecture IS the song's identity, making chord complexity not just absent but unnecessary.

Liam Sternberg was crossing the English Channel on a ferry when the vessel hit choppy water. Passengers stepped carefully and moved their arms awkwardly to keep their balance, and that jerky, angular motion reminded him of the stylized postures of human figures in ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. He wrote 'Walk like an Egyptian' in a notebook. Returning to the idea later with a guitar, he composed an up-tempo melody and crafted lyrics blending Egyptian imagery — hieroglyphs, the Nile River, crocodiles, desert sand, bazaars, hookah pipes — that segued into modern scenes of blonde waitresses, schoolchildren, and police officers doing the same dance. He finished a demo by January 1984 with singer Marti Jones, using kitchen implements as percussion. He offered the song to Toni Basil, who turned it down. Lene Lovich then recorded a version, but left it unreleased when she stepped back from music to raise her family. Producer David Kahne, affiliated with Peer International Publishing like Sternberg, received the demo and was struck by its 'offhand quality.' He brought it to the Bangles, who agreed to record it.

Released in September 1986 as the third single from Different Light, 'Walk Like an Egyptian' spent four weeks at number one on the US Hot 100 and reached the top in seven other countries. Produced by David Kahne with a hypnotic LinnDrum groove and rotating lead vocals distributed across three band members, it became the defining pop-rock crossover hit of the mid-80s. Billboard ranked it the number-one song of the entire year 1987.