Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning

Chart Performance: Pop (#1 for 4 weeks); 1986

Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne

Sure the video may have been cheesy, what with the four Bangles dressed up in mock Egyptian gear, however, it made them the darlings of the MTV generation. Three of the Banglesto-be plus a bass player formed a band called the Colours in 1982.

The quartet changed its name to the Supersonic Bangs, then simply Bangs, which was the billing on their first single, Getting Out Of Hand. Another Bangs band wasn’t amused and so, facing a possible lawsuit, the LA women decided to choose a new name. After someone scribbled “Bang-less” on a dinner napkin, Bangles it was.

With a major label deal in the offing, new bassist Micki Steele joined Susanna Hoffs, and Vicki and Debbi Peterson. In 1986 the four reached #2 with Manic Monday. Later that year, Walk Like An Egyptian appeared; a title that came to songwriter Liam Sternberg during a drunken ferry ride on the English Channel. Fortunately for the Bangles, Toni Mickey Basil passed on Egyptian; giving the Bangles their biggest hit.

This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.

Produced by:

• David Kahne

Lyrics Written by:

• Liam Sternberg

Awards:

• Certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
• The music video for “Walk Like an Egyptian” got nominated for Best Group Video at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.