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Walk Like an Egyptian
The Bangles Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the old paintings on the tombs
They do the sand dance don't you know?
If they move too quick (oh whey 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 whey oh)
They snap their teeth on your cigarette




Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
Walk like an Egyptian

The blonde waitresses take their trays
They spin around and they cross the floor
They've got the moves (oh whey 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 whey oh)
They're walking like an Egyptian

All the kids in the marketplace say
(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
Walk like an Egyptian

Slide your feet up the street, bend your back
Shift your arm then you pull it back
Life is hard you know (oh whey oh)
So strike a pose on a Cadillac

If you wanna find all the cops
They're hanging out in the donut shop
They sing and dance (oh whey 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 whey oh)
They walk the line like Egyptian

All the cops in the donut shop say
(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian

Overall Meaning

The Bangles's song "Walk Like An Egyptian" is a uniquely catchy tune that contains very lively and playful lyrics. The verses of the song describe the Egyptian culture and traditions, while the chorus encourages listeners to walk like an Egyptian. The first two lines of the song describe the ancient practice of placing paintings on tombs, followed by the "sand dance," which is a typical Egyptian dance involving footwork and body movements. The next lines of the song describe the Nile and the "bazaar men," who place bets on gold crocodiles that can snap their teeth on a cigarette. The chorus directs listeners to walk like an Egyptian, a suggestion that is addressed to "foreign types with the hookah pipes."


The second verse describes blonde waitresses taking and serving trays with remarkable moves that leave customers mesmerized. The next line describes school kids who are frustrated with school books and are drawn to punk and metal bands instead. The final lines of the verse describe school kids walking like Egyptians after the bell has rung. The chorus repeats, and the third verse begins with a description of partying Japanese with their yen and party boys calling the Kremlin. The verse ends with the line the "Chinese know they walk the line like Egyptians."


The playful and fun lyrics of "Walk Like An Egyptian" are memorable and amusing. They paint a vivid picture of the exotic East and various cultures, making the song a timeless classic. It encourages listeners to let loose, have fun, and perhaps even try walking like an Egyptian.


Line by Line Meaning

All the old paintings on the tombs
There are ancient paintings on the tombs


They do the sand dance don't you know?
The paintings seem to be dancing in the sand


If they move too quick (oh whey oh)
If the paintings move too fast, they fall like dominoes


They're falling down like a domino
The paintings are falling like a chain reaction


All the bazaar men by the Nile
Near the Nile river, there are many merchants and shopkeepers


They got the money on a bet
They have wagered their money on something


Gold crocodiles (oh whey oh)
There are golden crocodiles that are dangerous


They snap their teeth on your cigarette
They might snatch and bite anything, even a cigarette


Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
There are exotic people with hookah pipes who say


(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
Sounds of traditional music


Walk like an Egyptian
They are encouraging someone to walk like an Egyptian


The blonde waitresses take their trays
The waitresses with blonde hair carry their serving trays


They spin around and they cross the floor
They dance quickly yet gracefully on the floor


They've got the moves (oh whey oh)
They have impressive dance skills


You drop your drink, then they bring you more
You might drop your drink while watching them dance, don't worry, they replace it with another


All the school kids so sick of books
Young students are weary of studying books for long hours


They like the punk and the metal band
They gravitate more towards rock music


When the buzzer rings (oh whey oh)
When the school bell rings


They're walking like an Egyptian
The students are seen walking in a funky way


All the kids in the marketplace say
The younger people roaming in the market say


(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
The music is still traditional sounding


Walk like an Egyptian
They are encouraging people around to walk like an Egyptian


Slide your feet up the street, bend your back
Move your feet stylishly, sway your back here and there


Shift your arm then you pull it back
Twist your arm and smoothly retract it backward


Life is hard you know (oh whey oh)
Life can be rough sometimes


So strike a pose on a Cadillac
Strike a cool pose while resting on a Cadillac


If you wanna find all the cops
If you are looking for all the police officers


They're hanging out in the donut shop
You might find them loitering at the donut shop


They sing and dance (oh whey oh)
They make lots of noises and dance


They spin the clubs, cruise down the block
They use batons and patrol around the block


All the Japanese with their yen
Japanese people carrying their currency yen


The party boys call the Kremlin
Party-goers might contact the Kremlin for entertainment or other things


And the Chinese know (oh whey oh)
The Chinese are popularly known as being skilled and wise


They walk the line like Egyptian
The Chinese walk a straight line like an Egyptian


All the cops in the donut shop say
All the police officers at the donut shop shout


(Whey oh whey oh, ay oh whey oh)
Sounds of music still in the background


Walk like an Egyptian
The police officers and everyone else is being urged to walk like an Egyptian




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Liam Hillard Sternberg

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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