Walk Like An Egyptian
The Puppini Sisters Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Walk like an Egyptian
The blond 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
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Walk like an Egyptian
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 want to 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 cops in the donut shop say
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Ay, oh, whey, oh
Walk like an Egyptian
Walk like an Egyptian
The Puppini Sisters’ song, “Walk Like An Egyptian,” is a cover of the 1986 track originally by The Bangles. The song is lively and upbeat, with the verses describing different groups of people walking in a certain way: the old paintings on the tombs doing the “sand dance,” the bazaar men with their “gold crocodiles” snapping their teeth on cigarettes, and the waitresses with their graceful spins. The chorus instructs the listener to “Walk like an Egyptian,” with a rhythmic “ay, oh, whey, oh” refrain. The lyricist seems to be observing the quirks and eccentricities of different cultures or subcultures, but the exact meaning is open to interpretation.
One possible interpretation is that the song is making a statement about cultural stereotypes and the way people exoticize other cultures. The repeated “foreign types with their hookah pipes” suggest a fascination with the exotic, while the chorus instructing the listener to “walk like an Egyptian” could be seen as a tongue-in-cheek nod to the Western tendency to reduce diverse cultures to superficial tropes. The song seems to be celebrating difference and embracing the quirks of different groups, but it also leaves a question mark hanging in the air as to why these people are being observed in the first place.
Interestingly, the song’s chorus was inspired by an actual event. The songwriters, Liam Sternberg and David A. Kahne, saw people at a party trying to dance while holding their cocktails and doing an awkward walk. They thought it looked like an Egyptian hieroglyphic, and thus the idea for the chorus was born. The song was a massive hit in the 80s, reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts, and it remains a popular song to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
All the old paintings on the tombs
Egyptian tombs decorate ancient walls
They do the sand dance, don't you know?
An Egyptian dance is famous in the sands
If they move too quick, oh, whey, oh
Quick movements can take a toll
They're falling down like a domino
Tumbling over like a sequence of dominoes
All the bazaar men by the Nile
Bazaars near the river Nile
They got the money on a bet
They bet away their fortune
Gold crocodiles, oh, whey, oh
Crocodile sculptures shining in gold
They snap their teeth on your cigarette
Beware of the crocodile's sharp teeth
Foreign types with the hookah pipes say
Locals smoke hookah pipes
Ay, oh, whey, oh
A traditional Egyptian phrase
Ay, oh, whey, oh
A customary Egyptian expression
Walk like an Egyptian
Follow the locals to fit in
The blond waitresses take their trays
Blonde waitresses serving drinks and food
They spin around and they cross the floor
Dancing gracefully around the floor
They've got the moves, oh, whey, oh
Their dance moves are noteworthy
You drop your drink then they bring you more
They'll replace your drink if you spill
All the school kids so sick of books
Students bored with studying
They like the punk and the metal band
They enjoy non-traditional music
When the buzzer rings, oh, whey, oh
School is out when the buzzer rings
They're walking like an Egyptian
Students walking in sync with locals
All the kids in the marketplace say
Children enjoying the market
Ay, oh, whey, oh
A phrase commonly used by Egyptians
Ay, oh, whey, oh
An expression common in Egypt
Walk like an Egyptian
Following the steps of locals
Slide your feet up the street, bend your back
Dancing through the streets with hunched backs
Shift your arm then you pull it back
Moving your arms fluidly to dance
Life is hard you know, oh, whey, oh
Life can be tough, but keep dancing
So strike a pose on a Cadillac
Improvise a unique dance move
If you want to find all the cops
To find police, look in a donut shop
They're hanging out in the donut shop
Police take breaks in such places
They sing and dance, oh, whey, oh
Officers sing and dance too
They spin the clubs cruise down the block
Police cars cruising down the street
All the cops in the donut shop say
Officers discussing break time
Ay, oh, whey, oh
An Egyptian saying to express agreement
Ay, oh, whey, oh
A phrase to verbally connect with a group
Walk like an Egyptian
Imitate locals when following around
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Liam Hillard Sternberg
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind