Clear Channel Memo Songs: Walk Like an Egyptian

Tweet

During this monthlong look at songs that ended up on Clear Channel Communication memo of songs that the executives thought were inappropriate to play after 9/11 we’ve had songs you could understand the rationale for, songs that really needed a stretch of the imagination, and things like this. Help me, Rhonda! No, not that song, I just need help understanding the stupidity behind including this one. Walk Like an Egyptian - Bangles SERIOUSLY, Clear Channel???? Gonna go Bubba-in-the-double-wide stereotyping everyone in the Middle East on us??? Oh, brother. (PS: according to Picky Wedia, the BBC also restricted the playing of this song during the Gulf War. Reminds me of that scene in Dog Day Afternoon when Sal, asked what foreign country he wanted to go to, said, “Wyoming.” ) I’ll skip the absurdities and just talk about what a fun song this is. The song was inspired by people trying to keep their balance on a ferry in choppy waters. See, you never know what’ll inspire a songwriter. Later some radio DJ did a parody of this song called “Walk With an Erection.” It irritated the Bangles royally; however, given that they didn’t write the song, there wasn’t anything they could do about it. Ah, those fun 80s. Walk Like an Egyptian Written by Liam Sternberg Recorded by the Bangles From Different Light, 1986 Strike a pose on a Cadillac: