Though other covers of “Walk Like An Egyptian” were created before Hakim and Cleopatra’s in 2004, none of the previous covers were ever truly legit. What could be better than an Egyptian-born artist covering a Westernized ‘New Wave’ track that supposedly is of Egyptian subject matter? The answer? Nothing. Add in some Arab vocals to the original lyrics and you have yourself an irresistible worldwide hit! Did I mention Hakim’s ‘boyish good looks’? Uh oh, now there’s trouble.
Hakim, Arabic for “judge, arbitrator, ruler or governor,” obviously used good judgment in the decision to re-record “Walk Like An Egyptian” for what he intended to be a new audience. Hakim grew up with the sound of the working-class tradition of Sha’bi—the basis of southern Egyptian music. If this weren’t enough to persuade you of how big Hakim really is, he has recorded with American Soul singer James Brown. I wonder what James Brown thought of “Walk Like An Egyptian?”
But in all seriousness, since the ‘World Music’ craze ended early in the new millennium, Egyptian music has been hard to come by for outsiders. Egyptians have incredibly insular musical tastes, and much of the music produced there often does not leave the borders for others to enjoy. However, Hakim has proved to be one Egyptian artist that has attempted to globalize Sha’bi music, and has even toured in the U.S. As popular as The Bangles’ “Walk Like An Egyptian” was in America, Hakim’s duet with Cleopatra and adoption (and really approval of U.S. pop culture) has made him all the more popular worldwide. As with most music produced in the Mediterranean and ‘Eastern’ nations, modern Western musical stylings hold great influence, but these elements are combined with local and national musical traditions.
At the same time, Hakim’s choice to re-record “Walk Like An Egyptian” (on the album Desert Roses 3) probably signifies the lack of real content in the song (once again, his choice to record is most likely due to the fun factor derived from the track). Had there been political implications regarding Egypt or the ‘East’, he most likely would not have recorded or even thought of covering The Bangles’ worldwide hit. As far as musical traditions go, the addition of Cleopatra helps to retain much of the vocal feeling and edginess inherent to the original, and yet Hakim’s Arab verse adds a new layer of meaning to a song that really essentially lacks much in the importance category. If an Arab artists sees “Walk Like An Egyptian” as a viable piece of work, enough so to spend time and money on a cover that first must appeal to working class Egyptians, he or she must be pretty confident of the song’s ability to be a hit. Finally, The Bangles receive a little recognition (as does Sternberg).
In his cover, Hakim surrenders 98% of the vocals to Cleopatra and focuses on arrangement and his one, spectacular Arab verse. The intro is more than twice as long as The Bangles’ (and is infused with Hakim’s Arab vocal techniques), but when Cleopatra comes in soon thereafter, her vocals are remarkably close to those in the original. Surprisingly, the beat is sped up and the presence of more synthesized background instrumentals can be felt, though the instrumentation remains a decidedly Western interpretation of ‘Eastern’ sounds. In fact, Hakim has said that he wanted a modern sound that blended Western, Middle Eastern, and Oriental instrumentation for a new outlook on “Walk Like An Egyptian”. The main difference in Hakim’s cover involves the expansion of instrumental sections, and his entrance and insertion of the Arab verse at 2:15. At the very end, he proclaims, in English no less, “I am Egyptian, come with me.”
Below is an Egyptian dance routine by a group called Shadows of Fire from Fayetteville, NC at a performance in Virginia Beach, VA. Hakim's version of "Walk Like An Egyptian" doesn't start until about 1:40, so fast forward to that point. Its not a bad routine.
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