The Bangles/Susanna Hoffs: Top 50 Songs

The Bangles/ Susanna Hoffs Top 50 Songs

The all-girl group originally known as the Bangs formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1981. The lineup consisted of sisters Vicki (guitar) and Debbie Peterson (drums) with Susanna Hoffs (guitar) and Annette Zilinskas (bass). All four handled vocals. After the release of a 1982 EP entitled The Real World, Annette was replaced by Michael Steele, from the all-female band the Runaways. The group released three albums in the ‘80s before going on hiatus. They reconvened for albums in 2003 and 2011. Susanna Hoffs launched a solo career in 1991. She has released five solo albums and three collaborative albums of cover songs with Matthew Sweet. Check out the DMDB Music Maker Encyclopedia entries for the Bangles and Susanna Hoffs for more information. Click here to see other acts’ best-of lists.

Awards:

Top 50 Songs Dave’s Music Database lists are determined by song’s appearances on best-of lists, appearances on compilations and live albums by the featured act, and songs’ chart success, sales, radio airplay, streaming, and awards. DMDB Top 1%: 1. Walk Like an Egyptian (1986) DMDB Top 2%: 2. Eternal Flame (1988) DMDB Top 5%: 3. Manic Monday (1986) DMDB Top 10%: 4. Hazy Shade of Winter (1987) 5. In Your Room (1988) 6. Hero Takes a Fall (1984) 7. If She Knew What She Wants (1986) DMDB Top 20%: 8. Walking Down Your Street (1988) 9. Be With You (1988) 10. Following (1986) 11. My Side of the Bed (Hoffs, 1991) 12. Going Down to Liverpool (1984) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 13. All I Want (Hoffs, 1996) 14. Something That You Said (2003) 15. Something to Believe In (1988) 16. I’ll Set You Free (1988) 17. More Than Meets the Eye (1984) 18. Return Post (1986) 19. Live (1984) 20. Angels Don’t Fall in Love (1986) 21. In a Different Light (1986) 22. James (1984) 23. Restless (1984) 24. Song for a Good Son (2003) 25. All About You (1984) 26. Where Were You When I Needed You? (1984) 27. Make a Play for Her Now (1988) 28. September Gurls (1986) 29. To Sir with Love (Hoffs, 1996) 30. Glitter Years (1988) 31. Tear Off Your Own Head (It’s a Doll Revolution) (2003) 32. Trouble (Hoffs/Sweet, 2013) 33. We Belong (2009) 34. Willin’ (Hoffs/Sweet, 2009) 35. You Can Close Your Eyes (Hoffs/Sweet, 2015) 36. Sunday Morning (Hoffs/Sweet, 2006) 37. Stuck in the Middle with You (Hoffs, 1996) 38. He’s Got a Secret (1984) 39. I Will Take Care of You (2003) 40. Good Day Sunshine (2006) 41. Cinnamon Girl (Hoffs/Sweet, 2006) 42. You’re So Vain (Hoffs/Sweet, 2009) 43. Free Fallin’ (Hoffs/Sweet, 2013) 44. What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding (Hoffs/Sweet, 2015) 45. I Got Nothing (1985) 46. Raining (Hoffs, 2012) 47. Beekeeper’s Blues (Hoffs, 1996) 48. Only Love (Hoffs, 1991) 49. Boys Keep Swinging (Hoffs, 1991) 50. Bell Jar (1988) Resources and Related Links: DMDB Encyclopedia entry for the Bangles DMDB Encyclopedia entry for Susanna Hoffs Dave’s Music Database: “Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists” First posted 3/14/2023.

 

Prince’s Originals released

Originals Prince

Released: June 7, 2019 Recorded: 1981-1991 Peak: 15 US, 9 RB, 21 UK, 66 CN, 18 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, -- UK, -- world (includes US and UK) Genre: R&B/funk

Tracks: Click on individual song titles for more details, including songwriters, recording and release dates, chart peaks, versions recorded by other artists, and basic information about the song. Sex Shooter [3:06] Jungle Love [3:04] Manic Monday [2:51] Noon Rendezvous [3:00] Make-Up [2:27] 100 MPH [3:30] You’re My Love [4:24] Holly Rock [6:38] Baby, You’re a Trip [5:51] The Glamorous Life [4:12] Gigolos Get Lonely Too [4:41] Love…Thy Will Be Done [4:07] Dear Michaelangelo [5:22] Wouldn’t You Love to Love Me? [5:56] Nothing Compares 2 U [4:40] Total Running Time: 63:49

Rating: 4.342 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings)

About the Album: “By the mid-1980s, Prince was dominating the charts” AZ not just as a performer, but “with songs he’d composed and recorded for others.” AZ He “was fiercely protective of his songs – if you ventured to cover his material, it had to be on his terms.” BB “Instead of handing others rough sketches to build on, Prince delivered fully fleshed-out tracks, leaving very little up for interpretation.” BB Sometimes those demos would guide other artists through the recording process, and at other times”Prince’s original demo recordings would be used as master takes on their albums, with only minor alterations to the instrumentation and a replacement of the vocal tracks.” AZ Prince’s posthumous album, Originals, “features his self-recorded versions of 15 songs made famous by others – and startlingly, some of these ‘demos’ sound full-fledged enough to dominate the charts themselves.” BB “Some of these Prince-assisted acts, like Vanity 6, Apollonia 6 and the Time, were curated protégés…Others, like [Sinéad] O’Connor and the Bangles, were formidable artists with or without his songs. But they all share the presence of the fastidious, ultra-prolific Purple One hovering in the background of their legacies.” BB “Originals pulls back the curtain to reveal the origins of these familiar songs, in addition to deeper album cuts such as Vanity 6's Make-Up, Jill Jones’ Baby, You’re a Trip, and Kenny Rogers’ You’re My Love. The album also features Prince's majestic original 1984 version of Nothing Compares 2 U, released in 2018 as a standalone single.” AZ The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs presented in chronological order of when they were recorded.

Make-Up Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: summer 1981 at Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Vanity 6 for Vanity 6 (1982) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, instrumentation, arrangement.” BB Prince wrote this song for Vanity 6, “a girl group with Denise Matthews (or ‘Vanity’) at the helm.” BB This “winking list of cosmetic products from blush to base” was what Prince biographer called “the raunchier, female expression of his sensibility.” BB The basic tracking was laid down in the summer of 1981 at Prince’s Kowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The song was a B-side for the group’s singles “He’s So Dull” and “Drive Me Wild.” PV

Wouldn’t You Love to Love Me? Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 1976, 1978 at France Avenue Home Studio in Edina, MN; June 1981 at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Taja Sevelle for Taja Sevelle (1987) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, production, arrangement.” BB Chronologically, this is the earliest track from this album, PV dating back to 1976, a year before Prince’s debut album For You. BB He made a demo “on a basic cassette recorder, featuring some lyrics that were changed or removed for later recordings.” PV In the summer of 1978, he recorded it twice at his France Avenue Home Studio in Edina, Minnesota – once with himself on vocals and once with Sue Ann Carwell. In June 1981, he recorded the version featured on this album at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California. PV He started from scratch on the song in April 1982,e ventually submitting it to Michael Jackson to use on his album Bad. PV When it wasn’t used, Prince gave it to Minneapolis singer/songwriter Taja Sevelle. She simply replaced her vocals for his and released it on her 1987 self-titled debut and as a single in early 1988. PV It failed to chart, but Sevelle did have a Hot 100 hit with “Love is Contagious.” BB

Gigolos Get Lonely Too Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 1/11/1982 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: The Time for What Time Is It? (single charted 10/5/82, 77 RB) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals.” BB Although this “ballad about a male escort craving true love” BB was solely written by Prince, it was credited to Morris Day when it appeared on The Time’s second album. PV The basic tracking for this completed demo likely occurred at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, on January 11, 1982 PV and then Day’s vocals were substituted for Prince’s. BB The Time hit #77 on the R&B chart when the song was released as the third single from What Time Is It?

You’re My Love Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: March 1982 at Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Kenny Rogers for They Don’t Make Them Like They Used To (1986) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, production, instrumentation.” BB Country singer Kenny Rogers was looking for material for his new album and Prince gave him this “scrap from his vaults” BB which he’d recorded in March 1982 at his Kiowa Trail Home Studio. PV “While Rogers’ band played it in an adult-contempo style fitting his voice, it hews strongly to Prince’s demo.” BB The song, which was credited to the Prince pseudonym of “Joey Coco,” was released as the B-side of Rogers’ “Make No Mistake, She’s Mine” single with Ronnie Milsap.

Baby, You’re a Trip Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 7/8/1982 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Jill Jones for Jill Jones (1987) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals.” BB Prince recorded the song on July 8, 1982, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. PV When Jill Jones signed to Prince’s label, Paisley Park Records, she added this song to her eponymous album, overdubbing her vocals alongside Prince’s guide vocals. PV It was also released as the B-side of her single “For Love.”

Jungle Love Prince

Writer(s): Prince, Morris Day, Jesse Johnson Recorded: 3/25/1983 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: The Time for Ice Cream Castle (single charted 9/22/84, 20 BB, 21 CB) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals. The Time, a crack combo of Minneapolis soul, pop and funk musicians, was another Prince-curated band that appeared in Purple Rain.” BB Prince wrote the song with Jesse Johnson, although it is credited to Morris Day, who sang lead. Prince recorded it on March 26, 1983 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. PV Time members’ Jesse Johnson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis were all in the studio, but it isn’t clear if they contributed to the recording. PV The Time’s “version of ‘Jungle Love,’ a four-on-the-floor joint that hit No. 20” BB and spent a whopping 57 weeks AZ “on the Billboard Hot 100.

Sex Shooter Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 4/30/1983 at Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Apollonia 6 on the album Apollonia 6 (single charted 8/31/84, 85 BB, 7 RB) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals. A carnal rocker from the 1984 classic Purple Rain, ‘Sex Shooter’ was recorded almost solely by Prince under the alias The Starr Company.” BB He recorded it on April 30, 1983 at his Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. PV Plans to include it on Vanity 6’s second album were scrapped when Vanity left the Prince party and his Purple Rain co-star Patricia “Apollonia” Kotero stepped in to front the newly-christened Apollonia 6. Prince seems to have recorded all this himself and simply replaced his vocals with hers. BB

The Glamorous Life Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: December 27-28, 1983 and 1/6/1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Sheila E. for The Glamorous Life (single charted 6/2/84, 7 US, 9 CB, 9 RB, 96 UK, 3 CN, 11 AU) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, extra instrumentation.” BB Prince recorded it at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, on December 27, 1983. PV Like “Manic Monday,” it was intended for Apollonia 6, until Prince “swiped it away – this time, for his lover and collaborator Sheila E. Its two versions begin with a saxophone wail from Larry Williams; the ensuing music is roughly identical, too, except for some extra rimshot percussion from E.” BB She released her version as the lead single for her debut album of the same name and it hit #7 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the dance charts.

Manic Monday Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: February 4-5, 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019), 6/7/2019 as a single Covered by: the Bangles on Different Light (single charted 1/25/86, 2 US, 3 CB, 10 AC, 43 AR, 2 UK, 2 CN, 3 AU) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, instrumentation, production.” BB Prince recorded this “gorgeous, ‘60s-tinted pop gem” BB on February 4, 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. It was initially intended for Apollonia 6, but Prince sent it to the Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs after catching them at an early Los Angeles show. PV They stayed close to Prince’s original arrangement, BB but re-recorded most of the song – although Brenda Bennett and Jill Jones’ backing vocals can still be heard on it. PV The Bangles reached #2 on the Hot 100 and its parent album also hit the runner-up slot.

Noon Rendezvous Prince

Writer(s): Prince, Sheila E. Recorded: 2/13/1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Sheila E. for The Glamorous Life (1984) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, instrumentation, production. Prince and drum legend Sheila E. co-wrote this song about their relationship at the time.” BB He initially recorded it on February 13, 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California. PV Sheila E’s version “is full of squelchy period synths; Prince’s piano-led demo is more intimate and restrained, a ballad for the wee small hours.” BB Her version was released as the third single from her debut album, but didn’t chart.

100 MPH Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 6/24/1984 at Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie, MN Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Mazarati for Mazarati (single charted 5/17/86, 19 RB) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals. Led by Prince and the Revolution bassist Brownmark, Mazarati wasn’t a wholesale creation of Prince like others on this list. Still, their sole charting song, ‘100 MPH,’ was written and almost completely recorded by him. Sans lead vocals by Sir Casey Terry and backing vocals by the rest of Mazarati, the two versions are virtually identical.” BB Prince initially recorded it at Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie, Minnesota in June 1984. PV

Nothing Compares 2 U Prince

Writer(s): Prince Recorded: 7/15/1984 and 7/18/1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie, MN; 1984 at Monterey Sound Studios in Glendale, CA; 1/27/1992 at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, MN Released: 1984 version: 4/19/2018 as a single, Originals (2019); 1992 version: 10/4/1993 as the B-side of “Peach,” The Hits 1 (1993) (1993), Ultimate (2006), 4Ever (2016) Covered by: The Family for The Family (1985), Sinéad O’Connor for I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got (single charted 1/20/90, 1 US, 1 UK, 23 AR, 1 MR, sales: 1 million) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, production, arrangement. This ode to Prince’s housekeeper had many lives: as an obscurity by the Family, a No. 1 hit by Sinéad O’Connor, and here, the 1984 demo that started it all. Play all three chronologically, and you hear a clear progression: from Prince’s stripped-down ballad to the Family’s warbling, synthesized take to O’Connor’s emotive hit version. After O’Connor made ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ a hit, Prince made an about-face. He introduced it to his live sets for the first time – and performed it over 400 times until his death.” BB He recorded it on July 15, 1984 at the Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. PV A live version with shared lead vocals with Rosie Gaines was released on The Hits 1 in 1993. The original 1984 version that appears on this album was released as a single in April 2018. PV Read more about the song here.

Dear Michaelangelo Prince

Writer(s): Prince, Sheila E. Recorded: January 4-6, 1985 at Master Sound Studios in Atlanta, GA; January 1985 at the Summit (Le Mobile Studio) in Houston, TX Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Sheila E. for Romance 1600 (1985) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals, production, arrangement. Recorded in between dates on the 1985 leg of the Purple Rain tour with Prince on all instruments, ‘Dear Michaelangelo’ is a highlight of Sheila E.’s Romance 1600. Prince’s original demo sounds drier and funkier; befitting a song about the gardens of Florence and the colors of dreams.” BB He recorded it in January 1985 at Master Sound in Atlanta Georgia while there for the Purple Rain tour. PV “E.’s version of ‘Dear Michelangelo’ is ethereal and mellow without dampening Prince’s hook.” BB

Holly Rock Prince

Writer(s): Prince, Sheila E. Recorded: April 24-25, 1985 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA Released: Originals (2019), 6/7/2019 as a single Covered by: Sheila E. for the Krush Groove soundtrack (1985) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals. It doesn’t get more 1985 than this.” BB “Holly Rock” is “a high-energy rap…plucked from an aborted song by the Family” BB (“Feline”) PV “to soundtrack the film Krush Groove, a loose dramatization of the story of Russell Simmons and Def Jam Recordings. Sheila E. was cast in the movie as a love interest for Simmons; in the original scene, the music is identical to Prince’s version, but the lovably dated pep is all her.” BB Prince recorded his version on April 24, 1985 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California “amid the highly productive sessions that yielded a lot of songs for Parade. PV

Love…Thy Will Be Done Prince

Writer(s): Prince, Martika Recorded: January 1991 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN Released: Originals (2019) Covered by: Martika for Martika’s Kitchen (single charted 7/25/91, 10 US, 10 CB, 10 RR, 40 AC, 9 UK, 7 CN, 11 AU) About the Song: “What’s different? Vocals. This spare, emotive ballad is a clear highlight of Originals. Besides Martika’s lead vocals, the two versions are about flush with each other.” BB Prince recorded it in January 1991 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota. PV Her version was “a top 10 hit in France, Australia, the UK and the USA.” AZ

References: AZ Amazon review BB Billboard (6/25/2019). “Prince’s Originals Album: Comparing Each Demo With Its Well-Known Cover Version” by Morgan Enos BC Benoit Clerc (2022). Prince: All the Songs – The Story Behind Every Track. Octopus Publishing Group Ltd.: Great Britain PV PrinceVault.com: Originals Related DMDB Pages: First posted 6/28/2019; last updated 7/29/2025.

 

Bangles “Following” released

Following The Bangles

This post has been moved here.

Bangles Different Light released

Different Light Bangles

Released: January 13, 1986 Peak: 2 US, 3 UK, 8 CN, 2 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 3.0 US, 0.3 UK, 3.66 world (includes US and UK) Genre: pop/new wave

Tracks: Manic Monday [3:06] In a Different Light [2:52] (18 DF) Walking Down Your Street [3:04] Walk Like an Egyptian [3:24] Standing in the Hallway [2:56] (38 DF) Return Post [4:22] (3 DF) If She Knew What She Wants [3:49] Let It Go [2:32] (38 DF) September Gurls [2:45] (22 DF) Angels Don’t Fall in Love [3:23] (8 DF) Following [3:21] Not Like You [3:06] (38 DF) Total Running Time: 38:48 The Players: Susanna Hoffs (vocals, guitar) Vicki Peterson (vocals, guitar) Michael Steele (vocals, bass) Debbi Peterson (vocals, drums)

Rating: 3.950 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: The Bangles’ first album, All Over the Place, “ earned them a smattering of radio and MTV airplay” AM on the strength of the song “Hero Takes a Fall.” With their sophomore effort, however, “they were aiming for much higher stakes” AM and reached them. At least commercially. “Certainly the album’s Top 40 sound was a departure from their earlier ‘60s-style sound.” WK “Different Light turned the Bangles into bona fide pop stars” AM although the cynic, such as AllMusic.com’s Mark Deming argued that the effort “transformed a spunky and distinctive band into a comparatively faceless vehicle.” AM The Hit Singles…and Beyond Different Light generated four top-40 singles in the U.S. and had a minor hit with “Following” in the UK. Beyond the singles, the album also offered “the Doors-ish, carnival-like keyboards and quirky guitars of Standing in the Hallway and Return Post.” SL They also cover September Gurls (with lead vocals by Michael Steele), originally recorded by Big Star, the shoulda-been-big band from the 1970s whose jangly pop influenced Tom Petty and R.E.M. “Album tracks like Angels Don’t Fall in Love and Let It Go, which were written by the Bangles themselves, are the glue that holds Different Light together.” SL “The title track rollicks along with genuine pop-punk fervor. Guitarist Vicki Peterson’s voice might pale in comparison to Susanna Hoffs’s distinctive vocal, but her songwriting skills are clearly the strongest here: ‘I wanna paint your portrait / Hang your colors on my wall / Discussing form and content with my friends and drinks.’” SL Here are more details about the singles.

Manic Monday Bangles

Writer(s): Prince Released: 12/23/1985 as a single Peak: 2 BB, 3 CB, 3 GR, 5 RR, 43 AR, 2 CO, 2 UK, 2 CN, 3 AU, 4 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.25 UK, 0.30 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 129.25 video, 267.44 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Considering how omniprescent the all-girl group became on MTV, it’s laughable to call them “faceless.” Susanna Hoffs in particular became the go-to-crush for every ‘80s teenage boy. Sure, the album “was considered a slicker, more commercial move for the Bangles at the time of its release” SL it “sounds surprisingly fresh in hindsight.” SL Infatuation for Hoffs was actually a major catalyst in launching the success of the album. Fresh off his superstar-making-turn with 1984’s Purple Rain, Prince wrote Manic Monday for the Bangles, reportedly because he was enamored with Hoffs. AM Read more about his version here. The song’s “baroque, keyboard-dominated sound was a far cry from anything the Bangles had recorded before, and…Hoffs’ breathy voice and her bandmates’ fine harmonies fit the song like a glove.” AM The song was the lead single from the album, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

If She Knew What She Wants Bangles

Writer(s): Jules Shear Released: 4/14/1986 as a single Peak: 29 BB, 28 CB, 19 GR, 28 RR, 24 AC, 4 CO, 31 UK, 31 AU, 13 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 12.63 video, 9.05 streaming About the Song: The follow-up single, If She Knew What She Wants, was another top-40 hit. It was also written by someone outside the band – in this case, Jules Shear. He recorded it for his second solo album, 1985’s The Eternal Return. The Bangles crossed paths with Shear on several occasions in 1985, serving as his faux backing band when he performed his single “Steady” on American Bandstand, and co-writing thei song “I Got Nothing” for the soundtrack of The Goonies. Peter Bothum of the Wilmington, Delaware paper News Journal, described the song as ‘what the Byrds would have sounded like if they were chicks,” NJ effectively countering Deming’s assertion that “Manic Monday” led the band “away from the '60s-influenced pop/rock that was their strongest suit.” AM In fact, Slant magazine’s Sal Cinquemani emphasized how much the album eluded to the ‘60s: “From their Beatles-inspired moniker to their warm, Mamas & the Papas-esque harmonies, the band seemed determined to pay homage to the past. But their ‘60s-style pop melodies and classic rock references…were deftly matched with the then-current new wave and rock rhythms of the early ’80s.” SL

Walk Like an Egyptian Bangles

Writer(s): Liam Sternberg (see lyrics here) Released: 9/1/1986 as a single Peak: 14 US, 11 CB, 12 RR, 1 CO, 3 UK, 11 CN, 12 AU, 3 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.25 UK, 1.3 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 132.6 video, 187.45 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: It looked like the Bangles’ Different Light might have run out of steam after two singles. While “Manic Monday” had reached #2, “If She Knew What She Wants” peaked at #29, suggesting a third single might not even make the top 40. Instead, the Bangles emerged with one of the most iconic earworms of the 1980s – the chart-topping Walk Like an Egyptian. The “slice of ’80s-pop kitsch” SL was named Billboard magazine’s song of the year. Like its predecessors, this was another song written outside of the band. Liam Sternberg was part of the ‘70s music scene in Akron, Ohio. He worked with Jane Aire & the Belvederes and wrote songs for Rachel Sweet, but didn’t find mainstream success. “Walk Like an Egpytian” was an anomaly as it would be his only top-40 songwriting credit. While riding a ferry boat across the English Channel, he noticed that as people struggled to maintain their balance, they held up their arms like they were doing Egyptian movements. SF He recorded a demo of the song with singer Marti Jones in 1984. He offered it to Toni Basil, who had a #1 hit in 1982 with “Mickey,” but she turned it down. Lene Lovich recorded the song, but she decided to take a break from music to raise a family and the song went unreleased. Dave Kahne, who produced the Bangles’ Different Light album, got a copy of the demo and presented it to the Bangles. He had each of the four members sing the song, eventually opting to have Vicki Peterson, Michael Steele, and Susanna Hoffs each sing a verse. WK Kahne didn’t like Debbie Peterson’s vocal, so he relegated her to backing vocals. She was even more angry when a drum machine was also used instead of her drumming. WK As for the whistling in the song – none of them do it. It was done by machine. WK The band didn’t think the song would be released because it was “a goofy romp” and “too weird.” SF

Walking Down Your Street Bangles

Writer(s): Susanna Hoffs, Louis Gutierrez, David Khane Released: December 1986 Peak: 11 BB, 9 CB, 7 GR, 8 RR, 33 AC, 3 CO, 16 UK, 56 AU, 17 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 3.50 video, 2.59 streaming About the Song: After two songs helmed by Hoffs, “Egyptian” also focused some attention on the other members since each verse was sung by a different member. The album’s fourth top-40 hit, though, returned the focus to Hoffs. Not only did she sing lead on Walking Down Your Street, but she co-wrote the song.

Following Bangles

Writer(s): Michael Steele (see lyrics here) Released: 4/6/1987 as a single Peak: 24 CO, 55 UK, 1 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 0.31 video, 2.19 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Different Light marked bassist Michael Steele’s first lead vocals, WK most notably on Following. It was Steele’s first original composition released with the Bangles WK and the band’s only single featuring her on lead vocals. It is “a dark acoustic ballad reminiscent of Joni Mitchell’s brand of ’70s folk.” SL Lyrically, it deals with “jealousy, paranoia and obsession that follows the breakup of a relationship” WK with the narrator stalking her ex. Steele has confirmed it was about her high school sweetheart. WK It was “radically different from the rest of Bangles’ material.” WK In an album review, PopRescue.com notes that the song “was perhaps a bit off-kilter with their other tracks.” PR It’s “softer than anything we’ve heard so far” PR but features “some great guitar work” PR and is “a nice contrasting track” PR with “a kind of ethereal drifting sound to it.” PR The song was released as a single in the UK where it was a minor hit, reaching #55.

Resources/References AM AllMusic.com review by Mark Deming FB Fred Bronson (2007). The Billboard Book of Number One Hits (4th edition). Billboard Books: New York, NY. Page 656. NJ News Journal (9/30/2011). “Nightlife: 25 years later the Bangles are still making us do the ‘Walk’” by Peter Bothum PR Pop Rescue SL Slant Magazine (6/30/2003). “Vital Pop: 50 Essential Pop Albums” by Slant staff SF Songfacts page for “Walk Like an Egyptian” WK Wikipedia page for Different Light WK Wikipedia page for “Walk Like an Egyptian” WK Wikipedia page for “Following” Related DMDB Links: First posted 2/3/2011; last updated 8/9/2025.