The Hokey Cokey (/Hokey Pokey)
1940s 
UK/ USA Lyrics
In, out, in, out, you shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey and you turn around
That's what it's all about
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
You put your right arm in, your right arm out
In, out, in, out, you shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey and you turn around
That's what it's all about
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
You put your left leg in, your left leg out
In, out, in, out, shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey and you turn around
That's what it's all about
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
You put your right leg in, your right leg out
In, out, in, out, you shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey and you turn around
That's what it's all about
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
You put your whole self in, your whole self out
In, out, in, out, shake it all about
You do the hokey cokey and you turn around
That's what it's all about
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Woah-oh, the hokey cokey
Knees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra
History and Meaning
"The Hokey Cokey," known as "The Hokey Pokey" in North America, has origins stretching back to 19th-century British folk dances, with variants documented as early as 1826 and an 1857 account of two English sisters teaching a similar song in New Hampshire. The more familiar versions of the song emerged during the mid-20th century, with Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy widely credited with creating "The Hokey Cokey" in 1942 to entertain Canadian troops stationed in London during World War II, while composer Al Tabor also released a similar "Hokey Pokey" in 1942, claiming the name was inspired by "Hokey Pokey Men," London ice cream vendors from his youth. In the United States, Robert Degen and Joseph P. Brier copyrighted "The Hokey Pokey Dance" in 1944, and independently in 1949, Larry LaPrise, Charles Macak, and Taft Baker (the Ram Trio) created their version to entertain skiers at Idaho's Sun Valley Resort, which contributed significantly to its popularity in the US during the 1950s. The term "Hokey Pokey" itself has several theories regarding its origin, with some suggesting it evolved from "hocus pocus," which derives from the Latin phrase "Hoc corpus meum" ("This is my body") from Catholic Mass, while others note that "hokey pokey" was 19th-century slang used by street vendors selling ice cream.