The Hokey Cokey (/Hokey Pokey)

Origin: UK/ USA

Lyrics

You put your left arm in, your left arm outIn, out, in, out, you shake it all aboutYou do the hokey cokey and you turn aroundThat's what it's all about

Woah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyKnees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra

You put your right arm in, your right arm outIn, out, in, out, you shake it all aboutYou do the hokey cokey and you turn aroundThat's what it's all about

Woah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyKnees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra

You put your left leg in, your left leg outIn, out, in, out, shake it all aboutYou do the hokey cokey and you turn aroundThat's what it's all about

Woah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyKnees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra

You put your right leg in, your right leg outIn, out, in, out, you shake it all aboutYou do the hokey cokey and you turn aroundThat's what it's all about

Woah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyKnees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra

You put your whole self in, your whole self outIn, out, in, out, shake it all aboutYou do the hokey cokey and you turn aroundThat's what it's all about

Woah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyWoah-oh, the hokey cokeyKnees bent, arms stretched, ra, ra, ra

Put your left arm in, take it out, shake it all about: "The Hokey Cokey" is a dance that tells you exactly what to do. Several people claimed to have invented it in the 1940s, on both sides of the Atlantic, and its name may trace back, through "hocus pocus," all the way to the Latin of the Catholic Mass.

Origins

The song has origins dating 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-twentieth century. In the United Kingdom, Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy is credited with writing "The Hokey Cokey" in 1942 to entertain Canadian troops. In the United States, Robert Degen and Joseph P. Brier copyrighted "The Hokey Pokey Dance" in 1944. Independently, in 1949, Larry LaPrise, Charles Macak, and Taft Baker created their own version to entertain skiers in Idaho, which led to its widespread popularity across the United States.

Meaning & Interpretation

The term "Hokey Pokey" has several theories regarding its origin. Some suggest it evolved from "hocus pocus," a magic phrase that may itself derive from the Latin phrase "Hoc corpus meum" ("This is my body") from the Catholic Mass. Others note that "hokey pokey" was 19th-century slang used by street vendors selling cheap ice cream. At its core, the song is a simple participation game designed to get people dancing and interacting, teaching basic coordination and direction to children.

Who invented the Hokey Cokey?

The modern version of the song was created independently by several songwriters in the 1940s, including Jimmy Kennedy in the UK and Larry LaPrise in the US.

What is the difference between Hokey Cokey and Hokey Pokey?

"The Hokey Cokey" is the name used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth countries, while "The Hokey Pokey" is the name used in the United States and Canada. The lyrics and movements are virtually identical, though the UK version includes the refrain "knees bent, arms stretched."