The mystery of the "Hokey Pokey's" origin is still alive, although both authors of the popular 1940s- and 50s-era song and dance have passed away.
A silly dance song, the "Hokey Pokey" goes like this: "You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out. ... and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about."
One of its authors was Larry LaPrise, son of French-Canadian parents from Detroit who played it as a guitar-playing member of The Ram Trio in the Sun Valley Inn 60 years ago.
LaPrise along with Ram Trio musicians Charles Peter Macak, an accordionist, and bassist Taftt Baker traveled to Salt Lake City in 1949 and copyrighted the novelty number.
According to the Idaho Statesman newspaper, LaPrise first registered the "Hokey Pokey" with Broadcast Music Inc. in 1941, and there are many reports of American military men dancing to the song in the closing days of World War II.
LaPrise played music at Sun Valley from 1939 to 1965 and then worked eight years at the Ketchum Post Office. Father of six, he moved to Wendell and died in Boise at 83 in April 1996.
But, the "Hokey Pokey's" authorship has been in dispute ever since a similar song called "The Hokey Pokey Dance," was copyrighted in 1944 by a club musician from Scranton, Pa. named Robert Matthew Degen.
Degen, a native of Scranton, Pa., died Nov. 23 in Lexington, Ky., on his 104th birthday, according to a New York Times obituary published Dec. 3. Degen sued LaPrise in 1956 in a California court and the two parties settled out of court, splitting royalties thereafter.
Quoted in the Statesman after LaPrise's death 13 years ago, Degen said he didn't mind sharing authorship. About LaPrise's claim, Degen said, "He can have all the fame he wants, as long as I get this." Rubbing his thumb and index finger together, he meant royalties.
