The Hokey Cokey

The Hokey Cokey is a great party song and dance and a favourite at school parties. Younger children enjoy it and may perhaps learn their left from their right, though that is debateable . . .

Older children, from eight or nine years old, particularly boys, regard it as an opportunity to demonstrate their strength and speed and the whole thing can get dangerously out of handJ

Bethan sent me this version of the Hokey Cokey – it’s not very easy to sing!!

The Hokey Pokey (or Hokey Cokey) Shakespearean style

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within

Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.

Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:

Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.

Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke.

A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.

To spin! A wilde release from heaven’s yoke.

Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.

The Hoke, the poke – banish now thy doubt.

Verily, I say, ‘tis what it’s all about.

The young people in the clip seem to be learning the dance – I hope they assimilated the moves by the end of the song which goes thus:

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.

Oh, hokey cokey cokey,

Oh, hokey cokey cokey,

Oh, hokey cokey cokey,

Knees bend, arms stretch,

Rah, rah, rah!

Now I have a feeling I shall be singing this for the rest of the day. How about you?