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May 16, 2025  

More in I have a question and I’m hoping someone might know the answer.

Discuss: I have a question and I’m hoping someone might know the answer.

I’d like to incorporate the “Hokey Pokey” into a children’s book I’m revising.  I would change it to the “Petunia Pokey” and change a few lines here and there.  I’ve researched it a little and found this:

  The Hokey Cokey or Hokey Pokey is a participation dance with a .... is regarded as a traditional song and is therefore free of copyright restrictions

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about copyright and permission.

Thanks

 

9 comments · Page bottom

1- Colleen on Jul. 31 2008

 hi Jen.. I don't know much.. but here's a website that might be helpful

http://www.library.pitt.edu/guides/copyright/

2- Colleen on Jul. 31 2008

 here's another that might have some answers for ya..  good luck..

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/

3- Leanne on Jul. 31 2008

Jen, there's no chance this is protected by copyright, it's well outside any time restrictions and since it's regarded as traditional there's nobody to pay for it anyway

I know it's been around for as long as my grandparents can remember, since they taught it to me as a song from their childhood, so that's like forever... actually I believe it's from around the time of the Reformation in England, making fun of the Catholic rituals.  To be fair, the Pope does wear a silly hat. 

5- Anstey on Aug. 1 2008

Jen:

I have to stand with Leanne on the pope's hat.

6- Leanne on Aug. 1 2008

Dude, there's no way we'll both fit.

8- Anstey on Aug. 1 2008

The pope's hat does deserve to be stomped on. It is just unacceptably ridiculous looking. Much like the bat-man cowl from the 60s live-action show.

Only not at all.

9- Mosquitobyte on Aug. 6 2008

Ever noted the egyption glyph for Osiris.....looks remarkably like a bishop/pope with the mitre on....

9 comments

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