OBIT: Hokey Pokey Songwriter, Robert Degen

[Stackabones]

I hadn't a clue that this song had actually been written by someone -- just thought it was traditional or something.

 

104 years old!

 

 

Popular as the song is, its authorship has long been in dispute, with the credit usually going to Larry LaPrise, who as part of a musical group, the Ram Trio, is said to have created it in Sun Valley, Idaho, as a novelty number to entertain vacationing skiers. The trio, whose other members were Charles Peter Macak and Tafft Baker, recorded the song,

[Chicken Monkey]

I second your nomination for MVP--most valuable poster.

[Lee Knight]

That cat really knew what it was all about. RIP.

[blue2blue]

When I was in 5th and 6th grade one of the few ways I could be with the woman I loved (her name was Laurel and she was in the same grade and class as I was -- stop pm'ing me) was to sign up for the semi-monthly square dancing lessons.

 

Mostly, of course, we square danced to super scratchy 78s and a live caller (with an appropriately theatrical drawl) but they'd break it up by playing some of this newfangled rock and roll we'd all been hearing about...

 

But the song was always the same (as were the scratches on the shellac disc), "The Hokie Pokie." (And, seriously, they'd play it twice a night. I seem to recall the caller/DJ saying something to the effect of, "Well, I ain't got nothin' against that there rock and roll and I'm gonna play some right now." And then, later, he'd play it again and say, "I ain't got nothing against rock and roll -- but this is the only rock 'n' roll record I ever heard that I can stand to hear again."

 

I loved that guy.

 

Ya have to work seriously overtime to make square dancing looking relatively hip to a kid teetering into the first years of the 60s -- but the Hokie Pokie could do it.

 

Rest in peace, Mr Degan -- and while you're up there, say a little prayer for Mr LaPrise... even if he may not have actually written "The Hokie Pokie" -- it takes a lot of stuff to claim it.