Larry LaPrise
Encyclopedia
Larry LaPrise at one point held the U.S. copyright
for the song Hokey Pokey
.
LaPrise wrote the song in the late 1940s for the après-ski
crowd at a club
in Sun Valley, Idaho
. The song was first recorded by his group the Ram Trio (with Charles Macak and Tafit Baker) in 1949. They were awarded U.S.
copyright
in 1950.
After the group broke up in the 1960s, LaPrise worked for the Post Office
in Ketchum, Idaho
.
The authorship of the Hokey Pokey is disputed, with European songwriter Jimmy Kennedy
claiming to have written the original (entitled Cokey-Cokey) during WWII
. Robert Degan sued
LaPrise for copyright infringement
of his 1946 The Hokey-Pokey Dance. They settled out of court.
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
for the song Hokey Pokey
Hokey Pokey
The hokey cokey or hokey pokey , also known as the okey cokey, hokey tokey, or cokey cokey, is a participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. It is well known in English-speaking countries...
.
LaPrise wrote the song in the late 1940s for the après-ski
Après-ski
Après-ski refers to going out, having drinks, dancing, and generally socializing after skiing. It is popular in the Alps, where skiers often stop at bars on their last run of the day while still wearing all their ski gear. The concept is similar to the nineteenth hole in golf. This can also...
crowd at a club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley, Idaho
Sun Valley is a resort city in Blaine County in the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho, adjacent to the city of Ketchum, lying within the greater Wood River valley. Tourists from around the world enjoy its skiing, hiking, ice skating, trail riding, tennis, and cycling. The population was 1,427...
. The song was first recorded by his group the Ram Trio (with Charles Macak and Tafit Baker) in 1949. They were awarded U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
in 1950.
After the group broke up in the 1960s, LaPrise worked for the Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in Ketchum, Idaho
Ketchum, Idaho
Ketchum is a city in Blaine County, Idaho, United States, in the central part of the state. The population was 3,003 at the 2000 census. It is in the Wood River Valley, adjacent to Sun Valley; the two communities share many resources and both sit in the same valley beneath Bald Mountain, with its...
.
The authorship of the Hokey Pokey is disputed, with European songwriter Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy
Jimmy Kennedy OBE was an Irish songwriter, predominantly a lyricist, putting words to existing music such as "Teddy Bears' Picnic" and "My Prayer", or co-writing with the composers Michael Carr, Wilhelm Grosz and Nat Simon amongst others.-Biography:Kennedy was born near Omagh...
claiming to have written the original (entitled Cokey-Cokey) during WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Robert Degan sued
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
LaPrise for copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
of his 1946 The Hokey-Pokey Dance. They settled out of court.