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

Comments

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1- Colleen on Jul. 31 2008 - Edit · Delete

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 - Edit · Delete

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

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

3- Leanne on Jul. 31 2008 - Edit · Delete

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.