Loreena McKennitt “The Mummers’ Dance” charted

The Mummers’ Dance Loreena McKennitt

Writer(s): Loreena McKennitt (see lyrics here) Released: September 1997 First Charted: December 19, 1997 Peak: 18 BB, 13 R, 23 AC, 3 A40, 11 AA, 17 MR, 1 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 13.70 video, 24.25 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Loreena McKennitt was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1957. She developed a passion for Celtic music in 1974 after performing at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. She joined the Stratford Festival acting company in 1981. Four years later she released her first album – and every subsequent album – under her own label, Quinlan Road. She didn’t have her first chart success until 1994 with “The Bonny Swans,” a minor hit in Canada. Three years after that, she broke through with “The Mummers’ Dance.” The title is a reference to a tradition that began in the 14th century in England. Around Christmastime, mummers – performers wearing masks and costumes – visited the homes of friends and neighbors and played instruments, sang, and danced. A performer was unmasked if one of the homes’ inhabitants guessed his or her identity. While the tradition is more popular in rural areas, a mummers’ parade is held in Philadelphia every year on New Year’s Day. ESL A mummers’ parade is depicted in McKennitt’s video for the song. McKennitt learned about the tradition when she read about a ship stranded in a Newfoundland harbor on New Year’s Eve in 1984. Mummers came on board to entertain the crew. SF Resources: ESL ESLvideo.com “The Mummers’ Dance” SF Songfacts.com Related Links: First posted 11/23/2025.