Lyric discussion by duff 

Cover art for Mummers Dance lyrics by Loreena McKennitt

its such a beautiful song! i love it so much!!!

its based on the celtic tradition of mumming, which are when a group of peformers dress up in masks and attach ribbons to their clothes and and setting out on a procession to neighbouring homes singing songs and carrying branches of greenery. It's primarily associated with springtime and fertility.

some of the lines come from a song traditionally sung in Abingdon in Oxfordshire.

Agreed! Glassie's "All Silver No Brass" is a great read about the tradition.