Sunday, January 1, 2017

MUM'S THE WORD




The Mummers have taken over the streets of Philadelphia for the longest running tradition of folk parade in the country and will revival any drag show!!!!The New Year’s Day parade is a 118 year, unique Philadelphia tradition that is pure fun, enjoyment, and folk art, and has withstood the test of time because of the strength of the diverse communities the mummers represent. This year is especially nice because the first ever drag queen brigade will be in the parade called, Miss Fancy Brigade headed up by Philadelphia legend Brittany Lynn. This truly is a great city!!!! A spectacle to behold for sure........ 


Another part of the Mummers tradition is a song that was wrote over 130 years ago!

Most people probably have never heard the name James A. Bland. But if you live in Philadelphia, you've heard at least one of his songs. "Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" — a tune Bland wrote in 1879 — is the unofficial anthem of the Mummers Parade and many of the string bands. It's played every year at the start of the New Year's Day parade. In his time, Bland was a popular songwriter and minstrel performer. Unfortunately Bland wrote nearly 700 songs and got credit for about 30 of them. The international showman eventually lost his fame and fortune when Vaudeville music became popular and pushed minstrel shows to the sidelines, but not before Bland made his mark on the music and culture of Philadelphia. James A. Bland spent his later years in obscurity. He died from tuberculosis May 5, 1911, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Bland was buried in an unmarked grave without a funeral at Merion Memorial Park, Bala Cynwyd. In 1939, his grave was found by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and his grave was landscaped and a monument was erected, as well as a new exhibit in the Mummer's Museum, who thankfully keep his music alive. 


Filmed at Marconi Plaza, Philadelphia, at the beginning of the Mummers Parade a couple years ago.
My favorite performance from last year. Quaker City String Band. And just how adorable is Captain Jimmy Goode?

We've been watching all day, as it is literally a all day event ending at 10:30 tonight. Now to get my pork and sauerkraut in.....for added good luck!


HAPPY NEW YEAR POSSUM'S!!!

42 comments:

  1. well, don't you look festive in tux and mask! and the ever-present G&T in hand too!

    we KNOW how to put on a show, don't we! FUCK YEAH PHILLY PROUD!

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    Replies
    1. You got that right sister.

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    2. HELL YEAH! spouse and I were born & bred in this wonderful city!

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  2. Happy New Year! I'm trying to recover from last night, and I've got a NYD dinner to attend across town.

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  3. Happy New Years Day Mistress! I just knew you'd do a nod to the Mummers. William and I have been watching all day. Since I was a wee one, I have seen the Mummers every year. I couldn't imagine a New Years with seeing them on the tv or in person. How 50 Shades of Grey is that mask?!?

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  4. I have watched the mummers my whole entire life until I moved to Kentucky thank the gods that I found phl17 live feed because I was able to watch it this year and this performances have been awesome. Did you see South Philly!!!!! They rocked it. Happy New Year Mistress...you wearing that mask is sexy. Maybe the next hero/villain?

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  5. This pageantry... how much fun the city is. Philadelphia is one of my favorite cities to visit, I need to get there more. Happy New Years Day! LOVE THE MASK!

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  6. I see the Mummer's raided my closet again.
    Happy New Year's-
    XO and one for Jesus,
    Miss R

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  7. These Mummers have fabulous costumes, but some of them look as scary as an African witch doctor! And why do they like posing with their legs wide apart? Happy New Year, Mistress!

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    Replies
    1. because they are manly men! :)

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    2. I think the Mistress or Sharon Stone started the trend...not sure which.

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    3. the mistress says it has to do with big anatomy.

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    4. and the mistress certainly knows everything about big anatomy!

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    5. I'll have you all know I got an A in health and sex ed. I even did extra research and the extra credit.

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  8. THis is fantastic!!! And what some interesting tidbits there about James Bland. A Happy New Year Day to you.

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  9. Happy new Year Day! I am happy to see mummers and the city. It as good as what we put on here in rio mistress. guys did amazing job, good music selection, colorful, dance moves etc.... It was great fun to see.

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  10. Happy New Year too you! I look forward to visiting more...always interesting here, if not scandalous at times.

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  11. What fabulous festivities - I love the colorfully creative costumes! A great way to start the new year. Thanks for sharing the photos/videos and providing interesting facts.

    Actually, I'd like to wear the costume in that first (black & white) photo. It would really go over big here in rural Tennessee.....(I'd be shot in three minutes...)

    Have a glorious 2017!

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    1. P.S. (love the mask!)

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    2. Hell, any occasion to put on feather or marabou and I'm there. We can wake that town up and show them some style.

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  12. DAMN you handsome thing!!!! How festive your evening looked! Philly is the BEST city in the US of A!!!! Some proud of them for letting the gay community take part with transgender and drag queens!!!!!!! They rock!

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  13. how dare they have a parade & not put you on a float!

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    1. the way he let's it hang out, he'd be a float in the Folsom Street Fair

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    2. Norma...they were worried I'd BE the float.

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  14. A holiday spectacle indeed!!! Who need N'Orleans? A wish you our handsome host a Happy New Year Day! Did you ever swing from the chandelier?

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  15. Happy New Year....did the mask stay on when you were tired up?

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    1. You wouldn't believe where the mask ended up.

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  16. Happiest of New Year's to you and yours. xoxoxoxo

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  17. I think they would be a wonderful addition to the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. I'd love to see them!!! The New Year is here.

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  18. Maybe next year I'll join you. Thinking about relocating. Warn the gin distributors in the tri-state area.

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    Replies
    1. oh cripes, maddie, we have competition!

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    2. Don't hesitate to ask, I can Fed EX in back up supplies from California!

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    3. Fearsome Beard, I already send Maddie supplies from California. And I use UPS instead of FedEx. Just tell them it's olive oil. lol

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    4. Anne Marie, not competition. Maddie and I are a team. I've just been handling West Coast consumption. Occasionally we team up.

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    5. Anne Marie, yes, if Dagny moves the gin supply could be tight till they get the supply up, but Dagny does run the west coast cingulate very well.

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  19. Happy New Year!!!! I couldn't be more proud to our city to let the drag and gay community into the parade. Brittany did good. It was a spectacular parade this year I though.

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    1. I was very happy to see that too. Philly is quite a swell city!

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  20. It sounds as if you had a marvelous time. Happy new year, mistress - may everything you wish for come to you. Hugs!!!

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  21. Happy New Year Mistress. Dow in the city yesterday it was nuts , but I could almost see the whole parade right from my window. The mask is great...love that idea for a party.

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  22. Have I told you I have a thing for guys wearing masks??? Yeah, that could be fun.......... Happy New Year handsome!

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Go ahead darling, tell me something fabulous!