Singers and Songs

Singers Night at The Golden Lion, Stithians                           20^th October 2012

I’d chatted to Roger Bryant on the phone about coming up to his sessions at the Golden Lion on the 3^rd Sat of every month a while back – he wasn’t sure if it was exactly what I had in mind for the project but partly because we’d talked about Sankey hymns and partly because his songs are being sung around Cornwall at Shouts (e.g. Cornish Lads and Miners Anthem) I thought it would be good to visit.

Roger in full voice!

Roger sings with the infamous Rum & Shrub shantymen. His father was Welsh and his mother came from a Cornish family who had a reputation for pub singing, so Roger comes from good singing stock! Indeed his wife’s father was alarmed when they were courting – he referred to Roger as ‘one of the drunken Bryants’!  Having said that he was brought up Methodist at St Mawes which is why he likes the Sankey hymns. He also feels they are easy to learn with good chorus’ and tunes; they have an affinity to Southern Baptist hymns (from America) and certainly some of them are also sung around the pubs like Let The Light Of Your Lighthouse as well as popular plantation hymns, likely to come from the baptist tradition; Lily Of the Valley, Swing Low & Old Time Religion. He remembers as a child sneaking in the back door of the pub to hear the singing and that certain songs were associated with certain people who would come out every Friday night, sit in the same place and sing ‘their’ song. Woe betide anyone else who sang that song! This reminded me of the great story by Charles Lee ‘Pascoe’s song’.

Some of the singers

When we arrived some people were already there and I recognised singers from as far afield as Penzance and Calstock! Many of them are involved with the folk clubs in Cornwall. There was also a couple who’d come from Bideford folk club too! We were warmly welcomed by Roger and his wife and soon the singing began – sure enough it started with a lovely old Sankey hymn ‘Blessed Quietness’ which everyone seemed to know. After that Roger, with a lovely sense of humour, invited people to do a turn. Certainly there was little overlap with the songs we’d heard elsewhere and we knew only a few of them but it was entertaining and there were choruses we could join in with. There was a happy, informal atmosphere with everyone evidently knowing eachother well. It was also lovely to hear Thorn and Roses peform a few numbers including their version of This Is My Cornwall. They are a 3 part harmony singing group with Jinks providing a wonderful bass and Sylvia and Rowena beautiful close harmony.

Thorn & Roses

Roger sang his own composition – Cornish Lads and it was great to hear  it from the ‘horses mouth’! Later on everyone sang another Sankey hymn with a great chorus: ‘Only Remembered’. Towards the end a woman shyly asked to sing – obviously one of the first times she’d done so and gave the sweetest rendition of the ‘Old Grey Duck’ I’d ever heard. She said she remembered her father singing it to her as a lullabye.

I realise the more we travel around the greater spectrum of pub singing we hear and as usual it’s good not to be too prescriptive about these things! The bottom line for me is; is everyone having a good time? And usually, with singing involved, they are!

A Bit Of Old Cornwall

Countryman – 2nd September 2012

The Countryman Pub, nr Piece

It’s hard to know when to write a blog for our own shout as it happens every month and I’m always there – so which one do I write about? And yet it needs recording because it’s seen a wonderful development over the two years from when we started. The landlord, Nick is so supportive, often joins in behind the bar and has sponsored my project too!

Some of the singers!

We came together primarily as two singing groups – the Inglehearts (run by Clare Ingleheart) and the Treggys and slowly over the months people have come to and fro until it has evolved into a shout that brings together a whole cross section of people from Penzance to Callington! There are people who now come from groups such as The Perraners, Leverow an Bys, Suitcase Singers, Riverside Singers, Praze and Hayle MVC, Nankersy MVC and Cadgwith. There are also individuals who just enjoy being ‘hangers on’ without the commitment of a choir. All this means that although we have a core repertoire we are always being treated to new songs from visiting people who bring their favourites along. This core repertoire is printed in a songbook that is for others to use and has helped with a feeling of inclusivity and the creation of a lovely atmosphere, with usually over 30 people singing together. I personally am really happy that this core also includes some Cornish language songs too such as the ancient Delkiow Syvy (words from 1698!) and beautiful Kerra Kernow (written by Dick Gendall, who wrote many songs for Brenda Wooton) From the regular group, people are starting to emerge with increased confidence to either pitch up a song or sing a party piece. One of these; Ron, has brought new songs to share and brings real feeling to his singing – his enjoyment of songs such as Cornish Lads and Miner’s Lullaby is obvious and always gets a good response. My father, Patrick has always had a huge store of songs and loves to sing daft songs such as Johnny Bucca which are also well received! We have had beautiful solo renditions of The White Rose from Geoff of the St Aubyn singers and rousing chorus’ of The Old Grey Duck from Chris from the Perraners (he & I are part of the Duck Appreciation Society!) 

Patrick, Ron, Neil and Dave sharing a joke!

It’s a delight to me that we have been able to create such a space, with the goodwill of the Landlord, to allow people to shine whatever their age or background and the experience of most people seems to be reflected in a comment by one of the regular listeners:

‘Beautiful! A real coming together, like the old times; a bit of old Cornwall’

We always meet on the first Sunday of every month; one and all are welcome!

 

Yeghes da!