Hit & Miss

Hit & Miss: The Cornish singing group strengthening inter-generational connections to Cornwall while living up to half of their name

For those outside of Cornwall (or even some within), the first things that come to mind when you hear the words ‘sea shanty’ might be Drunken Sailor or TikTok’s Nathan Evans singing Wellerman. While many claim Wellerman isn’t a sea shanty at all, this didn’t stop it from peaking at the top of the UK singles chart during the pandemic and garnering over 2.5 million likes on the social app. The reason for its popularity? It provided such a sense of community and togetherness, especially during a time of isolation, that listeners felt anyone could join in regardless of singing ability - hence the song’s virality. Wellerman continues to exist as an example of Celtic-style music sneaking its way into popular culture and the social zeitgeist at just the right time.

Where Wellerman enjoyed five minutes of TikTok stardom, singing has been at the core of Cornish communities for centuries. A reminder of our rich mining and fishing heritage, some of Cornwall’s best-known songs include Little Lize, Lamorna and of course, Harry Glasson’s Cornwall My Home (characteristically accompanied by the clinking of tribute-filled pint glasses). However, these songs have a deeper meaning; they connect us to a history that has slowly faded in Cornwall. Particularly poignant lyrics bounced between pub walls include “When the fish and tin are gone, what are the Cornish boys to do?” These words evoke misty eyes in the most macho of Cornish men, who echo the voices of soon-to-be ex-fishermen or miners mourning an era slipping from their beaten hands.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. While these songs could be deemed a way of mourning Cornish traditions, they could equally be praised as a celebration of our heritage and a way of keeping it alive. I recently saw one group who are particularly passionate stalwarts of Cornish culture.

Hit & Miss are four boys who originally formed a singing group in 2017 after playing in the Blue Anchor in Helston, a pub known for its last Saturday of the month singing antics. Formed when the boys were at school, the group has since cemented itself alongside the Oggymen and the now-famous Fisherman’s Friends as part of a new generation of Cornish singing groups helping to keep these songs alive.

This group is unique as there are only four of them: Will Smith who sings lead, Sam Trounson who sings tenor, Tom Bassett on baritone and Tim Wingham on bass. Smaller than a lot of singing groups in Cornwall, they’ve not only become known for their rich harmonies but are also individually identifiable – both in what their voices have to offer, and how they are presented within the group. Will leads the song Rattlin’ Bog with impressive speed and memory while Tim has a crowd-pleasing solo in the classic Queen song, Fat Bottomed Girls. Sam and Tom have arranged several of their songs and between the four of them, they hold six grade eights in various instruments with Tom even obtaining a Master’s degree in Music from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. This combination of musical talent intertwined with a passion for upholding a history they are all personally connected with means Cornwall’s roots continue to flourish even in a post-Kernewek era.

Since forming, the group has not only sung at a number of private functions but also at some impressively large gigs including Falmouth Shanty Festival, Fowey Shanty Festival and throughout the year at the beautiful Poldhu Beach Café, which always draws in a large crowd. However, they also enjoy smaller, more casual gatherings like Cadgwith on a Friday night or in one of many local pubs around Porthleven and Helston.

What makes this group so special is their representation amongst a younger generation of Cornishmen and women. While Cornwall’s new generations will continuously inherit heritage, groups like Hit & Miss have helped the county’s musical history continue to thrive. The lives and traditions of our ancestors are immortalised in the words of those singing, now with lives and traditions of their own. Through this musical community, we are connecting to those who lived the words we now use to simultaneously mourn and celebrate the relics of our collective Cornish past.

Written by Ysy Lees
Edited by Amy Alford