'I'm proud of every word that comes out me mouth' - Scouse slang poem celebrates Liverpool's iconic phrases
A celebrated Scouse slang poem by a Liverpool poet delves into the iconic phrases that define the city's unique vernacular.
Joseph Roberts has become well known across Liverpool and beyond for his impressive poems, winning the UK’s Best Spoken Word Newcomer award in 2022 and having his powerful poem about football legend John Barnes featuring on BT Sport.
The Liverpool-born star was also commissioned by Liverpool City Council to write a poem about knife crime, which was a great success, but, his most famous piece is definitely ‘Scouse Slang’.
The viral poem delves into the classic Liverpudlian phrases and words synonymous with the city, and Roberts recently performed it as part of a charity event at the Crowne Plaza, which raised money for Zoe’s Place and the DT Hughes foundation.
The 21-year-old’s poem is as follows: “It’s not cool, it’s heavy. It’s not electricity, it’s lekky. It’s not breakfast, it’s brekkie, and it’s not an alcohol drink, it’s a bevvy. We tend to put THE in front of everything. Like it’s not a corner shop, it’s the corner shop. We say it like it’s the only one we’ve got.
“You say very good, we say boss and we shorten things to get our point across. Like it’s not Norris Green, it’s Nogsy. It’s not Toxteth, it’s Tokky. It’s not Croxteth, it’s Crocky and it ain’t Scotland Road, it’s Scottie.
- Get the biggest stories from Merseyside in your inbox with Liverpool World’s free newsletter emails.
“You call it a hospital, we call it the ozzy. You call it an off license, we call it the offy. It’s not Christmas, it’s Crimbo. If it’s ugly, it’s a show. It’s not money, it’s dough and if you stink, then you’ve got major bo.
“It’s not busy, it’s chocka. It’s not clothes, it’s clobber. If you want to, then you wanna and, it’s not really, it’s proper. If you’re annoyed, you’ve got a cob on. If you’re being chased, you’ve got a plot on. If you’ve broke down, get a jog on and if you’re going mad, then you’re on one.
“If you’ve had a rough night, you’ve had a heavy one. And let’s have it right, it’s not a bacon on toast, it’s a bacon on. If your mate’s on the handle bars, he’s getting a takey and if you know someone’s hiring then they must be taking on. If it’s fake, then it’s jarg. If he’s tough, then he’s hard.
“If it’s a mission away, it’s far and if they’re about to cause an issue we say, ‘Oh don’t you start’. You say hello, we say yes laaa. You say goodbye, we say ta ra. You say mum, we say ma, you say dad, we say da, you say no, we say naaa.
“If you’re on your own yeah you’re on your bill. Now, if there’s been murder, right, that doesn’t mean someone’s been killed. That just means like there’s been an argument or a falling out.”
The 21-year-old ends the poem with the poignant line: “I love being Scouse and I’m proud of every word that comes out me mouth.”