Terms

Nationalization

The transfer of a major branch of industry or commerce from private to state ownership or control.

Expenditure

The action of spending funds.

“And wer lungs…”

Colloquial way of saying “and our lungs,” etc.

Scab

An outsider who is recruited to replace a striking worker. A derogatory term for a strike-breaker.

Fooked/Fookin’

Colloquial spelling of “Fucked/Fuckin’.”

Cush

Short for “cushy” – feeling good, or something undemanding, easy, or secure.

Pasty

A pastry of meat and vegetables, originated in Cornwall but has since become popular throughout the United Kingdom.

Tan yer hide

To beat someone.

Fifty pee

Shorthand for “fifty pence” – equivalent of about 79 cents at the time.

Cwm Rhondda/Bread of Heaven

A popular hymn tune written by John Hughes in 1907. Listen to a cover of it here.

Mank

Something that is disgusting.

Trainers

A British slang term for shoes; specifically running shoes or crossfit shoes.

Welly

A British slang term for Wellington boots, but used specifically here in the phrase “give it welly,” meaning to give it some power, some force, or some “oomph.”

Git

A silly, incompetent, stupid, or annoying person.

Sugar Ray Leonard

An American professional boxer, motivational speaker, and occasional actor.

Bonny

A Scottish adjective meaning healthy and attractive.

Wanker

Derogatory term for a very stupid or unpleasant person, usually a man.

Fanny

In the context of the phrase “you great fat fanny,” this is a derogatory term typically used to describe a woman. In the UK, fanny is a term mostly used for female genitalia, and sometimes used to describe someone’s buttocks. This phrase is similar to calling someone a fat a** here in the US.

Winch

A hauling or lifting device consisting of a rope, cable, or chain winding around a horizontal rotating drum, turned by a crank or by motor or other power source.

Margot Fonteyn

Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias DBE, known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet, eventually being appointed prima ballerina assoluta of the company by Queen Elizabeth II.

Bairn

A Scottish term meaning “child.”

Nowt

Colloquial term for “nothing.”

Poufs

A derogatory term for a homosexual person.

Rudolph/Rudolf Nureyev

Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Soviet-born ballet dancer and choreographer. Nureyev is regarded by some as the greatest male ballet dancer of his generation.

Slagged

To criticize (someone) harshly.

Geordie

Geordie is a nickname for a person from the Tyneside area of North East England and the dialect used by its inhabitants, also known in linguistics as Tyneside English or Newcastle English.

Cockney

A native of East London, traditionally one born within hearing of Bow Bells. Used within the song in a derogatory manner.

Bethnal Green

Bethnal Green is an area in the East End of London.

Corker

An excellent or astonishing person or thing, used sarcastically in this song.

Majorca

One of Spain's Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. It's known for beach resorts, sheltered coves, limestone mountains and Roman and Moorish remains. To sum it up – a great vacation spot.

Bent as a nine bob note

Extremely dishonest.

Sod you

Another way of saying “fuck you.”

Sod me

Another way of saying “fuck me.”

Trackys

Exercise clothing, or more specifically, tracksuit pants.

“That’s your pigeon”

Another way of saying “that’s your business.”

Rose and Crown

Local pub.

Sergei Diaghilev

A Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario and founder of the Ballets Russes, from which many famous dancers and choreographers would arise.

Ballet Russe

 A ballet company with an avant-garde approach to ballet, founded by Sergei Diaghilev.

Shagging

A chiefly British, informal, and usually vulgar way of saying to have sexual intercourse with.

Hoo-hoo

A “child-friendly” replacement word for female genitalia.

Easington

Easington, also known as Easington Village, is a village and civil parish in eastern County Durham, England. It was also home to the Easington Colliery. This is also where the movie for Billy Elliot was filmed!

Ballet Rambert

Rambert is a leading British dance company. Formed at the start of the 20th century as a classical ballet company, it exerted a great deal of influence on the development of dance in the United Kingdom, and today, as a contemporary dance company, continues to be one of the world's most renowned dance companies.

Howay

A way of saying either “come on" or "come off it" or "come away" - an exhortation or encouragement, depending on tone.

Skylark

Bus brand in the UK.

Knaa

Geordie slang for “know.”

Poncin’

A derogatory term for someone behaving like a “woman,” wasting time doing silly things. Toxic masculinity is in full force on this one.

Balletomane

A ballet enthusiast.

Flipping the Bird – The English Way

While Americans 'flip the bird' with a single middle finger, the British have traditionally achieved the same with two. The two-fingered salute, or backwards victory or V-sign, made with the middle and index fingers, is said to have originated with English archers at Agincourt in 1415. It looks similar to a backwards peace sign, for us Americans.

Hard Helmet Jobs vs. Soft Helmet Jobs

Implication that working class jobs are for “tougher” men – think of how mining requires helmets, while other, safer jobs might not. Similar to the idea of having a “working man’s hands” vs. “hands that haven’t worked a day in their life.”