'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!' Arsenal chant lyrics, origin and video

Football fans are renowned for a lot of things but their unique and absurd gift for inventing and initiating humorous chants is a particular highlight.

We've seen some quite frankly sublime football chants over the years and the best all have one thing in common - they're annoyingly catchy to the point where thousands belt it out without a second thought.

One of those memorable buggers is a chant created by Arsenal fans for Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe - you know the one - but where did it originate, and what actually is the chant?

'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!' Arsenal chant lyrics

To be fair, it's not a difficult chant to memorise. There aren't all that many lyrics...

Here we go, oh!
Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!
And I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I la-la-like it,
La-la, like it,
Here we go, oh!
Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!

Should you wish - and, if you're an Arsenal fan, you probably would - to repeat a few too many times, the Emirates will likely join you.

'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!' Arsenal chant origin

The tune to the chant will likely ring quite a few bells, particularly with readers of an older generation. That's because Arsenal fans have adopted the chorus to Status Quo's infectious 1977 hit Rockin' All over the World for the melody.

Having been re-popularised for the contemporary era, Status Quo's tune initially reached number three in the UK Singles charts while the band's 1977 album, also entitled Rockin' All Over the World, peaked at number five in the UK Albums charts.

The song's original chorus, before being reinvented by Gunners fans, wasn't actually all that different.

And I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I like it,
I la-la-like it,
La-la, like it,
Here we go, oh!
Rockin' All Over the World!

One slight change, and there you have it - a football anthem.

When did Arsenal fans first chant 'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!'?

The chant isn't actually that old, having been in the Arsenal fans' repertoire since the beginning of the 2021/22 campaign.

There were few highlights in the early stages of the Gunners' 2021/22 season, as they kicked it off with three comprehensive defeats including a 5-0 hammering by Manchester City. Between those, though, came a 6-0 EFL Cup victory at West Brom, which is where it is believed this chant was originally pulled out.

After banking on trust for the initial phase of his project at the Emirates, Mikel Arteta must've been relieved when the bright potential of his young squad started paying dividends. Saka and Smith Rowe shone throughout the 2021/22 season, with the former receiving Arsenal's Player of the Year award for a second season running.

As the campaign rolled on, the two players would rack up a combined 30 Premier League goal contributions. As their song started to become more and more popular in the stands, Arsenal would eventually climb from the bottom of the table to earn a fifth-placed finish.

Injury might have halted the progress of Smith Rowe since, but Saka has only rocketed into one of Europe's greatest talents as Arsenal are now the envy of the Premier League, including Manchester City.

'Saka and Emile Smith Rowe!' Arsenal chant video

And even the players are into it...