What is Scouse?

Take English dialects from Scotland and Wales, add a pinch of Manx, and a big dollop of Irish and you have the unique spoken sound of Liverpool.  Combine this sound with local slang (offsite), add optimism, wit, humor, and tradition, and what you get is Scouse.
You've heard it if you ever saw the movies Letter to Brehznev, Educating Rita, A Hard Day's Night, or Help!

'Brehznev (1985), though now a bit dated, also shows some of the city.  It's not on DVD yet, but put it in your "Saved" section of Netflix.

From Mars? Or just need a Scouse refresher?
Take this link to a page in the web site of the International Dialects of English Archive (IDEA) and give a listen to the file

england18.mp3

There are several Liverpool files that are excellent examples of Scouse.   Each one starts with a written script designed to go through a wide range of sounds.

Scouse is evolving.   Here's another offsite link to a section of the National Museum's site about the Liverpool Blitz.   Follow the "time buttons"; there are several sound files.   The post-war Beatles dialect we are all familiar with is somewhere between the pre-war sound of the Blitz files and Teresa and Elaine (Margi Clarke and Alexandra Pigg) from 'Brehznev, or the actor/teacher in england18.mp3. 

Answer.com's page explaining Scouse has a phonology section that is interesting, but it's a bit like explaining what a banana tastes like.  You have to experience it.

Don't have an MP3 player?
Or even worse, you use Microsoft's Media Player?   Then get a free one that doesn't spy on you, such as Zinf.

By the way, scouse is also a food item (beef or lamb stew).  Scouse is to Liverpool what red beans and rice is to New Orleans.