Something Rhymes with Purple

It’s our 2nd birthday here on Purple so the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves of what a brilliant year we’ve had - despite the obvious challenges and difficult global situation. This time last year we reverted to recording remotely but, if anything, this added to the intimate feel of the episodes and provided us with a weekly half-hour of stillness within an otherwise chaotic world. Within t...

Show notes: Hello Purple People, Word Nerds and to all of you who joined us live last Thursday but are loyally listening again! In this, our 104th Episode, we are LIVE on our two year anniversary and what better way to celebrate than with all of you, watching and listening from all over the planet! Susie is cat-bombed, Gyles’ jumpers are extraordinary and a mystery man makes an appearance… You won...

Happy Tuesday Purple People and welcome to what is literally our best ever, extra special, supersized edition of the show! This week Gyles and Susie will be exploring the humongous world of hyperbole. They're stars, legends and heroes- but don't tell them I said so... Whether you're feeling rather mediocre or you're half way up a mountain, join us as we attempt to hop off the euphemism treadmill a...

This episode comes with a heebie-jeebies warning because this week, Gyles and Susie are investigating phobias.  From the common claustrophobia to the less known gelophobia, this episode will explore what has been scaring us since the greeks. It’s also quite the confessional for our hosts as they’ll reveal their shared aerophobia, Susie’s self created prunidigiaphobia and Gyles tries to persuade us...

It’s time to bang-a-bonk because today, Susie and Gyles are exploring the wordy world of waterways.  With Gyles’ recently honed expertise on canals, he’ll take us on a tour to shaggy banks, babbling brooks and we’ll also have time to stop off for a game of Poohsticks. But don’t worry, you won’t be stuck up a certain creek without a paddle as Susie will masterfully take us down the river where we’l...

Welcome to the party Purple People as we celebrate reaching our 100th episode - we promise that it is going to be full of pep, zest and pizazz!  Featuring booze, banquets and cockerels, Susie will take us on a tour of all the eating options at this bash from canapés to buffets, Slap-up meals to a Jacob’s Join whilst Gyles recounts tales of private soirees with the queen and punting parties of the...

Come and see Gyles and Susie in action as Something Rhymes With Purple goes LIVE and ONLINE in 2021. After the success of last year’s live theatre show, SRWP is opening its doors once again but this time we’re streaming it online, so wherever you are in the world, come and JOIN US! Thursday 25th March 2021 7.30pm (GMT) For tickets please go HERE! Expect bizarre word journeys, the gruesome origins...

In this our 99th episode we’re calling our Purple People to the bar and passing judgement on the words of law! Susie tells us what a large number of judges and a large amount of food have in common, why the Old Bailey has Roman origins and explains why a Juror must swear but never curse. Gyles asks some ad hoc questions, as is his modus operandi, and proves that he’s no ignoramus when it comes to...

Do you know your Bournes from your Burghs, your Casters from your Chesters, your Kils from your Kirks? This week we’re having another look at place names and the fascinating stories behind some of our nationally treasured locations. Gyles and Susie tell us why Plymouth Hoe is not a misogynistic slur, why the God Thor never visits The Devil’s Punch Bowl and and where the oxen used to cross the rive...

Purple People we have been feeling flumped and slumped, so this week we’re getting pumped for Protest! And how thrilling protest can be. Whether its sedition or insurrection, riot or revolt, Susie and Gyles explore the words of protest and revolution.  Susie tells us why the Roman god Jupiter may have some thoughts about that incident at Capitol Hill, Gyles delights in the anti-ageism of the Senat...

Another month, another week, another episode for our dear Purple People! Take a whiff of that petrichor and allow us to metaphorically remove the phloem from life's banana. Come join us in this wordy oasis! This week Gyles and Susie will be remembering enough forgotten words to keep you thinking today, tomorrow and over-morrow. If you're fond of procrastination, or even a bit of perendination, nev...

Gyles and Susie are sticking to their New Years Resolutions and really getting out of their comfort zone this week as they focus their etymological microscope on the world of science and chemistry… so expect lots of head-scratching from our hosts as they attempt to decode the periodic table with the help from Greek gods, cockerels and silver mines. Today’s journey of discovery will also encounter...

Calling all cruciverbalists! Susie and Gyles have a treat in store for you as they deep-dive into the most popular word game around: the Crossword.  Since its creation 108 years ago, the crossword has transfixed millions on both sides of the Atlantic and the charm of this game has worked its way into literature, fashion, film - even the Royals are known to be fans!  In today’s episode, come be a s...

Take a seat, recline if you’d like or perhaps, even lie down because this week Susie and Gyles are going to be exploring the wonderful wordy world of furniture. Do you know your Chaise Lounge from your Divan? The Chesterfield from the Sedan? Get ready to be paraded around on a litter and discover why the secretaire is full of secrets, why bankruptcy ended in smashed benches and how a day-to-day bo...

Hello and Happy New Year! This first week of January we are reacquainting ourselves with you lovely Purple People and replying to some of the questions, queries and quibbles that you’ve emailed in. From pelmanism to punters, from Guinness to Mustard we’ll be finding out whether a spendthrift is thrifty or spendy, and examining why you’d rather not go gallivanting with a gallant, even if he claims...

Merry Christmas, a Festive Merrineum and a Happy New Year! It is the end of 2020; a year full of covidiots, royal viruses and quaranteenies. This week’s episode has everything you need to get you through to the New Year. We kick off with the bare facts and the naked truth about Christmas cracker jokes, Gyles then puts Susie through her paces with some tricksy word games you too can enjoy at home,...

This week we are on an absolute rampage, alleviating boredom and staving off the Scrooge in the news as we acquaint ourselves with that master wordsmith, Charles Dickens. Gyles gives us a salacious biography and Susie demonstrates her aptitude for a career in talking books. Keep a tight grip on your podcatcher Butterfingers because we’ve got your number and promise book recommendations so perfect...

Get wrapped up in your cosiest cashmeres and grab a glass of velvety vino and if you haven’t cottoned on already, today we’re going to be discussing textiles and fabrics. Susie and Gyles will weave their way through our wardrobes discussing our silks to our satins. Through the world of fabric we’ll discover many things and lots of stuff as well as finding out what links taffetas and tabby cats, an...

This episode may not be suitable for younger listeners. Parental discretion is advised. This week we’ll be boinking, bonking, and banging our way through baby-making and its associated lexicon. Whether you prefer to make the beast with two backs or shake off the sheets, we Purple People aren’t here to judge. Gyles tells a fun buddy story from the ‘60s and Susie serves a decisive judgement on why y...

Suffering from a festive cold or a flu? Susie and Gyles have some (questionable) remedies for you! Come delve into the wondrous (and often disgusting) world of potions and lotions on this week’s episode of Something Rhymes with Purple. Involving witchcraft, and Kings and Quacks, as we ‘gild the pill’ with the ‘hair of the dog’, all taken, of course, with a healthy ‘pinch of salt’. We’ll also weave...

This week, Susie and Gyles are reporting on the names and origins of London Town - of England, Europe, The World, The Universe. Come wind through the streets of Susie’s old hangout in Soho discovering its connection to battle cries and the history of germ theory, we’ll then take the Tube north to see how bishops and cottages birthed the names of some beautiful spots in North London. Gyles will the...

LIMITED OFFER: This week why not turn Black Friday Purple with a cheeky 20% off all merch on our website with the code PURPLE20. It’s not just Quality Street that’ll taste better in purple this year… head over to purple.backstreetmerch.com to peruse our delightful mugs and canvas shopping bags… the perfect stocking filler for the word nerd in your life…website: purple.backstreetmerch.com code: PUR...

Oh the Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten-thousand men… but was his son a Marquis or a Marquess? To find out, join us under the marquee as Gyles and Susie climb the etymological pecking order this week, giving lovers of Downtown Abbey a look at why a Butler serving breakfast might be cause for concern. Gyles has a hoity toity anecdote, and Susie demands justice for the hussy and the villain. But i...

Little Strings, Little Tongues and Butterflies… what could Gyles and Susie pasta-bly be talking about?! In this episode we’ll be lobbing a bunch of pasta terms at the wall to see what sticks. We start by delving into ancient myths and legends to unearth pasta’s beginnings, Susie takes us on a trip to a brothel to serve up one of the most delicious spaghetti dishes of today, and Gyles shares his fa...

This week we’re counting our blessings and saying our prayers as we take a look at the tales behind some of the patron saints and their language. From martyrs to miracles and from sanctity to sanctuary we unpick the blessed language of those who have been canonised. But if all that sounds a bit holier-than-thou, don’t worry because there’s still plenty of time to enjoy idio-repulsive belfies, tuck...