Bazooka

Bazooka

Author: Sony Music Entertainment July 18, 2023 Duration: 40:08
This week, we traverse the lexicon landscape of the Second World War, unearthing the hidden treasures of word origins. Join us as Susie & Gyles unveil the remarkable tales behind wartime vocabulary, and reveal the extraordinary evolution of words shaped by the tumultuous era. We love hearing from you, find us @SomethingRhymes on Twitter and Facebook, @SomethingRhymesWith on Instagram or you can email us on our NEW email address here: purplepeople@somethingrhymes.com Want even more purple, people? Join the Purple Plus Club by clicking the banner in Apple podcasts or head to purpleplusclub.com to listen on other platforms' Enjoy Susie’s Trio for the week:  Niminy piminy: Feeble Scringe: To screw up the face Slapsauce: A glutton Gyles' poem this week was 'Slough' by John Betjeman Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death! Come, bombs and blow to smithereens Those air -conditioned, bright canteens, Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans, Tinned minds, tinned breath. Mess up the mess they call a town- A house for ninety-seven down And once a week a half a crown For twenty years. And get that man with double chin Who'll always cheat and always win, Who washes his repulsive skin In women's tears: And smash his desk of polished oak And smash his hands so used to stroke And stop his boring dirty joke And make him yell. But spare the bald young clerks who add The profits of the stinking cad; It's not their fault that they are mad, They've tasted Hell. It's not their fault they do not know The birdsong from the radio, It's not their fault they often go To Maidenhead And talk of sport and makes of cars In various bogus-Tudor bars And daren't look up and see the stars But belch instead. In labour-saving homes, with care Their wives frizz out peroxide hair And dry it in synthetic air And paint their nails. Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough To get it ready for the plough. The cabbages are coming now; The earth exhales. A Sony Music Entertainment production.   Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts     To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever found yourself wondering why we say "butterfly" or what a "snollygoster" might be? Lexicographer Susie Dent and writer Gyles Brandreth have built a delightful space to explore exactly that. Their Something Rhymes with Purple podcast feels less like a lesson and more like eavesdropping on a wonderfully meandering conversation between two deeply knowledgeable friends. Each episode digs into the quirks and histories of our language, unearthing surprising etymologies and forgotten words that deserve a comeback. You'll come away not just with an enhanced vocabulary, but with stories about how words shaped history and culture, all delivered with a warm, witty charm. It’s this blend of genuine expertise and playful camaraderie that has earned the show its award-winning status. While the journey through language is the main attraction, the tone is consistently light and often humorous, fitting its home in arts, comedy, and education. Produced by Sony Music Entertainment, the podcast is a regular invitation to rediscover the joy and sheer oddity of the English language. For those who find themselves captivated, there are avenues to join a community of fellow word enthusiasts and dive even deeper.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Something Rhymes with Purple
Podcast Episodes
Juggins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:24
In this week’s episode, Susie and Gyles dish out a generous serving of all things to do with crockery! So gather round the table and feast upon a large helping of etymology, poems, obscure words and origins. We love hear…
Panache [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:39
This week we are dipping our ink quills into the decadent world of calligraphy. Gyles’ spills all on the Royal Coronation invitation he received from The Palace, and Susie shares her pen-sational etymological knowledge o…
Let There Be Light [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:45
In this week’s dazzling episode, Susie and Gyles illuminate the fascinating etymological roots of everything to do with natural light phenomena. So, join us as we shine the spotlight on rainbows to supernovas! We love he…
Kummerspeck [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:08
This episode was recorded live at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. Have you ever felt an emotion that you know is universal, but come to realise there’s no word for it? Well Susie & Gyles have you covered in this week’…
Learning The Ropes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:21
Strap into your hiking boots purple people! In this episode, we’re going to climb to new linguistic heights and explore the world of climbing. Gyles walks us through his Mount Snowdon expedition and Susie rocks our etymo…
Al-jabr [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:59
In this weeks’ episode, we zero in on the exponential world of mathematics. Come and join us as Susie discusses the solitary life of odd numbers and whether or not there’s an official order to words of magnitude, plus Gy…
Trumps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:58
Gyles is fresh back from Jamaica and after visiting the spiritual home of James Bond, he’s channeling his 007 spirit and taking Susie to the casino for a touch of Gambling. In our trip to 'the little casa', we will find…
Shoeburyness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:27
Come join Susie and Gyles for Part 2 of ‘The Purple People’s Linguistic Gaps’. To celebrate our 200th episode, we asked the Purple People for moments or experiences when they wished there was a specific word to describe…
Clatterfart [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:50
It’s going to be an episode full of tittle-tattle today as Gyles and Susie sit down for a good gossip as we excavate the words and idioms associated with this favourite hobby. We’ll have a good blather but stopping short…
Walloping [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:34
In today’s ‘mane’ episode, there’s no horsing around as we take gallop through the etymological equine world. Susie explains what the name Duncan and donkeys might have in common, why we might have ‘walloped’ instead of…