After a few listenings, I came up with a theory. I snooped around the internet to see if this theory was valid at all, but I'm either not too good at looking for this stuff, or didn't try hard enough.
So here's the theory - It's about abuse and its consequences. Charlie is actually mentioned only once throughout the song, but it doesn't say that much. Even so, I'd say Charlie likes to abuse. Or likeD - She's awake, while Charlie "sleeps".
In that sense, it could very well be a reminiscent piece. Song about a past, and what it's like now. She's supposed to "tell it like it is", but it's no easy task when the subject is something so personal; so deeply emotional and vulgar.
After I looked up the meaning for "Charlie Big Potato" on wikipedia, I found out it's also used as slang (originally British) to say "Give it your Charlie Big Potatoes!". It's supposed to be a kind of substitute for "giving your best", and is arguably derived from male testicles. Which, to a degree, supports the abuse theory...
So who is Charlie anyway? A father? A brother? Lover? Or is he just fictional? He might not even have anything to do with Skin to begin with, yet... The song is sung so earnestly I wouldn't dare say he isn't.
After a few listenings, I came up with a theory. I snooped around the internet to see if this theory was valid at all, but I'm either not too good at looking for this stuff, or didn't try hard enough.
So here's the theory - It's about abuse and its consequences. Charlie is actually mentioned only once throughout the song, but it doesn't say that much. Even so, I'd say Charlie likes to abuse. Or likeD - She's awake, while Charlie "sleeps".
In that sense, it could very well be a reminiscent piece. Song about a past, and what it's like now. She's supposed to "tell it like it is", but it's no easy task when the subject is something so personal; so deeply emotional and vulgar.
After I looked up the meaning for "Charlie Big Potato" on wikipedia, I found out it's also used as slang (originally British) to say "Give it your Charlie Big Potatoes!". It's supposed to be a kind of substitute for "giving your best", and is arguably derived from male testicles. Which, to a degree, supports the abuse theory...
So who is Charlie anyway? A father? A brother? Lover? Or is he just fictional? He might not even have anything to do with Skin to begin with, yet... The song is sung so earnestly I wouldn't dare say he isn't.