Charlie says

[Elchanan]

What is the origin of "Charlie says"? Is it from a book, movie or TV-series? Anyone knows?

Thank you in advance,

Elchanan

[Anglika]

Welcome to the forum.

It's usually "Simon says..." which is a very old children's game, found all over the world in different forms.

Can you give context for your "Charlie says..."?

[Ouisch]

First thing I thought of was this old commercial, but that's probably not what you're referring to.

[susiedqq]

"Charlie" is also the name given to "the enemy" in the US Army.

[Amigos4]

First thing I thought of was this old commercial, but that's probably not what you're referring to.

Ouisch, thanks for sharing the 'Good and Plenty' commercial! It brings back lots of childhood memories!

Cheers,
Amigo

[Elchanan]

My mistake... of course it should be Simon says...
I was listening to an old song by The Prodigy - Charlie - where "Charlie says" is repeated, and I was convinced that this was what actually is "Simon says".

Thank you for clearing this up for me

Elchanan

[BobK]

There is an idiomatic use of 'Charlie's...'. When I was at school, a euphemistic way of telling a woman her petticoat was showing under her hem-line was 'Charlie's dead'*. As petticoats are more or less a thing of the past, I heven't heard this used for a good few years.

b
PS I believe the French equivalent is Tu cherches une belle-mêre? Can someone confirm this (or have I been enduit avec du beurre )?

[BobK]

"Charlie" is also the name given to "the enemy" in the US Army.

Maybe this is the source of the spy-fiction* usage of 'Charlie's Indians' to mean "CIA".

b
*At least, that's the only place I've seen it used.

[Ouisch]

Maybe this is the source of the spy-fiction* usage of 'Charlie's Indians' to mean "CIA".

b
*At least, that's the only place I've seen it used.

"Charlie" in reference to an enemy is limited to references of the Vietnam war, I believe. The Viet Cong were often referred to by the abbreviation "VC," which in the phonetic alphabet became "Victor Charlie," and then was eventually shortened to simply "Charlie."
Likewise, the abbreviation "CIA" would be pronounced "Charlie-India-Alpha" in the NATO phonetic alphabet, which is probably where "Charlie's Indians" evolved from.

[BobK]

...
Likewise, the abbreviation "CIA" would be pronounced "Charlie-India-Alpha" in the NATO phonetic alphabet, which is probably where "Charlie's Indians" evolved from.

Of course - Doh.

b