"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" | ||||
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Single by They Might Be Giants | ||||
from the album Flood | ||||
B-side | "James K. Polk" | |||
Released | May 14, 1990 | |||
Format | CD single, 7", 12" | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 2:34 | |||
Label |
Elektra (US) Elektra / WEA (EU) |
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Producer(s) | Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley | |||
They Might Be Giants singles chronology | ||||
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"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is a 1953 swing-style song, with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon. Written on the 500th anniversary of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans, the lyrics humorously refer to the official 1930 renaming of the city of Constantinople to Istanbul. The song's original release certified as a gold record.
It is said to be a response to "C-O-N-S-T-A-N-T-I-N-O-P-L-E" recorded in 1928 by Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra.
"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" was originally recorded by the Canadian vocal quartet The Four Lads on August 12, 1953. This recording was released by Columbia Records as catalog number 40082. It first reached the Billboard magazine charts on October 24, 1953, and it peaked at #10. It was the group's first gold record.
One of the better-known versions of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is the cover by the alternative rock band They Might Be Giants (TMBG), who released it on their album Flood in 1990. It was released as the second single from that album in the same year. TMBG's version is at a faster tempo than the original.
Recording artists and groups known to have covered this song include:
The Duke's Men of Yale, an all-male a cappella group at Yale University, perform the song at the end of most of their concerts. The song has been in the repertoire of the Duke's Men since 1953.