They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

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Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
so if you've got a date in Constantinople
she'll be waiting in Istanbul

Even old New York
was once New Amsterdam
Why they changed it I can't say
People just liked it better that way

So take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul

Send "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Irrational

Track duration: 03:07


Istanbul (Not Constantinople) song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • -1
    Lyric Correction:Um no this is a Weird Al song and whats it doing here???
    Flagged menerrrcaon May 20, 2012   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm so sorry. Because you don't know Istanbul. Istanbul is a very beautiful, cultural, modern city.. Turks didn't destroy it, but they make beautiful it. İstanbul is not a arabic city, there are not any camels or something like that:S. Please explore Istanbul, Turkey, and their awesome history!

    english.istanbul.com/…
    Flagged ulkuon February 21, 2010   Link
  • +3
    General Comment:It's obviously about how everything changes, nothing stays the same. All we can do is accept it. (That's nobody's business but the Turks.)
    Flag TromBen120on May 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Istanbul was Constantinople
    Constantinople was Nova Roma
    Nova Roma was Byzantium
    Why did Byzantium get the works?

    Constantine. That's why.
    Flag Bender is greaton November 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:@omgwow: How does it remind you of Final Fantasy? o_O
    Flag Miss Wildeon November 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This was the first song I've heard by them.

    It was cool then as it is now.
    Flag OpinionHeadon March 31, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I like this song! But it always makes me think of FF7...
    Flag Omgwowon March 22, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hmm, I would love to hear the four lads (if they are still alive) get on stage with john and john sometime to do this song. :)
    Flag edwarticaon January 14, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:o.O in the movie you willl notice, after the second people just liked it better that way, and during the violin section, Plucky looks like Linnel, and Porky looks like Flansburgh(sp?)

    You will also notice that most of the instrumentals of TMBG music videos are by Flansy.
    Flag Malkavianon September 29, 2006   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:haha this was one of our major songs in my world history class...anytime our teacher would ask a question and the answer was Turkey he would ask us, "Who's business was it?" it was great and this song is awesome!
    Flag rabiddomfreakon July 28, 2005   Link

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