Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

There is a song on a They Might Be Giants album called Istanbul (Not Constantinople), part of the lyrics of which are:

Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you’ve a date in Constantinople
She’ll be waiting in Istanbul

One of the few popular songs to include the word Istanbul and a confusing lead-in to an invoice that I received today from FedEx for $1,042.26. The invoice was to pay for the shipment of a 110 lb. parcel from Greensboro, North Carolina to Istanbul, Turkey.

The invoice came as something of a surprise given that I have never shipped anything from Greensboro, NC to Istanbul, nor indeed to anywhere in Turkey.

I phoned FedEx this morning and relayed this to their “correction on invoice” department. Their response, oddly enough, was “yes.” I found this response rather unhelpful.

I pressed my case further, and they agreed to reverse the “Third Party Billing.” Presumably this means I won’t have to pay the invoice.

I am very curious, however, to know what one would pay $1,042.26 to air ship from North Carolina to Istanbul. Stay tuned for more information as I’m on the case.

Monday, June 3, 2002 - 8:05pm

Comments

Submitted by Oliver (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 20:04.

Actually, that Istanbul song (the lyrics of which in my book count as brilliant, by the way) has probably played on grammaphones and predates the birth of every bandmember in TMBG. I see a couple sites on the Web attribute it to “Jimmy Kennedy & Nat Simon.” I dunno. I just know it’s not TMBG.

Submitted by Peter Rukavina (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 20:04.

Well there you go.

Submitted by Johnny (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 20:34.

Actually, the first time I heard that song it was on an old 78 RPM record player that belonged to our maternal grandfather in Cochrane, Ontario. If I’m not mistaken, that version was by the Four Lads, and I prefer it to the TMBG version.

Submitted by Steven Garrity (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 21:55.

Even Old New York, was once New Amsterdam. Why they changed it, I can’t say. I guess people like it better that way…

Submitted by Peter Rukavina (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 21:55.

And our friend Catherine Hennessey maintains that Charlottetown is properly Charlotte Town.

Submitted by Oliver (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 22:28.

“Charlottetown/Charlotte Town.” It rhymes, but I think it’s more of a song for reading than for listening to.

Submitted by Peter Rukavina (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 22:29.

In fact there was a Johnny Wayne (aka 1/2 of Wayne and Schuster) song called Charlottetown that used that rhyme exactly.

Submitted by Oliver (not verified) on Mon, 2002-06-03 22:33.

Then again, may be it’s workable. “Charlottetown, Charlotte….Town, removed a space that only slowed you down” etc

Submitted by Ann (not verified) on Tue, 2002-06-04 07:59.

A friend of my brother taught me the song “Charlottetown is burning down, good bye, goodbye…Charlottetown Town is burning down, good bye Liza Jane.” On the first Charlottetown, you say it as all one word…on the second, you say it as two.

Submitted by Oliver (not verified) on Tue, 2002-06-04 16:35.

Maybe the pause there is just an accomodation to the melody? Anyway, if you can hear it it’s a proof of principle. If Catherine Hennessey wants to win some converts to the pronuciation she deems proper, she might do well to assemble a few couplets and a ukulele.

Submitted by Bludger_Boy (not verified) on Wed, 2004-11-17 12:46.

Istanbul (Not Constantinople) “Istanbul” 1953 Words by Jimmy Kennedy Music by Nat Simon “It’s Istanbul, not Constantinople now ….” Leave it to Tin Pan Alley to turn centuries of ethnic and religious struggles into a catchy ditty. This song, although copyrighted by Kennedy and Simon, is a direct descendant of the humourous piece, “Al-Bar the Bubul Emir” that could be found in the pages of “Captain Billy’s Whizbang,” an early 20th century precursor to “Mad Magazine.” Lyrics: 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 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 (Istanbul) Istanbul (Istanbul) Even old New York was once New Amsterdam Why they changed it I can’t say People just liked it better that way Istanbul was Constantinople Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople Been a long time gone, Constantinople Why did Constantinople get the works That’s nobody’s business but the Turks 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 Istanbul (Not Constantinople) is the fourth (4th) song on the Flood album and is the eighth (8th) song, in live format, on the Severe Tire Damage album.

Submitted by evah (not verified) on Sun, 2005-08-07 22:18.

i hate to resort to idiotic pop culture moments- but this song is played at the end of an episode of the simpsons. Yes, yes i also hate people who assume to be intellectual messiahs simply because they heard 2 lines of something in tv program (knowing castons “its is a far better thing i do…” doesnt make you into a philosoper) nonetheles it does get the message out… even to todays image woshipping youth (lol anyone??)

Submitted by Alyssa (not verified) on Fri, 2007-01-26 00:09.

as an assignment for my chorus class, I was asked to look up if Charlottetown had actually burned down…if anyone knows the answer, please, feel free to email me. :) Thanks Aly