The Origins Of "Istanbul Not Constantinople"

"Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" is a 1953 swing-style song, with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon. The lyrics comically refer to the official 1930 renaming of the city of Constantinople to Istanbul. It also references other renamed cities, specifically the renaming of New York City from New Amsterdam. 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. Political influences Turkey’s announcement that Constantinople would henceforth only be known by the name Istanbul created a stir. This swing song written in Turkey’s defense took the edge off Western pique and served to soften Western indignation over the Muslimization of the city&name. The Four Lads original version "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" was originally recorded by the Canadian group 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 It was the group&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&version is at a faster tempo than the original. The Duke&Men of Yale, an all-male a cappella group at Yale University, perform the song at the end of most of their concerts. The...