I remember being a child. My father often sang to me a song about Istanbul. I wonder what that song was. “Istanbul was Constinaple, now it’s Istanul not Constinople.”
Help me. who recorded this song?
They Might Be Giants
Uhhhh… Ru Paul?
It was fairly easy to find the lyrics because of the cover by They Might Be Giants - but the song goes back to the late forties or early fifties (I think). I have the sheet music knocking around here somewhere. I’ll keep looking to see if I can find who first recorded it.
The Kingston Trio.
I just loved that, too. Another obscure one I wish I could find was called “Dont go in the basement”. Ever heard of it?
Ah - found it! According to a FAQ at alt.music.tmbg (They Might Be Giants), “The Four Lads were the first group to record this song, the record having been released in 1951.”
In the same FAQ, someone else mentions a version by the Ames Brothers (as in Ed Ames, TV’s Mingo on Daniel Boone). Looks like your dad had several versions to choose from.
Am I the only one who fell in love with that song because of the Tiny Toons music video to it? The one with Plucky running around in Arabian-ish clothing?
Man, those were the days… that, and Particle Man.
NOPE! That is exactly where I heard them first!!
I loved that cartoon!!
I first heard it being sung by the Whiffenpoofs.
I certainly hope that there is still quality, irreverent childrens programming making it to the masses. I’d hate to see the Care Bears (or their functional equivalent) return en mass. [Shudders].
~~Baloo
Curse you all, this song is now stuck in my head. 
Even Old New York was once New Amsterdam …
I loved that show. But then I grew up a bit, and only find that segment and the other musical segments funny.
Uncle Beer must be slipping.
The obvious only correct answer here is:
That song was used once in a short that appeared in Spike and Mike’s Animation Festival. As I remember, the visuals were extremely lame, but nobody noticed because that song drives everything else out of your head.
Sorry, Uke, obviously you’ve forgotten Rules 1, 3, 5 and 7: NO Whiffenpoofters!