# More than one version of Istanbul (Not Constantinople)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 2, 2006, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070 "2006-05-02T06:27:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/1 "2006-05-02T06:27:14Z")
I swear I used to own a different version of this song. The one I have now starts with a short intro with a violin and accordion. My old version began with a long organ and jazzy trumpet (I think) intro. The entire song was a also little longer than the 2:37 version I own now. Did two versions appear on different albums? OK, now that that’s out of the way… _Every gal in Constantinople Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople So if you’ve a date in Constantinople She’ll be waiting in Istanbul_ ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/2 "2006-05-02T06:29:10Z")
> [@Team of Scientists](#): > > a also little longer Uh, you know what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/3 "2006-05-02T06:31:39Z")
TMBG just covered the [song](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_%28Not_Constantinople%29). I’ve heard the original too and it seemed very weird. Too bad I lost it. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/4 "2006-05-02T06:35:18Z")
Is it possoble that one is the original recording by The Four Lads (recorded in 1954), and the other is the cover by They Might Be Giants (recorded in 1990)? I have the cover by They Might Be Giants, and I’m guessing that one is the one you have now, with the violin and accordion. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/5 "2006-05-02T06:42:27Z")
I have two versions of the song by TMBG; one is live and has a much longer intro than the version that’s on _Flood_. It’s been a while since I listened to it, so I don’t remember if the live version starts with an organ. But I do remember that the live intro sounded almost like a different song. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/6 "2006-05-02T06:56:18Z")
I’m certain they’re both TMBG. The voice is definitely the same. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/7 "2006-05-02T06:57:23Z")
Also, neither was produced in 1954, that’s for sure. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/8 "2006-05-02T07:00:32Z")
Sorry, I really should have thought about this before posting three seperate times. Anyway, my old one could have been a live version, but if it is, there is no crowd noise, and the sound quality is very good. The beginning _did_ sound like a different song too. All signs are pointing to this live version. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/9 "2006-05-02T08:21:13Z")
The live version from TMBG’s Severe Tire Damage starts with an organ solo. That’s probably what you’re thinking of. I opened this thread expecting to see yet another revelation that TMBG’s Istanbul is actually a cover. My college’s a capella group went as far as to cover the song and write “original by They Might Be Giants” in their album’s liner notes. The first time I realized it was a cover was around 1994 when I was listening to Flood and my mom commented on how she hadn’t heard that song in about 30 years. ---
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/10 "2006-05-02T08:25:26Z")
Yeah, I just previewed the song on Severe Tire Damage on iTunes. That’s definitely the one. It is odd that there’s absolutely no crowd noise, though. Anyway, thanks for the help. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/11 "2006-05-02T12:37:25Z")
> [@Team of Scientists](#): > > Yeah, I just previewed the song on Severe Tire Damage on iTunes. That’s definitely the one. It is odd that there’s absolutely no crowd noise, though. Anyway, thanks for the help. Somehow I don’t think the people who go to a TMBG show would be terribly noisy. Maybe I’m wrong about that though. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/12 "2006-05-02T13:59:44Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > I opened this thread expecting to see yet another revelation that TMBG’s Istanbul is actually a cover. Ah, but did you know that _New York City_ was also a cover? And you’ve probably heard The Bobs a cappella version of _Particle Man_. They’ve also done _Dinner Bell_, but haven’t released a recording of it. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/13 "2006-05-02T15:10:00Z")
> [@Robot Arm](#): > > Ah, but did you know that _New York City_ was also a cover? Original was by Cub…from Vancouver, right? Man that’s a great song. TMBG has done quite a few covers… “Lady is a Tramp” (can this be called a cover? The song is considered a “standard” after all), “Yeh Yeh” from Mink Car is an old jazz vocal, “Whirlpool,” was a Meat Puppets song, and another old standard, “I’ve Got a World that Swings” was on the b-side of S-E-X-X-Y. And if you’ve ever seen it live, you know they do a mean cover of “Mr. Tamborine Man.” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/14 "2006-05-02T17:26:21Z")
I have a version that starts with what sounds like quotes from an old ad - something about white tornadoes. So that may be yet a third version, if I haven’t been sloppy and missed previous mentions. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/15 "2006-05-02T18:22:25Z")
Somebody tell me I’m not crazy. I remember Sha-na-na covering this song on their variety show when I was (very) young. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/16 "2006-05-02T19:11:23Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Original was by Cub…from Vancouver, right? Man that’s a great song. Neko Case’s first band! Wow, I never put two and two together there. ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/more-than-one-version-of-istanbul-not-constantinople/355070/17 "2006-05-02T22:19:35Z")
I’ve also heard a third version recorded by TMBG - I believe it is titled Istanbul (Brownsville Mix) where there is about a minute of recorded voices at the beginning and some looping toward the end.