They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (Not Constantinople) BEST QUALITY (Official Music Video)

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Oh 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, Oh Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul

[okamino]

This song originally required at least four lads. TMBG did it at much greater efficiency with half as many lads. Now, we can all celebrate that musical accomplishment in high quality.

[Vox_Rhododendron]

The Four Lads version - A fun quartet song about the city of Constantinople.

They Might Be Giants version - A modernized version with a more artsy touch, perfect for when it was written.

The Residents version - Constantinople doesn’t exist anymore, and soon neither will you.

[NickJohnCoop]

I love the fact that They Might be Giants did this so perfectly that everyone thinks it’s their song and not a cover.

[MicrowavedAlastair]

When they were children, my mom managed to convince her youngest sister (the weirder of my two aunts) that the line was "even old New York was once New Hamsterdam".

[genskiel]

Everybody asks Istanbul but nobody ever asks Whystandbul.

[JEGranberg]

I feel like going to a donut shop for some coffee. I haven’t had any for forty years or so.

[subatomic_sam]

glad these are finally online, but now my old CD is useless.

[HoundofOdin]

That feeling when you finally conquer the Byzantines.

[Schmorbo]

This is definitely me when I'm in Constantinople

[Bee-lmey]

I listened to these songs when i was little because my dad listened to them all the time. i hadn’t heard them in over 10 years. i heard them again yesterday and the nostalgia hit me like a semi truck

[lucisferre]

These guys coulda gave Charlie Daniels and the Devil a run for their money when he went down to Georgia with his fiddle of gold.

[alarcon]

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Oh 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, Oh 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, Oh 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, Oh Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That's nobody's business but the Turks
Istanbul

[Saxdude]

We had this on an old VHS tape from when it first came to RAGE on Australian TV.
Such. A. Complete. Classic. Psychedelic and perfect.

[TenChi]

Absolutely, this song lives in my head rent free too! And The art of this video as well, the uniqueness and creativity, character development, claymation and stick drawings animation. Genius.

[Agnes.Nutter]

I love J. Otto Siebold's style :D
Also, cool to hear the extended violin intro!

[Brigand]

Inb4 all the pointless Tiny Toons mentions.
...and the next song... "I came back as a bag of groceries..."

[JanusHoW]

I remember the Tiny Toons short using this song. Good times, good times.

[vizzmo]

This was a bop back in 2014 for me, and it still is

[Hindustanus]

1980's was the BEST!!! I miss those years of my

[hiimemily]

Even before it was Constantinople, it was Byzantium. Who knows if it'll change its name again in the far-flung future?