Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago

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Istanbul (Not Constantinople), sung barbershop quartet style!
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--- ABOUT THE SONG
"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. The song was originally recorded by the Canadian group The Four Lads in 1953.

--- CREDITS
► Music & lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon
► Arranged, performed & edited by Julien Neel

--- LYRICS
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Still a Turkish delight on a moonlit night

Every gal in Constantinople
Is a Misstanbul, 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

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