Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - Renato Carosone

Written as 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, this swing-style song, with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy and music by Nat Simon was recorded in 1953. 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. 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's version is at a faster tempo than the original.

Dm 
Istanbul was Constantinople, now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
             A7                                                  
Been a long time gone, old Constantinople
                Dm                            A7 
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Dm
Every gal in Constantinople lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
          A7                                                              Dm         A7 - Dm
So if you've a date in Constantinople, she'll be waiting in Istanbul

CHORUS:
Dm 
Even old New York was once New Amsterdam
Em7-5                      A7               Dm                         A7
Why they changed it I can't say, people just liked it better that way
Dm 
So take me back to Constantinople, no you can't go back to Constantinople
             A7                                                             Dm 
Been a long time gone, Constantinople, why did Constantinople get the works?
           A7                                     Dm
That's nobody's business but the Turks