Talk:Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

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Wasn't the song featured on Animaniacs not Tiny Toons? Suppafly 00:27, 14 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

No, it was Tiny Toons. TMBW:Istanbul (Not Constantinople) has a link to the video of the appearance, which should be all the proof necessary. —User:ACupOfCoffee @ 07:20, 26 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Here is the Tiny Toons video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUgfYSbcBAk That song never gets old. :) 85.101.38.144 13:05, 1 December 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Song in general context

This article should be about the song in general, rather than jumping about halfway to being an album page for a They Might Be Giants EP. That EP is really just a CD single with more than one backing track. TMBG rarely release "True" singles. —User:ACupOfCoffee @ 07:26, 26 February 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I have deleted the TMBG discography, as clearly tangential to the article. The text of the article itself is a bit TMBG heavy as well, but I did not, at this time, edit any of that. Jackrepenning 16:38, 29 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Accordian

According to an article i was reading, there actually isnt any accordian in this song. It's another intrument that sounds liek it. I'll see if i can find the article. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.153.176.195 (talk) 15:14, 22 March 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Residents — same song?

I have heard the Residents song "Constantinople" enough times that I know it almost by heart, and I really don't think it's the same song. All they have in common is the word "Constantinople" and a somewhat similar verse structure. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Thoughtclaw (talk • contribs) 18:18, 29 March 2007 (UTC).[reply]

Byzantium

Am I the only one who's disappointed that this song doesn't mention Byzantium? —Keenan Pepper 06:12, 18 May 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Considering that it hasn't been called "Byzantium" in over a thousand years, perhaps relatively few actually remember it by that name. Jackrepenning 01:19, 29 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Facts?

I can't find a citation that this is based on Puttin' on the Ritz. Also, I've heard rumor that the word "Constantinople" evolved into "Istambul". Is that accurate? —Ben FrantzDale 12:01, 2 July 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Constantinople is named after Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire, who had named it New Rome. Istanbul was the traditional name for the city, used at least since Ottoman times. Istanbul was finally renamed when the Ataturk founded the Turkish Republic around the 1930s. As for 'Puttin on the Ritz', it follows the structure and timing almost exactly, though a source would be great. Nazlfrag 03:57, 24 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Only the first four notes of the two songs are the same; from there, "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" leaps up into a falling line, while "Puttin' on the Ritz" repeats (on a different beat) the original rising line. Both depend on a similar syncopation, but "Puttin On the Ritz" also adds the rhythmic device of repeating the same line on different beats of the bar, which trick is not used in "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)." In short, while the later song might be "based on" the earlier, it's pretty darned loosely based! Jackrepenning 01:21, 29 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]

TMBG version

"TMBG's version is at a faster tempo than the original and contains a distinct klezmer influence, including a violin introduction and some accordion parts." It might resemble klezmer to that editor, but it would seem to be generically 'eastern' in style, indeed that would make more sense. Maybe the influence could be explained with a bit more detail (or just omitted). I've just been on a klezmer goose chase which is fine in itself, I'm just not sure it's relevant to the song. Hakluyt bean (talk) 21:50, 5 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Even Old New York

The verse that goes "even old New Yoooork was once new Amsterdam" is taken from an old Tchaikovsky piece, does anyone know the name, I forgot? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 205.209.95.63 (talk) 21:54, 25 April 2008 (UTC) look it up on youtube[reply]