Με το (κωμικοτραγικό) trend του Free Constantinople να συναγωνίζεται στα σόσιαλ εκείνο του νέου ιού της Κίνας, ο stcigar μου θύμισε την κλασική “επιτυχία” των Residents.
Την ακούμε μαζί με το ‘Istanbul Not Constantinople’ των Four Lads από το 1953 (500η επέτειο της Άλωσης!) στο οποίο είναι βασισμένη.
Το ενδιαφέρον με το στίχο των Residents, παρεμπιπτόντως, είναι ότι το “Here I come” αποτελεί περίφραση του “Istanbul”, είναι δηλ. σχεδόν αυτούσιος ο original τίτλος (“Istanbul, Not Constantinople”) : “Istanbul” σημαίνει “Εις Την Πόλιν”, έχουμε δηλ. αναφορά στην Πόλη ως τόπο προορισμού, με άλλα λόγια …”Here I Come, Constantinople” = “Istanbul, Constantinople”.

With the (outrageous) trend of Free Constantinople competing in social media with that of China’s new virus, stcigar reminded me of the classic “hit” by The Residents. We hear this along with 1953’s ‘Istanbul Not Constantinople’ released by The Four Lads in 1953 (500th anniversary of the Fall!) on which it was based.
An interesting thing about the Residents’ lyric, is that “Here I come” is a periphrasis for “Istanbul”, therefore it’s almost identical to the original title “Istanbul, Not Constantinople” : As we know, “Istanbul” means in Greek “Eis Tin Polin”, which is translated “To the City”. I.e. we have reference to The City as a place of destination. In other words…”Here I Come, Constantinople” = “Istanbul Constantinople”.

00:00 The Four Lads : Istanbul Not Constantinople 02:23 The Residents : Constantinople

Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul not Constantinople
Been a long time gone
Old Constantinople’s still has 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)
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can’t go back to Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That’s nobody’s business but the Turks’
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)
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can’t go back to Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That’s nobody’s business but the Turks’
‘Stanbul!

Here I come Constantinople
I am coming Constantinople
Here I come
All the leaves are off of the oak and
All of the sheep have followed the spoken
Word. I’m coming Constantinople
Here I come
So I stand out in the open
All my friends are with you I hope and
pray. I’m coming Constantinople
Here I come.
Here I come Constantinople [Repeat: x1]
I am coming Constantinople
Here I come