Istanbul (single)

Digital download cover art including clone stamp.

10" white label 4-track EP

MORRISSEY Single
Name	Istanbul
Release	20 May 2014 (Digital Download)
Total Length	4:41 3:20 (radio edit)
Recorded	February 2014
Writer/composer	Morrissey / Boz Boorer
Producer	Joe Chiccarelli
Art work	Photo credited to Donnie Knutson Photo located by La Fabrique Studios, Avignon, France (before image alterations).
Vinyl Etching	No matrix message
Publisher	Harvest Records
Format(s)	Digital Download
Chart position	UK - did not chart
Single chronology
World Peace Is None Of Your Business ← Istanbul → Earth Is The Loneliest Planet

Information

Istanbul was the second single released off Morrissey's tenth solo album, World Peace Is None Of Your Business. The song was produced by Joe Chiccarelli and co-written by Boz Boorer.

Release

Istanbul was released as a digital single on 20 July 2014. The single peaked at #53 on the UK charts.

It was included on a limited edition 4-track white label 10" EP released 07 July 2014.

Track list

Digital Download

1. Istanbul – 4:41 (Morrissey/Boorer)

Lyrics

When he first cried his mother died
I had tried to be his guide
when he was born I was too young
the father searches for the son
in Istanbul
give him back to me
Istanbul, give me back my brown-eyed son

Moonlight jumping through the trees
sunken eyes avoiding me
from dawn to dusk the hunt is on
the father searches for the son
in Istanbul
give him back to me
Istanbul, give me back my brown-eyed son

On secret streets in disbelief
Little Shadow shows the lead
Prostitutes stylish and glum
in amongst them you are one
oh, what have I done?

Rolling breathless off the tongue
The vicious street gang slang
I lean into a box of pine
identify the kid as mine.

Music Video

Credits

• Directed by Natalie Johns

Live History

Play count (Morrissey concert): 124

Morrissey live history:

• Austin, Texas 2014-05-24 (Morrissey concert)
• Beaumont, Texas 2014-05-25 (Morrissey concert)
• Memphis, Tennessee 2014-05-27 (Morrissey concert)
• Nashville, Tennessee 2014-05-28 (Morrissey concert)
• St. Petersburg, Florida 2014-05-30 (Morrissey concert)
• Miami, Florida 2014-05-31 (Morrissey concert)
• Boston, Massachusetts 2014-06-07 (Morrissey concert)
• Lisbon, Portugal 2014-10-06 (Morrissey concert)
• Madrid, Spain 2014-10-09 (Morrissey concert)
• Barcelona, Spain 2014-10-10 (Morrissey concert)

... further results

Appears On

• Istanbul (single)
• World Peace Is None Of Your Business

Mentioned In

• Margherita Caruso
• Morrissey: "The last thing security forces ever want is peaceful protest" - Vegan Logic (September 5, 2014)
• Turning The Inside Out. - Morrissey Central (July 5, 2021)
• LYRIC PRIDE - Morrissey Central (July 10, 2024)

Discogs Information

Notes

Istanbul Misprinted as *Instanbul on the back

Images

• Istanbul - Discogs master release: https://www.discogs.com/master/747188
• Istanbul (Promo Misprint) - Discogs release: https://www.discogs.com/release/13926298-Morrissey-Istanbul

Wikipedia Information

"Istanbul" is a song by English singer Morrissey. It is the fourth track on his World Peace Is None of Your Business album and was released as the second single off the album via digital download on 20 May 2014, through Harvest and Capitol Records. Due to changes in global music consumption, the physical versions of the first four singles from this album were released together as one 10" vinyl. Joe Chiccarelli, the album's producer, stated that "Morrissey wanted to evoke the feeling of the hectic and chaotic streets of the city of Istanbul, so he used a cigar-box guitar, a lap steel guitar and a complicated and bussy drum rhythm, plus an actual gong as percussion, as well as vocal samples from a field recording taken in the streets of Istanbul by guitarist Jesse Tobias."

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_(Morrissey_song)

Related Forum Threads

• Morrissey A-Z: "Istanbul" - Morrissey-solo (Apr 30, 2021)