It's hard to place Duman under a single genre, as various influences can be… Read Full Bio ↴It's hard to place Duman under a single genre, as various influences can be heard throughout their albums -- but a grunge feel combined with Turkish folk themes could somewhat provide an initial clue. The band is a massive influence in the modern Turkish rock scene. Duman is comprised of three permanent members: Kaan Tangöze (vocals/guitars), Ari Barokas (bass), and Batuhan Mutlugil (guitars).

The first roots of the band may be found in Mad Madam, which was a cover band with a set list full of songs from Seattle groups. Kaan Tangöze and Ari Barokas were together in Mad Madam until Tangöze flew to Seattle to earn a graduate degree. Upon returning to Turkiye with a handful of songs molded in the spirit of the Seattle scene, Tangöze formed Duman with Ari Barokas from his former group and Batuhan Mutlugil from another local cover band. After first deciding to work with session drummers, drummer Alen Konakoğlu took on this responsibility and the group released Eski Köprünün Altında in 1999.

Istanbul
Duman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Bu şehir rakıyla yaşar
Bu şehir cigarayi çeker
Bu şehir gündüzü yaşar
Bu şehir her geceyi sever
Bu şehir adamı söver
Bu şehir kadınını döver döver döver
Bu şehir kanımızı emer
Bu şehir için ölmeye değer

İstanbul elinden öper
Bu şehir rakıyla yaşar
Bu şehir cigarayi çeker
Bu şehir gündüzü yaşar
Bu şehir her geceyi sever
Bu şehir adamı söver
Bu şehir kadınını döver döver döver
Bu şehir kanımızı emer
Bu şehir için ölmeye değer

İstanbul İstanbul
İstanbul elinden öper

Overall Meaning

The song "Istanbul" by Duman depicts the lifestyle and personality of the city. The lyrics show that the city is known for its love for alcohol and tobacco, where people enjoy life both in the day and at night. However, the city also has a darker side, where men are prone to violence and abuse towards women, and the city sucks the blood of its inhabitants. Despite all of these negatives, the singer still expresses that Istanbul is worth dying for and kisses its hand.

The repeated lines in the lyrics emphasize the character of Istanbul, which is portrayed as a living entity. The lyrics show that the city has a unique personality and lifestyle, where people enjoy life to the fullest. The city also has negative characteristics that cannot be ignored, such as violence, abuse, and a parasitic nature that metaphorically suck the life out of those who live there. Despite all of this, the singer implies that Istanbul is still valuable and worth dying for, depicting a love for the city that goes beyond its shortcomings.

Line by Line Meaning

Bu şehir rakıyla yaşar
This city lives with raki (an anise-flavored alcoholic beverage)

Bu şehir cigarayi çeker
This city smokes cigarettes

Bu şehir gündüzü yaşar
This city lives through the daytime

Bu şehir her geceyi sever
This city loves every night

Bu şehir adamı söver
This city curses its men

Bu şehir kadınını döver döver döver
This city beats its women over and over again

Bu şehir kanımızı emer
This city sucks our blood

Bu şehir için ölmeye değer
This city is worth dying for

İstanbul elinden öper
Istanbul kisses your hand (a sign of deep respect)

İstanbul İstanbul
Istanbul, Istanbul

Contributed by Lila N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.