Indian Sunset
1971 song by Elton John
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Indian Sunset" is a song written by British musician Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was released on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water.
| "Indian Sunset" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Elton John | |
| from the album Madman Across the Water | |
| Released | 5 November 1971 |
| Recorded | 14 August 1971 |
| Studio | DJM Studios |
| Genre | |
| Length | 6:45 |
| Label | DJM |
| Songwriters |
|
| Producer | Gus Dudgeon |
Background
It's a story, it's not a protest song, which many people think it seems to be.
— John before performing the song at BBC studios[1]
The song chronicles the story of an unnamed American Indian warrior on the verge of defeat from the white man.[2] Taupin was inspired to write the lyrics after seeing the Frederic Remington painting, "The Scout: Friends or Foes?".[citation needed] It contains numerous inaccuracies, most notably the line about Geronimo being shot by U.S soldiers. In reality, the Apache warrior died of pneumonia at the age of 79.[citation needed] Also, the Native narrator in the song suggests in different verses that he is both Iroquois and Sioux, although those two tribes lived a thousand miles apart.
John told Rolling Stone in 2011 that this song was one of his favourites to play live: "I do 'Indian Sunset' with Ray Cooper. Nobody knows that song at all, it's an obscure track from Madman Across the Water, and it gets a standing ovation every night. It's a six-minute movie in a song."[3]
Sampling
In 2004, the song was sampled in an Eminem-produced Tupac Shakur song entitled "Ghetto Gospel". It topped the charts in United Kingdom, Australia, Czech Republic, Ireland, and Scotland. It also become a Top Ten and Top 20 hit on some countries.[4]
