Indian Sunset

"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	Progressive rock
Length	6:45
Label	DJM
Songwriter(s)	Elton John Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	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]}

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]