Indian Sunset

1971 song by Elton John

"Indian Sunset"
Song by Elton John
from the album Madman Across the Water
Released	5 November 1971
Recorded	14 August 1971 at DJM Studios
Genre	Symphonic rock progressive rock
Length	6:45
Label	DJM
Songwriter(s)	Elton John Bernie Taupin
Producer(s)	Gus Dudgeon

"Indian Sunset" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was released on John's 1971 album Madman Across the Water.

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]

References

^ Philip Anness (4 January 2014). "Elton John – Indian Sunset (1971) Live at BBC Studios". Archived from the original on 13 December 2021 – via YouTube.
^ "The 10 best Elton John deep cuts". faroutmagazine.co.uk. 25 March 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
^ Scaggs, Austin (17 February 2011). "The Rolling Stone Interview: Elton John". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
^ Roxborough, Tim (28 June 2015). "10 Years On From 2Pac & Elton John's 'Ghetto Gospel' – The Genius of Eminem". Roxborough Report. Retrieved 29 December 2017.

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Elton John songs

Discography

1960s

1970s

"Border Song" (1970)
"Rock and Roll Madonna" (1970)
"From Denver to L.A." (1970)
"Take Me to the Pilot" (1970)
"Your Song" (1970)
"Come Down in Time" (1970)
"Friends" (1971)
"Levon" (1971)
"Indian Sunset" (1971)
"Tiny Dancer" (1972)
"Rocket Man" (1972)
"Honky Cat" (1972)
"I Think I'm Going to Kill Myself" (1972)
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" (1972)
"Crocodile Rock" (1972)
"Elderberry Wine" (1972)
"Daniel" (1972)
"Have Mercy on the Criminal" (1972)
"Teacher I Need You" (1973)
"Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" (1973)
"Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" (1973)
"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (1973)
"Step into Christmas" (1973)
"Candle in the Wind" (1974)
"Bennie and the Jets" (1974)
"Harmony" (1974)
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1974)
"The Bitch Is Back" (1974)
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (1974)
"Philadelphia Freedom" (1975)
"I Saw Her Standing There" (1975)
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight" (1975)
"We All Fall in Love Sometimes" (1975)
"Island Girl" (1975)
"Grow Some Funk of Your Own" (1976)
"I Feel Like a Bullet (In the Gun of Robert Ford)" (1976)
"Pinball Wizard" (1976)
"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" (1976)
"Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" (1976)
"Bite Your Lip (Get Up and Dance!)" (1977)
"Crazy Water" (1977)
"The Goaldiggers Song" (1977)
"Ego" (1978)
"Part-Time Love" (1978)
"Song for Guy" (1978)
"Are You Ready for Love" (1979)
"Mama Can't Buy You Love" (1979)
"Johnny B. Goode" (1979)

1980s

"Little Jeannie" (1980)
"Sartorial Eloquence (Don't Ya Wanna Play This Game No More?)" (1980)
"Dear God" (1980)
"Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (1981)
"Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever" (1981)
"Blue Eyes" (1982)
"Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)" (1982)
"Ball and Chain" (1982)
"All Quiet on the Western Front" (1982)
"I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" (1983)
"I'm Still Standing" (1983)
"Kiss the Bride" (1983)
"Sad Songs (Say So Much)" (1984)
"Passengers" (1984)
"Nikita" (1985)
"That's What Friends Are For" (1985)
"Wrap Her Up" (1985)
"Heartache All Over the World" (1986)
"Slow Rivers" (1986)
"Take Me to the Pilot" (1988)
"I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (1988)
"Town of Plenty" (1988)
"Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (1988)
"Healing Hands" (1989)
"Sacrifice" (1989)

1990s

"Club at the End of the Street" (1990)
"You Gotta Love Someone" (1990)
"Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" (1991)
"The One" (1992)
"Runaway Train" (1992)
"The Last Song" (1992)
"Simple Life" (1993)
"True Love" (1993)
"Shakey Ground" (1994)
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (1994)
"Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (1994)
"Circle of Life" (1994)
"Believe" (1995)
"Made in England" (1995)
"When the Money's Gone" (1995)
"You Can Make History (Young Again)" (1996)
"Live Like Horses" (1996)
"The Madness of King Scar" (1997)
"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997)
"Candle in the Wind 1997" (1997)
"Written in the Stars" (1999)

2000s

"Someday Out of the Blue" (2000)
"I Want Love" (2001)
"This Train Don't Stop There Anymore" (2002)
"Original Sin" (2002)
"Are You Ready for Love" (2003)
"Ghetto Gospel" (2005)
"Electricity" (2005)
"The Bridge" (2006)
"Joseph, Better You than Me" (2008)
"Tiny Dancer (Hold Me Closer)" (2009)

2010s

"All of the Lights" (2010)
"Good Morning to the Night" (2012)
"Sad" (2012)
"Looking Up" (2015)
"(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" (2019)

2020s

"Ordinary Man" (2020)
"Sine from Above" (2020)
"The Pink Phantom" (2020)
"It's a Sin" (2021)
"Cold Heart (Pnau remix)" (2021)
"Merry Christmas" (2021)
"Sausage Rolls for Everyone" (2021)
"Hold Me Closer" (2022)

Related

Category:Elton John

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