Indian Sunset

"Indian Sunset"
Song

"Indian Sunset" is a 1971 song, written and recorded by Elton John, with lyrics by his long-time songwriting partner, Bernie Taupin. It was from John's album Madman Across the Water. The song chronicles the story of an unnamed American Indian warrior on the verge of defeat from the white man.

Though the song conveys the transition of Northern American land from the Natives to the Europeans, and mentions numerous real-life Native American tribes and people, it cannot be considered historically accurate. One example of the liberties taken by Taupin is the supposed death of Geronimo, as white men "filled him full of lead". In reality, Geronimo died of pneumonia after more than 20 years as a prisoner of war.

In 2004, the song was sampled in an Eminem-produced Tupac Shakur song entitled "Ghetto Gospel".