Elton John is performing a rare track ‘Indian Sunset’ as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
The song is from Sir Elton’s fourth album ‘Madman Across The Water’, released in 1971. At the time of Madman, Elton had not long broken through with his first hit ‘Your Song’. While the album peaked at no 8 in the USA it had little impact in the UK at the time, stalling at no 41.
This song focuses on the events surrounding the Trail of Tears, and the displacement of many Native American groups by the United States. Elton John said that whenever Bernie Taupin handed him a sheet of lyrics, a little movie would form in his head as he visualized the song; when Taupin handed him these lyrics, he said they conjured up a two and a half hour long movie.
While the story in the song is like a mini-movie historians point out that the lyrics referring to Geronimo being shot by US soldiers are totally inaccurate. Geronimo wasn’t shot by cavalry soldiers He died in 1909 of pneumonia at the age of 79.
2PAC sampled the song on the 2005 track on the Eminem produced ‘Ghetto Gospel’. Elton has described the song as a movie wrapped in a seven minute song. The
See all Elton John Australia and New Zealand dates here
Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road setlist
Bennie and the Jets (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
All the Girls Love Alice (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues (from Too Low For Zero, 1983)
Border Song (from Elton John, 1970)
Tiny Dancer (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Philadelphia Freedom (single, 1975)
Indian Sunset (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time) (from Honky Chateau, 1972)
Take Me To The Pilot (from Elton John, 1970)
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (from Blue Moves, 1976)
Someone Saved My Life Tonight (from Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, 1975)
Levon (from Madman Across The Water, 1971)
Candle in the Wind (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
Burn Down the Mission (from Tumbleweed Connection, 1970)
Daniel (from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player, 1973)
I Want Love (from Songs from the West Coast, 2001)
Sad Songs (Say So Much) (from Breaking Hearts, 1984)
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (from Caribou, 1974)
The Bitch Is Back (from Caribou, 1974)
I’m Still Standing (from Too Low For Zero, 1983)
Crocodile Rock (from Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player, 1973)
Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
Encore:
Your Song (from Elton John, 1970)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973)
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