As I awoke this evening
With the smell of wood smoke clinging
Like a gentle cobweb hanging
Upon a painted tepee
Oh, I went to see my chieftain
With my war lance and my woman
For he told us that the yellow moon
Would very soon be leaving

This I can't believe I said
I can't believe our Warlord's dead
Oh, he would not leave the chosen ones
To the buzzards and the soldiers guns

Oh, great father of the Iroquois
Ever since I was young
I've read the writing of the smoke
And breast-fed on the sound of drums
I've learned to hurl the tomahawk
And ride a painted pony wild
To run the gauntlet of the Sioux
To make a chieftain's daughter mine

And now you ask that I should watch
The red man's race be slowly crushed
What kind of words are these to hear
From Yellow Dog, whom a white man fears?

Oh, I take only what is mine, Lord
My pony, my squaw, and my child
I can't stay to see you die
Along with my tribe's pride
I go to search for the yellow moon
And the fathers of our sons
Where the red sun sinks in the hills of gold
And the healing waters run

Trampling down the prairie rose
Leaving hoof tracks in the sand
Those who wish to follow me
I welcome with my hands
I heard from passing renegades
Geronimo was dead
He'd been laying down his weapons
When they filled him full of lead

Now there seems no reason why
I should carry on
In this land that once was my land
I can't find a home
It's lonely and it's quiet
And the horse soldiers are coming
And I think it's time I strung my bow
And ceased my senseless running
For soon I'll find the yellow moon
Along with my loved ones
Where the buffaloes graze in clover fields
Without the sound of guns

And the red sun sinks at last
Into the hills of gold
And peace to this young warrior
Comes with a bullet hole


Lyrics submitted by LimpNJen

Indian Sunset Lyrics as written by Elton John Bernie Taupin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Indian Sunset song meanings
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17 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    amazing indeed.. what should we, the youth of today, do bout this matter? its up to us to make a future, not based on prehistorical misbeliefs, but based on what we think is right. one question. what would have happened if the indians won the war? would they have lived on with their normal lifes? would indian religion be one of the great religions in this world? would we have respected them as our neighbours? so many questions asked and no answers cuzz we have our present now and we dont know what to do with our future.. thats why we are asking our previous generation who has been raised on hatred and misbeliefs.. what is right?

    Rutlinon March 03, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is a beautifully written song. The part about Geronimo was only fearful gossip between warriors, as Geronimo died in a POW camp of Pneumonia as an old man.

    nateeight5on October 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song uses a little poetic licence. Geronimo was not shot in a battle, he surrendered and spent the final years of his long life living on a reservation dying of pneumonia. He made extra pocket money by autographing Indian artifacts for souvenirs to be sold to tourists. Many of those souvenirs were actually made by his underlings.

    bigglesworth99on August 31, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    how does no one write about this song? it's amazing.

    xblindragexon July 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    mmm..amazing indeed.

    thisdarkndhrton August 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    an absolute tune, its meaning, however, is not conveyed propley in Ghetto Gospel although that song is mixed exceptionally well and sounds good with this song

    ianwoolseyon September 20, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I actually bought the sheet music for this song recently, It's a good piece, but, alas, i can only play piano, and i can't do it with the full orchestra. Good song.

    Silentlisteneron February 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    does anyone think that he's referring to himself as the red sun and the hills of gold are his sort of heaven? the way he words it that's how it presents itself to me

    misanthrope61on July 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Very true ian, but to add to that what does make sense about that song? Slowed down vocals, a mixture of two people who honestly would have never worked together, and Eminems's filthy fingerprints all over it. Uggh.

    Foundation4lifeon September 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Love this song, came to it via Ghetto Gospel, it also introduced me to more of Sir Elton's songs.

    Imperatoron February 13, 2007   Link

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