Elton John
Indian Sunset lyrics
- Language
- English
- Level
- Intermediate
- Released
- 1971
- Genre
- Pop
- Length
- 6:47
As I awoke this evening
With the smell of woodsmoke clinging
Like a gentle cobweb hanging upon a painted teepee
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 the white man fears?
Oh, I take only what is mine, Lord
My pony, my squaw and my child
Oh, I can't stay to see you die
Along with my tribe's pride
I got 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
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Key vocabulary
- laying
- putting something downB1
- lonely
- sad because aloneB1
- painted
- decorated with paintA1
- teepee
- tent of native people
- chieftain
- leader of a tribe
- war
- armed fighting between groupsA2
- lance
- long pointed weapon
- squaw
- Native woman (outdated)
- fathers
- male parentsA1
- down
- not up; sadA1
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About this song
Elton John is an English singer-songwriter and pianist known for his role in pop rock and piano-driven glam rock. He became famous for the songwriting partnership with Bernie Taupin and for a career that produced major chart hits and award-winning performances.