The War &Treaty - "Hit Dawg Will Holla" (2017 Blues sound file with lyrics)

The War & Treaty, Nov 14, 2017

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore

 Hit Dawg Will Holla · The War and Treaty

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III  of a three part pancocojams series about the African American originated saying "A hit dog will holler."

This post presents information about the African American music group The War & Treaty.

This post also showcases The War & Treaty's 2017 song "Hit Dawg Will Holla". My unofficial transcription of the lyrics to that song is included in this post. Additions and corrections are welcome. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/01/what-does-hit-dog-will-holler-mean.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents information about the origins and meaning of the saying "Hit dog will holler", with special focus on Andrew Gillium's use of that saying in a 2018 Florida gubernatorial debate with Ron DeSantis. 

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2023/01/examples-of-saying-hit-dog-will-holler.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube vlog and selected comments about the use of the saying "Hit dog will holler" in a January 2023 discussion thread that was prompted by French actor Omar Sy's comment that a attention should be focused on other war zones and not just Ukraine

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to The War & Treaty for their music. Thanks to all who are quoted in this post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAR * TREATY(Music Group)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_and_Treaty
"The War and Treaty are an American husband and wife duo of Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter.

Career

Based in Albion, Michigan, Trotter & (Blount) Trotter was formed in 2014. They changed their name to The War and Treaty in 2017 after fighting about changing their name for a fifth time. During the argument Tanya yells out “this isn’t war Michael, so let’s come to some sort of treaty here.

[...]

Career

Based in Albion, Michigan, Trotter & (Blount) Trotter was formed in 2014.[attribution needed] They changed their name to The War and Treaty in 2017 after fighting about changing their name for a fifth time. During the argument Tanya yells out “this isn’t war Michael, so let’s come to some sort of treaty here.

 In 2016, Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount released the duet album Love Affair as Trotter & Blount.[3] In the same year, the duo released the single "Hi Ho" as The War and Treaty.[attribution needed] "Hi Ho" was described by Paste writer Chris Estey as 'the break out soul hit'.[attribution needed] In 2017, The War and Treaty released the EP Down to the River, described as a mix of 'blues, gospel, soul, bluegrass, country' and heralded by Estey as 'a splendidly made immediate classic about conflict and redemption'.[4][5] Estey describes 'in songs about personal turmoil and the dread at the end of time, every kind of fear and joy is addressed through gut-stirring and feet-moving anthems like "Hit Dawg Will Holla", "Set My Soul On Fire", and the title track.[attribution needed] Yet the two can sensually help heal the wounds from those confessional blasts with a sweet ballad like "Till The Mornin’" — they truly live up to the dynamic tension of their moniker.'"...

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LYRICS - HIT DAWG WILL HOLLER *
(The War & Treaty)

Your lies will follow truth
And truth follows lies
The phone keep on ringing
And now I know why

You keep drinkin the water
It’s gettin harder to swallow
Oh, my grandma said “Hit dawg will holla”

Heeey HeyOhoo
Heeey Hey Ohoo

You walkin in the backyard
With your swampy swampy feet
I go to get a piece
You quickly take your seat
You grab your moonshine (Oh yes!)
Instead of your black tea
My grandma said “Ah hit dawg will holla”

Heeey Hey Ohoo
Heeey Hey Ohoo
Ah,yeah

Oh, yeah
What is this I hear
That got me in tears
You creepin round my dear
I think I need a beer
I got one bullet left
In a 45 chamber
My grandma said “Ah hit dawg will holla”

Heeey Hey Ohoo
Heeey Hey Ohoo

A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
Wooh, A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
Yeah, A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
A hit dog will holla
My grandma said “Ah hit dawg will holla
-snip-
This is my unofficial transcription of this song. Additions and corrections are welcome.

According to ,"A hit dog will holler” refers to the idea that people offended by a certain idea or statement will be the ones most likely to react defensively or even aggressively to it. In fact, in some cases, if someone makes an accusation, the individual who reacts most vehemently is likely the most guilty of said accusation. In other words, their reaction can be construed as an admission of guilt."

In this song by The War & Treaty, one member of a couple accuses the other of  "creepin round" (cheating on her or him.) It appears from the lyrics, that instead of talking about it, the partner (the hit dog) refuses to address the accusation.
-snip-
Notice that The War & Treaty's song "Hit Dog Will Holler" was released before the former Florida Democratic 2018 gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum popularized the saying "by using a form of it in a debate with his Republican challenger Ron DeSantis. In that October 2018 debate, Gillum responded to DeSantis rant about racism with the words "My grandmother used to say "A hit dog will holler".  Read more about that use and other uses of that proverb in Part I of this pancocojams series. 

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