Lyrics: Draper, Voorpostel, Carew, Krahne, Baitinger
I'm a songwriter who loves to collaborate with other songwriters, vocalists, musicians and producers.
For songwriters who dont sing or perform it is extremely hard to make ones mark in the music business because they dont have a platform to present and promote their work. This is more or less the situation that I, Robert Baitinger, have been confronted with since I started writing songs in 1978.
My idea is to complement my songwriting capabilities with the "helping hands" of excellent artists, musicians and innovative producers. In the age of the internet it has become easier to communicate and collaborate with musicians and producers all over the world. I am utilizing the internet and pursuing the idea of a conceptual studio band with a frequently changing lineup of artists. I call this project the "Rob B. Project" since I supply the melodies and/or lyrics of a song and other musicians/producers/songwriters contribute their talents and skills to make it come to life.
Story behind the song
This song was written by several people in an online songwriter forum. It's a collaboration between Bill Draper, John Voorpostel, Kay-lynn Carew, Ben Krahne and Robert Baitinger
This was written as a collaboration among several songwriters on the songwriting platform “Just Plain Folks. Bill Draper came up with the initial idea, and several other songwriters began contributing in a brainstorming way. It didn’t take long for the song to take shape. I always find it amazing how these collaborations evolve. A bunch of talented people were involved in this project.
These were the lines with which Bill Draper started a discussion in the forum:
Bury the Hatchet.
An indigeneous tradition
Mental ammunition
Really want to catch it?
Bury the hatchet
When I read those lines, the first thing that came to mind is how people in power or even in relationships, families, and societies often push for “peace" not to heal, but to avoid accountability.
In that sense, the hatchet feels like forgiveness being demanded before the truth is told.
To me, the lines read like this:
- Indigenous tradition: something sacred being misused
- Mental ammunition: words, narratives, even gaslighting
- Really want to catch it?: do you actually want the truth?
- Bury the hatchet: silence as control
This is a dose of the Imagine Dragons.
Lyrics
Bury the Hatchet
(Bill Draper, John Voorpostel, Kay-lynn Carew, Ben Krahne, Robert Baitinger)
[Instrumental Intro]
[Verse]
Bury the hatchet, smile and agree
Shake hands quick, don’t look at me
An indigenous tradition, borrowed and bent
Something once sacred, now cheaply spent
[Verse]
Mental ammunition, pick a side
Careful words with a blade inside
They say “it’s over, say “let it rest
But the ground still shifts in my chest
[Pre-chorus]
They call it peace if no one speaks
Call it strength when the truth is weak
You don’t heal what you won’t face
You just hide it someplace
[Chorus]
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
Words go down like lead
Forgiveness begged before the truth is said
Peace without truth is a loaded gun
Just waiting on a nervous thumb
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
[Verse]
Apologies thin as paper shields
Signed in ink but never sealed
They want closure, they want it clean
No fingerprints, no in-between
[Pre-chorus]
They call it peace if no one speaks
Call it strength when the truth is weak
You don’t heal what you won’t face
You just hide it someplace
[Chorus]
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
Words go down like lead
Forgiveness begged before the truth is said
Peace without truth is a loaded gun
Just waiting on a nervous thumb
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
[Bridge]
Peace isn’t quiet, it isn’t still
It isn’t fear dressed up as will
Call it mercy, call it grace
If it skips the truth, it’s just delay
[Interlude - chant]
Whoa, say it plain (hey, hey)
Whoa, say it loud (hey, hey)
Whoa, say it now (hey, hey)
[Final chorus]
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
Don’t let the past stay dead
Forgiveness earned when the truth is said
Peace without truth is a loaded gun
And it always fires on someone
Whoa, you’ve got to catch it
Before you bury the hatchet
[Outro]
Bury the hatchet, not the blade
That’s still cutting what we never say
