Following an unsuccessful spell in the mid-1990s as part of a band called Spoonful, in 1998 Hoge began touring the American south with guitarist Dan Baird (former of The Georgia Satellites). Hoge independently released his first CD, Live At The Exit/In, a live set recorded at the Nashville club. This drew some attention and that, and constant touring, led to the release Hodge's first studio album, Carousel. A record deal followed in early 2002 and his major label debut, Blackbird On A Lonely Wire, in 2003.
Hoge was involved in a scooter accident on August 20, 2008 after leaving a studio session for what would be his next album, "The Wreckage". Following numerous surgical procedures (mainly on his shattered femur/leg), Hoge made a full recovery.
His album "Number Seven" was released in 2011.
Hoge has made a career of writing and singing powerful songs about life’s cruel and dark turns. Not long ago, he fell victim to one such turn. As Hoge rode his scooter home from the studio, he was struck by an oncoming van that had veered into his lane. There were no skid marks. Launched off his bike, Hoge ended up bloodied, broken-boned, temporarily blinded, and near death. “[The accident] was like stopping a record as it spins,” says Hoge, who had been halfway through recording material for his new record before getting derailed. “It was like taking the needle and pushing it off the turntable.” For ten months, the accident sidelined Hoge. For ten months, it made him do something he hadn’t done in 18 years: stop the music. Larger matters dominated his life, like physical recovery and the well-being of his family. “People would say, ‘I bet you’re ready to get back to playing and writing.’ I’m thinking, ‘Playing or singing is not the issue right now. I’m ready to get back to walking.’”
His previous album, Draw the Curtains, had been a unanimous high-water mark in his career, a magnificent collection of rock, country, soul, blues, and folk. With a great band, good vibes, and clear skies overhead, Hoge felt like he was building something real as a career artist. Eight months after the incident he re-entered the studio in pursuit of that mission.. “Making The Wreckage opened me up in a different way,” says Hoge. “I felt a calmness, a purpose. Right now it feels like I’m getting to the core of what I want to do and why.”
The Wreckage listens like a record with a purpose. Having stared down his own mortality, Hoge has now rediscovered the simple joys of making good music. “It’s hard to explain, but I felt a certain serenity making this album,” he says. “It doesn’t come through in the songs, but the process has become easier, and I believe the songs flow with more confidence.”
When Hoge’s fans hear these songs, they’ll feel that resolve too. The Wreckage both curses life’s wrong turns and celebrates its triumphs. “I’ve always tried to make albums that have a good reason for every song, and for the sequence of those songs. On this album you get 40:18 of music, and hopefully you’ll want to hear the whole thing start to finish.”
The album was crafted with a depth of sound and musicality that breaks new ground for Hoge. Rugged, pulsating rock fuels “Just Like Me.” Spirited melody characterizes tunes like “Highway Wings” and “Even If It Breaks Your Heart.” The gruff ghosts of the barroom return on Hoge’s “Hard to Love,” as does the searing country roots rock of “Long Gone.” Ballads like “What Could I Do” and “The Wreckage” are rife with the sort of brooding melancholy you’d expect from a guy who has been to the edge and back. “‘The Wreckage’ is one of the favorite songs I’ve ever sung,” Hoge admits. “I couldn’t have sung this physically before the accident, because my voice just wasn’t suited to how quiet it is.”
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” his paean to rock and roll as life’s true calling, is another tune Hoge admires. “The minute we started recording it, it was one of those songs that drove itself. Everyone in the room understood the sentiment. There was magic in that moment you don’t get very often.”
Even though half of The Wreckage was written and most of it recorded after the crash, images of the episode are only discreetly woven into the fabric of the album, like streaks of red on a dark surface. That’s because Hoge would rather leave those lines, words, and phrases to interpretation.
Released one year almost to the day of his accident, The Wreckage is not, song by song, a celebration of life. The sentiments are too dark, his lyrics too biting, his voice brimming with moodiness. Risen from the ashes of Hoge’s own “wreckage,” the recording is an incredible achievement, hands-down his best work to date. And that is as good a cause as any for real celebration.
www.willhoge.com
Folded Flag
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the long black cars and the 21 guns have gone
It's been 2 years since they brought him home
And now no one else remembers
And she cries there all alone
And all she's got is a folded flag
And a memory of a man that won't be back
Another folded flag in the USA
With a tear stained face she kisses that stone goodbye
Goes back home
Opens the front door and starts to cry
Cause there's a little blonde haired girl
Staring at her with her daddy's eyes
Holds her close and prays that she'll be alright
Cause all she's got is a folded flag
And no memories of her Dad that won't be back
Won't walk her down the aisle on her wedding day
Another folded flag in the USA
Fireworks lit the night on the forth of July
Everybody gathers with their families
To show off their American pride
But there's a widow and her daughter who
Sit alone and cry
They've lost everything
And it's hard not to wonder why
When all they've got is a folded flag
And a piece of both of their hearts they can't get back
Nothing you can do
Nothing we can say
Another folded flag in the USA
The song "Folded Flag" by Will Hoge tells the story of a family's sacrifice and loss for their country. The first verse describes a young girl in a field of gravestones, presumably at the grave of her father who died while serving the country. She realizes that it has been two years since the funeral and everyone who paid their respects have long gone. The girl is left alone with her grief and cries for the loss of her father.
The chorus of the song is a poignant representation of the loss and sacrifice of those who serve in the military. The young girl has nothing left but a folded flag and a memory of a man who won't be there to hold her hand as she grows old. The chorus repeats itself in the perspective of the young girl's mother. The second verse talks about the mother's struggle to raise her daughter alone, without the presence and support of the child's father. The mother is overwhelmed by grief and the burden of raising a child alone.
The final verse takes place on the Fourth of July – a day of celebration for the country. Everyone is gathered together, enjoying the fireworks in the name of their pride for America. However, there are those who have lost their loved ones while serving the country, a sacrifice that not everyone understands or appreciates. The widow and her daughter sit alone, crying and grieving for the loss of their loved one, who gave up everything for their nation.
Will Hoge's "Folded Flag" is a heart-wrenching and powerful song, capturing the pain, sacrifice, and loss that goes hand in hand with being a soldier.
Line by Line Meaning
A young girl stands in a field of stone
The girl is visiting her father's grave in a cemetery.
All the long black cars and the 21 guns have gone
The funeral procession and military honors are over.
It's been 2 years since they brought him home
It has been two years since her father passed away and was buried.
And now no one else remembers
The girl feels like she is the only one who still remembers her father's sacrifice.
And she cries there all alone
The girl is crying alone at her father's grave.
And all she's got is a folded flag
The girl received a folded flag at her father's funeral as a symbol of his service and sacrifice.
And a memory of a man that won't be back
She only has her memories of her father and cannot bring him back.
Won't be there to hold her when her hair turns gray
Her father won't be around to see her grow old.
Another folded flag in the USA
Her father's death is just one of many other American military losses.
With a tear stained face she kisses that stone goodbye
The girl is saying goodbye to her father at his grave.
Goes back home
The girl leaves the cemetery and goes back to her own home.
Opens the front door and starts to cry
When she gets home, she starts crying again.
Cause there's a little blonde haired girl
The girl has a daughter, whose father is the one who died.
Staring at her with her daddy's eyes
The daughter looks like her father and reminds the girl of him.
Holds her close and prays that she'll be alright
The girl comforts her daughter and hopes that she will be able to cope with her loss.
Won't walk her down the aisle on her wedding day
The girl's father won't be around to give her away at her wedding.
Fireworks lit the night on the forth of July
On the Fourth of July, there are fireworks displays to celebrate American independence.
Everybody gathers with their families
People celebrate the holiday with their loved ones.
To show off their American pride
People feel patriotic on the Fourth of July and want to express their love for their country.
But there's a widow and her daughter who
The girl and her daughter are alone and grieving on the holiday.
Sit alone and cry
They are still mourning their loss and feeling the pain of their grief.
They've lost everything
The girl and her daughter have lost the most important person in their lives.
And it's hard not to wonder why
They are struggling to understand why this tragedy had to happen to them.
Another folded flag in the USA
Their loss is part of a larger trend of military sacrifices that happen in America.
Contributed by Liam E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@PaulGoodeK
This was a terrific show. Thanks for posting.
@vaporosoez
Thank you i am struggling seeing our "leaders" fail us
@Kiki_shorts5051
💖💖💖
@portiamerriman9019
A WONDERFUL SINGER
@patriciaduxby1435
Sorry to hear about your friend bill my condolances go out to his family how much more can you take your in my prayers bill im sorry to hear your bad news
@brentbernard5307
Does anyone know where I could find the chords/tabs to this song? I have looked all over the web and to no avail. Thanks!