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
Hearts Are Gonna Roll
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
See it all come crashing down
Upon you now
What can you do?
Everybody's talkin ‘bout
How you got it all worked out
What kept you hanging on?
Well honey now it's gone, gone, gone
(chorus)
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight
Its time to pay him back,
For all those times
He left you on your own,
Out in the cold.
Oh my darlin tonight,
Hearts are gonna roll
Everybody on the street can see
You're taking back what you gave free
A change has come around
And now you'll watch them all fall down
You look just like a loaded gun
It's time for you to have some fun
Right back to the start,
Well honey you'll just tear ‘em all apart
(chorus)
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight
Its time to pay him back,
For all those times
He left you on your own,
Out in the cold.
Oh my darlin tonight,
Hearts are gonna roll
(bridge)
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight
Its time to pay him back,
For all those times
He left you on your own,
Out in the cold.
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight (tonight)
Its time to pay him back,
For all those times (all of those times)
He left you on your own,
Out in the cold
Oh my darlin tonight,
Don't you know darlin', tonight
Hearts are gonna roll (hearts are gonna roll) –repeat til the end
The song "Hearts Are Gonna Roll" by Will Hoge is a powerful breakup anthem. The lyrics describe the aftermath of a relationship in which the singer has been left on their own, in the cold. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with the image of something crashing down upon the singer. The narrative of the song is focused on the need for revenge, with Hoge crooning to the listener that it is now time for them to tear down their ex-lover's walls.
This theme of taking back what was given freely runs throughout the song. The singer is described as a loaded gun, ready to let loose on their ex-partner. The chorus repeatedly tells us that hearts are going to roll, that it is time to pay back the one who left them. The bridge is a final affirmation of this message, with everyone who has done the singer wrong going to get their comeuppance.
Overall, "Hearts Are Gonna Roll" is a bracingly honest and direct breakup song. It channels the anger and regret that follow the end of a relationship and turns it into a powerful message of self-empowerment. The lyrics are vivid and evocative, and Hoge's delivery packs an emotional punch. It is a song that speaks to anyone who has had their heart broken and wants to fight back.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody all around
Everyone in your circle can see what's happening
See it all come crashing down
Things are unraveling and falling apart
Upon you now
You are at the center of it all
What can you do?
You are powerless to stop it
Everybody's talkin 'bout
People are gossiping about your situation
How you got it all worked out
People assume you have everything under control
What kept you hanging on?
What motivated you to stay in this situation?
Well honey now it's gone, gone, gone
Whatever was holding you back is no longer a factor
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight
There will be consequences this evening
Its time to pay him back,
It's time for revenge
For all those times
Because of all the past pain and hurt
He left you on your own,
He abandoned you when you needed him most
Out in the cold.
He left you to suffer alone
Oh my darlin tonight,
Tonight is the night
Everybody on the street can see
Even strangers can sense that something is happening
You're taking back what you gave free
You're reclaiming what you once offered him freely
A change has come around
A shift in power dynamics has occurred
And now you'll watch them all fall down
You will be the one in control, watching as he crumbles
You look just like a loaded gun
You are powerful and dangerous
It's time for you to have some fun
It's time for you to revel in your newfound power
Right back to the start,
Back to the beginning of your relationship
Well honey you'll just tear 'em all apart
You're not holding back, you're going all in for revenge
Hearts are gonna roll, tonight
There will be consequences this evening
Its time to pay him back,
It's time for revenge
For all those times
Because of all the past pain and hurt
He left you on your own,
He abandoned you when you needed him most
Out in the cold.
He left you to suffer alone
Oh my darlin tonight,
Tonight is the night
Don't you know darlin', tonight
You're going to get your revenge, sweetie
Hearts are gonna roll (hearts are gonna roll)
There will be consequences
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: HAL KETCHUM, RONNY SCAIFE, HAL MICHAEL KETCHUM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind