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
Long Gone
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All the doors are locked up since he's done you wrong
In time I'll find the key to open up that lock and make you mine
So one day you'll see
How good it could be if you're not already long gone
Long gone
His lies, your cryin' eyes
I'll wait all day and all night right here with you
If that's what it takes
So one day you'll see
How good it could be if you're not already long gone
Long gone
Let go of the ghost
Because now you're supposed to be free
Just see how it goes
I'm keeping as close as can be
As close as can be
So one day you'll see
How good it could be if you're not already long gone
One day you'll find that true love is mine
If you're not already long gone
Long gone
The song "Long Gone" by Will Hoge is an emotionally charged track about a man who sees a woman who has been hurt and abandoned by her partner. The singer sees the woman as "long gone" since all the doors are locked up, but he promises to find the key to open her heart and make her his own. He acknowledges the pain she has suffered and offers to wait as long as it takes to gain her trust and show her how good it could be with true love.
The lyrics describe how the woman has been hurt by her partner's lies, making her cry, and asks if that was enough to make her realize she deserves better. The singer points out that the woman is now supposed to be free from all the pain and hurt, and he is there to support her and show her how good a real relationship can be. He wants her to let go of the ghost of her past love and see how things can go when she is with him. He also promises to keep as close as he can to her so she can feel his love and support.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt plea for the woman's heart, and the singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make her see the beauty of true love. The song offers hope for anyone who has been hurt and abandoned in a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Long gone, goin' on
The person who hurt you is long gone, but the pain left behind is still present
All the doors are locked up since he's done you wrong
You have closed yourself off to the possibility of love because of the hurt you experienced before
In time I'll find the key to open up that lock and make you mine
I am willing to be patient and persistent in trying to earn your love and trust
So one day you'll see
I am confident that if you give me a chance, I can show you what true love feels like
How good it could be if you're not already long gone
If you are willing to open yourself up to love again, you will see how amazing it can be
His lies, your cryin' eyes
The pain you experienced was caused by his deceit and betrayal
Did they push you far enough to realize
The hurt you experienced may have been the wake-up call you needed to value yourself and seek true love
I'll wait all day and all night right here with you
I am willing to be there for you, to support and comfort you through your healing process
Let go of the ghost
It's time to let go of the past and move forward from the hurtful memories
Because now you're supposed to be free
You deserve to be free from the pain and hurt that once held you back
Just see how it goes
Let's take things one step at a time and see where our connection takes us
I'm keeping as close as can be
I am committed to being there for you and supporting you throughout your journey
One day you'll find that true love is mine
I believe that one day I will be the one who helps you find the true love and happiness you deserve
If you're not already long gone
As long as you are willing to give love another chance, I will be here waiting for you
Long gone
The past hurt and pain caused by someone else is in the past, but the possibility of love and happiness is still within reach
Contributed by Sydney I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.