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
Sex Lies and Money
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
everybody wants it, but you knwo that it just ain't enough.
all the people out on the street playin' their game,
everytime i end up in it, it ends up the same.
i don't wanna hear no talk about fallin' in love.
i think i'll just spend my money on a nice used car.
it may move a little slow, but it'll carry me down to the bar.
she may not be pretty, but she knows what to do.
i don't wanna hear no talk about fallin' love.
say that you want a white veil and a shiny little diamond ring,
but i know what you really want, honey:
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
so now you found a man that you say you been tryin' to find,
and he calls you sweet names and follows you around all the time.
got a car made made of platinum and a watch made a gold,
i hope you both get happy, get fat, and get old.
i don't wanna hear no talk about fallin' in love.
say that you want a white veil and a shiny little diamond ring,
but i know what you really want, honey:
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
say that you want a white veil and a shiny little diamond ring,
but i know what you really want, honey:
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
it ain't nothin' but.. it ain't nothin' but.. it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
it ain't nothin' but sex lies and money.
it ain't nothin' but sex lies and money. x3
no it ain't. x3
Will Hoge's song "Sex Lies and Money" exudes cynicism towards love and relationships. The singer expresses his aversion towards love and the unpredictability that comes along with it. He refuses to be a part of a game that everybody else is playing, knowing well that it always ends up the same. Instead, he chooses to spend his money on a nice used car that can carry him down to the bar. He declares that he would rather drink and not think of love. He knows that people say they want love, but what they truly want is sex, lies, and money. The chorus says it loud and clear that the person may want a white veil and a shiny diamond ring, but what they genuinely seek is sex, lies, and money.
Line by Line Meaning
i don't wanna hear no talk about fallin' love.
The singer is not interested in hearing about falling in love.
everybody wants it, but you knwo that it just ain't enough.
Love is a popular desire, but contrary to what people may think, it is not sufficient to satisfy the singer.
all the people out on the street playin' their game,
Many people on the streets are pretending to be in love.
everytime i end up in it, it ends up the same.
The same outcome happens every time the artist falls in love.
i think i'll just spend my money on a nice used car.
The artist prefer to invest money in a car instead of a relationship.
it may move a little slow, but it'll carry me down to the bar.
The car may not be the best vehicle, but it can take the singer to the bar.
i can spend my time drinkin', not thinkin' of you.
The singer would rather spend their time drinking than thinking of someone they are in love with.
she may not be pretty, but she knows what to do.
The artist might not have a pretty car, but it is reliable and efficient.
say that you want a white veil and a shiny little diamond ring,
People often desire a traditional wedding and expensive ring.
but i know what you really want, honey:
Contrary to what is said, the artist knows what the person truly desires.
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money.
The person wants nothing more than sex, lies, and money.
so now you found a man that you say you been tryin' to find,
The person has found someone that they were looking for.
and he calls you sweet names and follows you around all the time.
The new man treats the person well and is very attentive.
got a car made made of platinum and a watch made a gold,
The new man owns expensive items like a platinum car and a gold watch.
i hope you both get happy, get fat, and get old.
The singer wishes for the couple to be happy together forever.
it ain't nothin' but sex, lies, and money. (x4)
The person desires nothing more than sex, lies, and money, as previously mentioned.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Will Hoge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind