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
Someone Else's Baby
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But every fool has a lesson that's hard to learn
It's a desperate plea but I must say
Oh God help me make it just one more day
There's a glass on the table beside my bed
Where I sleep with a bottle and I wake up dead
I got a hole in the bottom of both my shoes
And I know just what you'll say
When I tell you that I'm sorry that I let you get away
Well you'll know I found out
That you're someone else's baby now
I see you when I walk down the street
Your smile's in the face of everyone I meet
Oh and it tears me up to know that he's touching you
And learning all the secrets that I once knew
Do you still leave your clothes piled on the floor
Maybe now you're different than you were before
You got a new way of walking and a different kiss
Oh to keep you together on a night like this
The lyrics of Will Hoge's song "Someone Else's Baby" delve into the aftermath of lost love, as the singer laments over the consequences of his actions. The first verse begins with a somber realization that while time may heal all wounds, it may not always erase the mistakes and regrets the singer carries. He expresses the unpleasant realization that he's made poor choices but struggles to overcome them, asking for divine intervention as he tries to take one day at a time.
The second verse is somewhat self-destructive, as the singer introduces the idea that he's sleeping with a bottle, and he's aware of the negative impact that it has on him. His shoes have holes in them, indicating that he's not taking care of himself, both physically and emotionally. Moreover, he mentions that he's aware of what his former lover must be thinking about him; reinforcing a sense of guilt and remorse. The chorus, in turn, affirms the singer's realization that his former lover has moved on, and someone else enjoys her love.
Line by Line Meaning
I know ashes slowly burn
I am aware that the consequences of my actions will cause me to slowly suffer.
But every fool has a lesson that's hard to learn
I recognize that every person makes mistakes and it is tough for them to learn from it.
It's a desperate plea but I must say
I am making a desperate request, but it is necessary for me to say it.
Oh God help me make it just one more day
I am asking for God's assistance to endure another day as I struggle with my own pain.
There's a glass on the table beside my bed
I have a glass on my table close to my bed.
Where I sleep with a bottle and I wake up dead
I drink until I pass out every night and wake up feeling lifeless.
I got a hole in the bottom of both my shoes
I have a hole in the bottom of my shoes, which is pain that I am dealing with constantly.
Hey my step's been heavy since I heard the news
My gait has been forced to be slow after I found out the news that I am grappling with emotionally.
And I know just what you'll say
I already know what your response will be to my apology.
When I tell you that I'm sorry that I let you get away
I am about to apologize for not holding onto you and letting you go away from my life.
Well you'll know I found out
You will be aware that I discovered something.
That you're someone else's baby now
You are now in a relationship with someone else.
I see you when I walk down the street
I see you looking happy and radiant walking down the street.
Your smile's in the face of everyone I meet
The smile I cherish is now everyone else's to see, but not for me.
Oh and it tears me up to know that he's touching you
It causes me intense emotional pain to be aware that you are in the arms of another man.
And learning all the secrets that I once knew
He is discovering things about you that I used to know.
Do you still leave your clothes piled on the floor
Do you still keep your clothes scattered all over the floor like you used to do before?
Maybe now you're different than you were before
Perhaps you are not the same person you were when we were together.
You got a new way of walking and a different kiss
You are walking differently now, and your kiss is different too.
Oh to keep you together on a night like this
I wish I could be there to hold you together on a night when you need someone by your side.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILL HOGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind