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
Sweet Magdeline
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About the things that we've done and seen
Stories of wine glutton and glory
And the occasional altered dreams
Appetites for memories grow
As the sunshine begins to fade
Across the hill it's the same old chill
Just a child with bright eyes and a smile
Laughter was all she knew
Her mama was away and all papa did was pray
So the wanderlust slowly grew
She spread her wings and a couple other things
For the medicine man downtown
With his bottle of elixir he said that he would fix her
And soon she was going down
And everyone begins to look the same
Feel the burn from the same old evil flame
We watched her fall from sweet and kind
And I wish she could come back sweet Magdeline
She was gone on a bad trip
Followed by a needle and a silver spoon
Mama sat and cried and papa told us lies
Said she'd be back real soon
Suddenly the seasons changed
From the fall back to the spring
Answers live like peasants here
When the questions reign as king
And everyone begins to look the same
Feel the burn from the same old evil flame
We watched her fall from sweet and kind
And I wish she could come back sweet Magdeline
Just a child with bright eyes and a smile
Laughter was all she knew
Mama was away and papa sat and prayed
While the wanderlust that slowly grew
She spread her wings and wanted to do things
For the medicine man downtown
And with his bottle of elixir he said that he would fix her
And soon she was, soon she was going down, yeah
And everyone begins to look the same
Feel the burn from the same old evil flame
We watched her fall from sweet and kind
And I wish she could come back
And I will really do is, wish she come back
I wish she could come back sweet Magdeline
In Will Hoge's song "Sweet Magdeline," the singer sits with friends reminiscing and sharing their experiences, often involving alcohol or drugs. The song's title character is a young woman who was once full of life and joy, but her wanderlust led her to experiment with drugs, starting with an elixir from a medicine man downtown. As her addiction takes hold, she spirals downward until she is lost to those who loved her. The chorus repeats an emotional plea for Magdeline to return, regretful of the path she took and the loss of her sweet nature.
The song captures the sadness and hopelessness of watching someone you care about fall victim to addiction. The verses reveal the complicated relationship between Magdeline and her family, with her mother often absent and her father seemingly unwilling or unable to help her. The chorus serves as a powerful lament for Magdeline's lost innocence and the destructive power of addiction.
Overall, "Sweet Magdeline" is a poignant reflection on the dangers of drug use and the devastating impact it can have on individuals and families.
Line by Line Meaning
Here we sit again and tales begin to spin
The storytellers are back recounting their adventures
About the things that we've done and seen
Their stories are about their past experiences
Stories of wine glutton and glory
They tell grandiose tales of indulgence and accomplishment
And the occasional altered dreams
They mix in some outlandish fantasies
Appetites for memories grow
They long for more memories to reminisce about
As the sunshine begins to fade
The day is winding down
Across the hill it's the same old chill
The atmosphere is hauntingly familiar
Lurking right there in the shade
The ominous feeling is hiding in plain sight
Just a child with bright eyes and a smile
Magdeline was once a happy kid
Laughter was all she knew
Her life was full of joy and mirth
Her mama was away and all papa did was pray
Her only parent was absent and the other was helpless
So the wanderlust slowly grew
The desire to venture grew over time
She spread her wings and a couple other things
Magdeline experimented with drugs and sex
For the medicine man downtown
She turned to a dubious figure for a fix
With his bottle of elixir he said that he would fix her
The man made promises he couldn't keep
And soon she was going down
Magdeline was on a downward spiral
And everyone begins to look the same
Magdeline's addiction erased her individuality
Feel the burn from the same old evil flame
The addict's struggles are the same across the board
We watched her fall from sweet and kind
Witnessed Magdeline's tragic transformation
And I wish she could come back sweet Magdeline
The storyteller reminisces about the happier times with her
She was gone on a bad trip
Magdeline's drug use led her to a dark place
Followed by a needle and a silver spoon
She began injecting substances with needles and spoons
Mama sat and cried and papa told us lies
Magdeline's parents were in denial about her addiction
Said she'd be back real soon
They falsely believed Magdeline would return to her old self soon
Suddenly the seasons changed
Time went by quickly, caught them off guard
From the fall back to the spring
The year went by in a blur
Answers live like peasants here
Clarification is elusive
When the questions reign as king
Uncertainty prevails
And I will really do is, wish she come back
The storyteller can only long for her return
I wish she could come back sweet Magdeline
The storyteller's wishful thinking persists till the end
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILL HOGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind