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
The Curse
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But here I am just wandering round with my head in the clouds
Wondering what you're gonna do
But I'm free
To try to find a new song to sing
But I'm here singing the same old thing that you always sing
La la la la la la la
And I can still get better
Hell but I've sure been worse
Maybe you're the one
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
I fell down
Faster than I could hear the sound
Of your voice on the phone telling me things that I should've already known
When I was just an innocent kid
And I can still get better
Hell but I've sure been worse
Maybe you're the one
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
And I can still get better
Hell but I've sure been worse
Maybe you're the one
Maybe you're the one
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
Better than you found me ...
In Will Hoge's song "The Curse," the singer is reflecting on a past relationship and the impact it had on his life. He expresses regret for being too trusting and not recognizing warning signs, such as the other person's manipulation and lies. The lyrics "You drug me into something so true / But here I am just wandering round with my head in the clouds / Wondering what you're gonna do" demonstrate the confusion and uncertainty that the singer feels after being deceived.
Despite the pain and disappointment the singer has experienced, he acknowledges that he has grown and learned from the experience. He sings "And I can still get better / Hell but I've sure been worse / Maybe you're the one / Maybe you're the one to break the curse," suggesting that perhaps the relationship was a necessary step towards personal growth and finding a healthier relationship in the future.
Overall, "The Curse" is a song about resilience and the ability to move forward after difficult experiences. It's a reminder that even when things don't go as planned or people let us down, we have the power to learn, grow, and become better versions of ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
You drug me into something so true
You pulled me into a situation that felt deeply meaningful and significant
But here I am just wandering round with my head in the clouds
Yet now I feel lost and unsure, unable to fully grasp what is happening
Wondering what you're gonna do
Feeling anxious and uncertain about your intentions and actions
But I'm free
Despite my doubts, I am still able to make my own choices and determine my own path
To try to find a new song to sing
I have the freedom to explore new experiences and seek out new perspectives
But I'm here singing the same old thing that you always sing
However, I find myself repeating the same patterns and habits as you, unable to break free
La la la la la la la
Repeating empty, meaningless sounds instead of speaking from the heart
And I can still get better
Despite feeling stuck, I recognize that I have the potential to improve myself and grow
Hell but I've sure been worse
Reminding myself that things could be much worse and that I have overcome challenges before
Maybe you're the one
Contemplating the possibility that you might be someone who can help me break out of my current cycle
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Hoping that you might be able to help me break free from negative patterns and habits
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Believing that I have grown and improved since we first met
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
Expressing a sense of hopefulness and possibility for the future
I fell down
Admitting that I have made mistakes and experienced failures
Faster than I could hear the sound
Feeling overwhelmed and unable to keep up with the fast-paced changes around me
Of your voice on the phone telling me things that I should've already known
Realizing that you were trying to help me by giving me advice that I should have been aware of already
When I was just an innocent kid
Reflecting on a time in the past when I was more naive and unaware
Maybe you're the one
Continuing to consider the possibility that you might be able to help me move forward
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Hoping that you might provide the key to unlock my current struggles
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Feeling confident that I have made progress in my personal growth and development
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
Expressing a sense of hopefulness and possibility for the future
And I can still get better
Reiterating that I have the capacity to grow and improve as a person
Hell but I've sure been worse
Maintaining a sense of perspective about my past struggles and difficulties
Maybe you're the one
Continuing to hold out hope that you might provide a breakthrough for me
Maybe you're the one
Repeating the central question and theme of the song, as uncertainty and hopefulness blend together
Maybe you're the one to break the curse
Echoing the sense of desperation and longing for someone to help me move past my struggles
Ah, cause I'm better than you found me
Asserting my own value and self-worth, even in the midst of my struggles
Oh oh oh oh ohh ohh oh
Concluding on a hopeful and optimistic note, with room for continued growth and possibility
Better than you found me ...
Asserting that I have experienced growth and improvement since our initial meeting, and imploring you to help me continue on that path
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: Will Hoge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind