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 Highway's Home
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
i head east to another town, i'm movin' on.
barroom fights and breakin' glass,
a broken nose and a smoker's laugh,
i'm sure i've probably cut my life in half.
with a suitcase full of empty dreams,
a guitar with broken strings,
a mind that always leads me wrong,
a head full of hank williams songs..
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
i've loved pretty women and some that ain't.
i'm a burned-out junkie, truck stop saint.
so check the tires and fill the tank, i'm movin' on.
interstate markers and highways signs,
18 wheels and thin white lines,
dodge a speed trap one more time, i'm gone.
with a suitcase full of empty dreams,
a guitar with broken strings,
a busted heart that longs to sing the blues,
a mind that always leads me wrong,
a head full of hank williams songs..
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
it's so hard to leave you here this way,
with a white dress and a goodbye wave,
but there's mouths to feed and bills to pay.
i'm sorry, honey, i've got to go.
with a suitcase full of empty dreams,
a guitar with broken strings,
a busted heart that longs to sing the blues,
a mind that always leads me wrong,
a head full of hank williams songs..
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
In Will Hoge's song "The Highway's Home," the lyrics tell the story of a person who has faced hardships and struggles, but still manages to keep pushing forward. The singer has experienced being beaten up and knocked down, but refuses to stay down, picking themselves up off the ground. They decide to leave their current town and head east, symbolizing a fresh start and the desire for change.
The song reflects on a life filled with barroom fights, broken glass, and a broken nose, indicating a turbulent and chaotic lifestyle. Despite these challenges, the singer carries a suitcase full of empty dreams, a guitar with broken strings, and a heart that yearns to sing the blues. It suggests that the person remains hopeful, even in the face of adversity, indicating that their dreams and passion for music drive them forward.
The lyrics also reveal the singer's struggle with their own mind, which constantly leads them in the wrong direction. The mention of a head full of Hank Williams songs likely implies that the singer finds solace and inspiration in the timeless songs of Hank Williams, a renowned country music artist. However, despite their heartfelt apologies to their loved one, they express that the highway has become their true home, seemingly unable to settle down in one place.
Overall, the song "The Highway's Home" portrays the singer's determination to overcome hardships, their unwavering passion for music, and the internal conflict they face between their desire to settle down and the allure of the open road.
Line by Line Meaning
been beat up and kicked around, i picked myself up off the ground,
Despite facing adversity and being mistreated, I managed to gather the strength to stand tall once again.
i head east to another town, i'm movin' on.
I am embarking on a journey to a new place in the east, leaving behind my past and starting afresh.
barroom fights and breakin' glass, a broken nose and a smoker's laugh, i'm sure i've probably cut my life in half.
Engaging in fights, breaking glass, and bearing the physical scars of such encounters, I realize that my reckless actions may have shortened my life.
with a suitcase full of empty dreams, a guitar with broken strings, a busted heart that longs to sing the blues, a mind that always leads me wrong, a head full of hank williams songs.. i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
Carrying aspirations that have turned into disappointments, a broken guitar symbolizing shattered passion, a heart yearning to express melancholic music, a mind prone to making poor choices, and a wealth of Hank Williams songs occupying my thoughts, I apologize, my love, but this nomadic lifestyle on the highway has become my true home.
i've loved pretty women and some that ain't. i'm a burned-out junkie, truck stop saint. so check the tires and fill the tank, i'm movin' on.
I have experienced both beautiful and troublesome relationships. I am a weary addict, a figure seeking redemption in truck stops. Thus, ensure the tires are in good condition and the tank is full, as I am leaving once again.
interstate markers and highways signs, 18 wheels and thin white lines, dodge a speed trap one more time, i'm gone.
Navigating the interstate with its markers and signs, the presence of eighteen wheels and the thin white lines on the road, constantly evading the threat of speed traps, I swiftly disappear into the distance.
it's so hard to leave you here this way, with a white dress and a goodbye wave, but there's mouths to feed and bills to pay. i'm sorry, honey, i've got to go.
Parting with you in this difficult manner, witnessing your waving goodbye in a white dress, but the responsibilities of providing for our family's needs and paying bills compel me to apologize, my dear, for I must depart.
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
I express regret, my love, but this nomadic existence on the highway has become my true abode.
i'm sorry, honey, but this highway's home.
I apologize once again, my dear, but this lifestyle on the open road has become my ultimate sanctuary.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Terry The Kid
Will Hoge is among the few that still demands an ongoing playlist on my ipod...
cerpintaxt20
will hoge might be the first artist i've ever heard who i think just sounds so much better in these types of live recordings than on his albums.
Abheek Chatterjee
Especially, Growing up 'round here and They don't make 'em like they used to!!!
Raymond Stubben
+cerpintaxt20 - Check out his latest album "small town dreams" - he's getting smoother and smoother and the lyrics are in the elite division!
Ashley Proctor
I'm going to see him Saturday! I can't wait...I've been looking forward to this for months!
mauricetd
Unfortunatly he isn't known in Germany, I really would love to see him live!
Karen Doherty
I have listened 30 - 40 - 50 times and I'm not even close to being tired of hearing it . I love the sound - love it !
p patterson
I have just learned to play and sing this. Its a fun one....One of the best vocalists out there.
Bret Neyman
Man I saw you play this one in San Diego a few years back. Been on the rodeo trail and this one hits home. Thanks for sayin it for me
Bret Neyman
But hey buddy at least you know your getting a check when you show up