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 lifeβs 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. β[The accident] was like stopping a record as it spins,β says Hoge, who had been halfway through recording material for his new record before getting derailed. βIt was like taking the needle and pushing it off the turntable.β For ten months, the accident sidelined Hoge. For ten months, it made him do something he hadnβt done in 18 years: stop the music. Larger matters dominated his life, like physical recovery and the well-being of his family. βPeople would say, βI bet youβre ready to get back to playing and writing.β Iβm thinking, βPlaying or singing is not the issue right now. Iβm ready to get back to walking.ββ
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.. βMaking The Wreckage opened me up in a different way,β says Hoge. βI felt a calmness, a purpose. Right now it feels like Iβm getting to the core of what I want to do and why.β
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. βItβs hard to explain, but I felt a certain serenity making this album,β he says. βIt doesnβt come through in the songs, but the process has become easier, and I believe the songs flow with more confidence.β
When Hogeβs fans hear these songs, theyβll feel that resolve too. The Wreckage both curses lifeβs wrong turns and celebrates its triumphs. βIβve 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 youβll want to hear the whole thing start to finish.β
The album was crafted with a depth of sound and musicality that breaks new ground for Hoge. Rugged, pulsating rock fuels βJust Like Me.β Spirited melody characterizes tunes like βHighway Wingsβ and βEven If It Breaks Your Heart.β The gruff ghosts of the barroom return on Hogeβs βHard to Love,β as does the searing country roots rock of βLong Gone.β Ballads like βWhat Could I Doβ and βThe Wreckageβ are rife with the sort of brooding melancholy youβd expect from a guy who has been to the edge and back. ββThe Wreckageβ is one of the favorite songs Iβve ever sung,β Hoge admits. βI couldnβt have sung this physically before the accident, because my voice just wasnβt suited to how quiet it is.β
βEven If It Breaks Your Heart,β his paean to rock and roll as lifeβs true calling, is another tune Hoge admires. βThe 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 donβt get very often.β
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. Thatβs 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 Hogeβs own βwreckage,β 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 Other Side
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well, the streets were cold and black
If you'd get to the other side of town
You'd hope you never would come back
Just across that old railroad track
With the houses so big and lights so bright
My father and I'd sit with our eyes closed
'Cause on the other side
Nobody seems to long for anything
Hear their sweet voice laughing
Just as gentle as the angels sing
And on the other side
Nothing's borrowed and surely nothing's owed
I hope to one day find out
What it's like on the other side
My father worked from dawn
'Til the sun went down
And his hands were hard as steel
But still after 20 years of working
He could barely make enough to pay the bills
Then one night he laid us all in bed
Tucked me in and kissed my mom goodnight
Shut out the light and I thought I heard him crying
And he whispered, "I'll make it all alright."
So at a liquor store out by the interstate
He took the money and he gunned 3 rich men down
But the blue lights and badges
All were flashing before he turned the car around
And the judge said, "For this you will die son."
And my mother asked my father "Why?"
Hung his head and softly he did tell her
"So one day we might see the other side."
'Cause on the other side
Nobody seems to long for anything
Hear their sweet voice laughing
Just as gentle as the angels sing
And on the other side
Nothing's borrowed and surely nothing's owed
I hope to one day find out
What it's like on the other side
Sometimes as I lay here in bed
And the rain falls in the deep dark night
My father comes here as I'm dreaming
And I know he's on the other side
The song The Other Side by Will Hoge is a poignant reflection on the struggles of life and the search for something better. The opening lines describe a town where the streets are cold and black, creating a sense of darkness and despair. The town is divided by a railroad track, with the other side being a place of hope and possibility. The singer and his father dream of escaping to the other side, where nobody seems to long for anything and everything is perfect. This creates a stark contrast between the two sides of town and highlights the struggles faced by those living on the wrong side of the tracks.
The second half of the song tells a tragic story of the singer's father, who works tirelessly to provide for his family but is unable to make ends meet. In a desperate attempt to find a better life, he robs a liquor store and kills three rich men. The father is caught, and the singer's mother asks him why he did it. His answer is heartbreaking β he wanted to take his family to the other side. The song ends with the singer dreaming of his father, who he knows is now on the other side.
Line by Line Meaning
In the town where I was born
This is where the singer was born and raised
Well, the streets were cold and black
The streets were not welcoming
If you'd get to the other side of town
A part of town that seems better
You'd hope you never would come back
An unpleasant place
Just across that old railroad track
An area separated by a railroad track
With the houses so big and lights so bright
A much nicer area
My father and I'd sit with our eyes closed
The singer would imagine himself in that other part of town
And dream to be on the other side
Wanting to escape the current situation
'Cause on the other side
What it's like to be on the other side
Nobody seems to long for anything
People are content
Hear their sweet voice laughing
The atmosphere is happy
Just as gentle as the angels sing
It's like heaven
And on the other side
What it's like to be on the other side
Nothing's borrowed and surely nothing's owed
No debts or obligations
I hope to one day find out
Desire to experience the other side
My father worked from dawn
The artist's father worked hard
'Til the sun went down
Long hours of labor
And his hands were hard as steel
Physical work made his hands rough
But still after 20 years of working
Working for 20 years didn't bring financial security
He could barely make enough to pay the bills
Money was tight
Then one night he laid us all in bed
A night when things changed
Tucked me in and kissed my mom goodnight
A normal family routine
Shut out the light and I thought I heard him crying
The father was emotional and didn't want his family to see him like that
And he whispered, 'I'll make it all alright.'
A reassurance of taking care of the family
So at a liquor store out by the interstate
The father made a desperate decision
He took the money and he gunned 3 rich men down
The father resorted to an act of violence
But the blue lights and badges
The police arrived
All were flashing before he turned the car around
The father almost got away with it
And the judge said, 'For this you will die son.'
The father was sentenced to death
And my mother asked my father 'Why?'
The mother didn't understand why her husband did it
Hung his head and softly he did tell her
The father had to explain his motives
'So one day we might see the other side.'
The father's hope of providing a better life for his family
'Cause on the other side
The other side once again
Nobody seems to long for anything
The same sentiment as before
Hear their sweet voice laughing
Happy and content
Just as gentle as the angels sing
Peaceful and heavenly
And on the other side
The other side once again
Nothing's borrowed and surely nothing's owed
No debts or obligations
I hope to one day find out
The singer's still desires to discover what it's like
Sometimes as I lay here in bed
Memories of the father
And the rain falls in the deep dark night
Setting the mood
My father comes here as I'm dreaming
The father appears in the singer's dreams
And I know he's on the other side
The father is at peace
Contributed by Lucas L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Andre Galiano
Man. Your music is the soundtrack of my life.
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NFN josh
Your going to be on TOP of the music Industry famππ₯πβΌοΈπ
C. Sawyer
Glad to have a studio version of this. Definite highlight of the solo acoustic tour from last year
Carrie Seymour
Lovin this! β‘
Jeff Pierce
Just arrived in Nashville. Heard this song on the radio and instantly fell in love with it.
Dennis Perry
This is pleasantly stuck in my head, thank you.
Giovanni Scarpelli
Track of the monthπ
Ric T. 49
In here looking like a young Bruce Willis. Lol
Love this music!
Scott Padilla
Awesome, thanks!!!!
Brian Dickerson
Brilliant