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
Wish
Will Hoge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wind was sitting and the leaves fell a hinting a sign of the near winter's ball
Chill in the air as I strolled down the front steps looking for a tale to tell
Then she slipped me a stare as I slid into my chair she already knew me too well
She said hello in that beautiful voice my reply was nowhere as sweet
She seemed impressed by the state of my mess laughed at the wings on my feet
Offered me a cigarette and before I could even refuse
[Chorus:]
Hey hey now I feel alright and I just wanted to see
If I may if I might be the king of your world tonight
So I told her of the books I'd read and details about the time I stole 6 dollars from a man named Jed just to turn around and pay him back
I quoted my favorite poem but I ended it terribly wrong
She said I understand then she clapped both her hands and said that's my favorite song
[Chorus]
Just then a man walked in and took her away she said her sweet goodbye
I'll see you again some day so it was over and I was standing there all alone
And I said to myself as I dusted my shelf this time I think it was love
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Will Hoge's song "Wish" describe a chance encounter between the singer and a woman who immediately catches his eye. It is autumn and there is a chill in the air as the singer sits down in a chair, looking for something interesting to occupy himself. The woman, who knows him already, greets him with a beautiful voice and offers him a cigarette. The two begin talking and she asks him to sing the blues.
As they converse, the singer shares details about himself, including his past experiences and favorite poem. Despite messing up the poem, the woman still appreciates his effort and tells him it's her favorite song. However, their time together is short-lived, as a man enters and takes the woman away. The singer is left standing there, realizing that for the first time, he might have just experienced love.
The lyrics of "Wish" capture the simultaneous excitement and melancholy of a fleeting encounter with someone who captivates us, but who we may never see again. The song is a reflection on the beauty of a single moment in time, and the hope that the intense emotions felt in that moment might last forever.
Line by Line Meaning
I remember as the seasons turned to fall
The singer sets the scene for a moment in autumn
Wind was sitting and the leaves fell a hinting a sign of the near winter's ball
The leaves falling was a kind of announcement that winter was approaching
Chill in the air as I strolled down the front steps looking for a tale to tell
The singer feels the cold weather as they walk outside, and they are hoping for something interesting to happen
Then she slipped me a stare as I slid into my chair she already knew me too well
The artist sees someone they know and feels like she understands him already
She said hello in that beautiful voice my reply was nowhere as sweet
The person the artist sees has a lovely voice, but the artist is not as charming in response
She seemed impressed by the state of my mess laughed at the wings on my feet
The singer's disheveled appearance amused the other person and gave them some kind of appeal
Offered me a cigarette and before I could even refuse
The other person offers narrator a cigarette quickly
We were standing alone she was chilled to the bone she told me to sing the blues
The two of them were outside in the cold, and she tells the artist to sing the blues.
Hey hey now I feel alright and I just wanted to see
Narrator loves this moment and wants to explore it more.
If I may if I might be the king of your world tonight
Narrator is asking permission to take control for a moment
So I told her of the books I'd read and details about the time I stole 6 dollars from a man named Jed just to turn around and pay him back
Narrator shares something about himself, a story about reading, and a story about being honorable.
I quoted my favorite poem but I ended it terribly wrong
Narrator tries to be clever and fails.
She said I understand then she clapped both her hands and said that's my favorite song
The other person appreciates the singer's efforts and enjoys his company.
Just then a man walked in and took her away she said her sweet goodbye
The moment between them is short-lived, as someone else takes the other person away.
I'll see you again some day so it was over and I was standing there all alone
The other person promises they will meet again; the moment is over and the singer is alone again.
And I said to myself as I dusted my shelf this time I think it was love
The artist reflects on the moment and thinks that it could be the start of a deeper connection.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: WILL HOGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind