From relative obscurity, singer/songwriter Oliver Anthony shot to fame with “Rich Men North of Richmond” earlier this year. The song's political content has penetrated the hearts of people in this country, especially those with conservative leanings.
The song drew a lot of eyes and ears to Anthony's YouTube channel, and he reportedly earned between $1.5 million and $2 million. Although he has released many other songs, it is “Rich Men North of Richmond” that has made him one of the most talked about country music newcomers this year. Not only did he encourage the masses to move on to this particular track, but he struck a chord enough that many stuck around, waiting to see what he had in store next.
So what exactly is the message Anthony is trying to convey in “The Rich Man North of Richmond”? Below, we've broken down this singer-songwriter's viral track in detail.
[RELATED: 5 Other Songs by Oliver Anthony That Capture Rural Life]
what's behind the meaning
I sold my soul and worked all day long
overtime hours for bullshit wages
So I can sit here and waste my life
Drag me home and drown out my worries
Anthony starts “Richmond North'' by teaming up with the working class. Like many country songs, he depicts the toil of a hard day's work. If this song was written by many of his country music peers, Anthony would move on to describe a kickback with his friends drinking cold beer and spending a warm night together. . Instead of finding light-hearted solutions to his own problems, he takes on a more serious tone and places the blame on politicians who have gotten rich while common people work themselves to the bone.
Anthony cuts deep during the song's chorus. He said that politicians in Washington, D.C. dollar is not shit and it is be taxed without limit. In the next poem, Anthony cuts even deeper by zeroing in on the specific controversy surrounding the people of Washington. I wish politicians cared about miners/not just minors on some island.he sings.
Anthony has come under fire as a “rich man from north Richmond,” not only for his consistently expressed political views, but also for what some have called “fat haters” and other offensive comments. He has also been criticized for making such comments. Some of the most controversial sentences include: Lord, there are people on the streets, there's nothing to eat/And obese people milking welfare/Well, God, if you're 5-foot-3 and weigh 300 pounds/ There should be no tax to pay for a bag of fudge rounds. Regardless of how you feel about Anthony, no one can deny that he is fearless in the face of controversy.
Despite how harsh his opinions may seem, Anthony insists he's “pretty centrist” when it comes to politics.
“I sit pretty much in the middle of the aisle when it comes to politics, and always have,” Anthony said in a video explaining his decision to record “Richmond North Millionaire.” “I remember when I was a kid the conservatives wanted war and I just couldn't understand it. And I remember a lot of controversy when the left came to power, but… As you know, both sides seem to be serving the same master. And that master is of no use to the people of this country.”
Anthony says “Rich Men North of Richmond” and several of his other songs were all created to be a voice for the voiceless.
“The universal thing I see is that no matter how much effort they put into what they're doing, it's hard to move forward because the dollar isn't worth enough and they're overtaxed. I mean, you can’t,” he continued. “I want to be a voice for those people. And not just them, but humanity in general.”
Lord, I am so sorry that the world has become like this.
For people like me and for people like you.
I wish I could wake up, but it's not true
But that's, oh, that's
Photo: YouTube screenshot
