Truth Over Tribe
Oliver Anthony, a virtual nobody in the music industry, took the world by storm when he securely claimed (and has held onto!) the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with his unexpected hit, “Rich Men North of Richmond.”
But what’s the song really about? How did he rise atop this acclaimed list and create what many are calling the national anthem of blue-collar Americans?
And taking it a step further, what does this song’s popularity reveal about our current cultural moment? Why are these lyrics resonating with (and angering! 😬) so many?
A Classic Tale of Oppositional Politics
The song represents a classic tale of oppositional politics: The right has embraced Anthony as their poster child. The left has attacked him and his views as problematic and even racist. But what is Oliver Anthony’s political program? Surprisingly, he says neither side!
Oliver Anthony’s ballad has simply tapped into the anger and resentment of a country that feels misled by the promises of meritocracy. Every U.S. President from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama has reinforced this promise, toting that in America, if you play by the rules and work hard, you’ll succeed.
But Anthony’s song is more reminiscent of a newer narrative, one made popular by the unlikely duo of Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, which says something much different: “The system is rigged and you are on the losing side.”
Check out the lyrics for yourself. Can you feel the emotion? Do you agree with the narrative that America has failed to live up to its promises?
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bullsh– pay
So I can sit out here and waste my life away
Drag back home and drown my troubles away
It’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is
Livin’ in the new world
With an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just wanna have total control
Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
‘Cause your dollar ain’t sh– and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond
I wish politicians would look out for miners
And not just minors on an island somewhere
Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothin’ to eat
And the obese milkin’ welfare
God, if you’re 5 foot 3 and you’re 300 pounds
Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds
Young men are puttin’ themselves six feet in the ground
‘Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin’ them down
Lord, it’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is
Livin’ in the new world
With an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just wanna have total control
Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
‘Cause your dollar ain’t sh– and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bullsh– pay
Want to hear more about what this song’s meteoric rise reveals about our culture? Check out this episode of Truth Over Tribe, where we discuss the song and the overall response it has received from media pundits and government officials on both sides, journalists, and the general American populace. Plus, how should we respond to this narrative that’s affected the souls of so many in our nation?
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind // Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Christopher Anthony Lunsford