Buzzing across social platforms, the country sensation’s track ‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ is getting both love and flak. But just who is Oliver Anthony, and how is he offensive?
For those new to this digital-age sensation, Oliver Anthony burst into the limelight when ‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ was deemed a “right-wing anthem” and slapped with the tag “offensive”.
The stats? A Number One spot on the iTunes Country charts and a jaw-dropping 17 million views on YouTube within just eight days of its release. Moreover, it skyrocketed to Number One on Apple Music’s Global Music Charts.
But despite the overnight stardom, Anthony seems to be giving the music moguls a cold shoulder, saying no to those juicy record deals. “People in the music industry give me blank stares when I brush off 8 million dollar offers,” the singer shared on Facebook.
He continued: “I wrote the music I wrote because I was suffering with mental health and depression. These songs have connected with millions of people on such a deep level because they’re being sung by someone feeling the words in the very moment they were being sung. No editing, no agent, no bullshit. Just some idiot and his guitar. The style of music that we should have never gotten away from in the first place.”
Who is Oliver Anthony?
A closer look into Oliver’s life reveals an average bloke. The former factory worker turned farmer, now country artist, laid bare his struggles: “I’ve spent the last five years struggling with mental health and using alcohol to drown it. I am sad to see the world in the state it’s in, with everyone fighting with each other. I have spent many nights feeling hopeless, that the greatest country on Earth is quickly fading away.”
The aftermath of the song’s viral stint saw Anthony’s North Carolina gig last weekend (13 August) swamped with fans. The singer, overwhelmed, admitted on Twitter about being “in a state of shock at the outpouring of love”.
Rich Men North of Richmond has been uploaded to all major streaming platforms and will show up there in a few days.
Im still in a state of shock at the outpouring of love I've seen in the comments, messages and emails. I'm working to respond to everyone as quickly as possible. pic.twitter.com/iScaYp9AWQ
— Oliver Anthony Music (@AintGottaDollar) August 11, 2023
How is Oliver Anthony offensive?
‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ hasn’t just been topping charts; it’s been turning heads in the political corridors too. Right-wing commentators like Dan Bongino, Matt Walsh, and Republication representative Marjorie Taylor Greene have been singing its praises. Greene even heralded it as “the anthem of the forgotten Americans who truly support this nation and unfortunately the world”. However, not everyone’s jamming along. The track has received backlash for allegedly being “fatphobic” and an alleged “right-wing anthem”.
This is the anthem of the forgotten Americans who truly support this nation and unfortunately the world with their hard earned tax dollars and incredibly hard work.
This song represents my district and the people of America I know and love.
I will fight for the forgotten…— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 11, 2023
Take a closer look into the lyrics, and you’ll see a mixed bag. Touching on societal woes like homelessness and the mental health crisis, the song also takes a jab at “obese milkin’ welfare” with lines that have left many in splits.
‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ lyrics
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bullshit 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 shit 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
Well, 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 shit 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 bullshit pay
Left-wing media outlets have also weighed in. The Guardian sneered that it was “no surprise” that the right-wing is loving it. The Independent chimed in, wondering if “Republican anthems have to be as terrible as Oliver Anthony’s viral hit ‘Rich Men North of Richmond?”
While the debate rages on, one thing is clear – Oliver Anthony has undeniably struck a chord, be it harmonious or discordant. Whether you’re for the tune or against it, this country boy has got the world tuned in.
