Country music fans have taken notice of the overnight success of Oliver Anthony's viral hit "Rich Men North of Richmond."
By Aug. 19, the song hit No. 1 on Apple Music's U.S. and global top 100 charts. But what is the track about, and who is Oliver Anthony?
The folksy song tells the story of a working-class narrator who's frustrated by years of hard toil resulting in low wages that only get eaten up by taxes.
Though everyday people have made the song a success, "Rich Men North of Richmond" — which lashes out against wealthy legislators in Washington D.C. — has also charmed some Republicans in office, including Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene who called it "the anthem of the forgotten Americans who truly support this nation ... with their hard earned tax dollars."
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In addition to "Rich Men North of Richmond," Anthony's other songs are landing on the iTunes top 40 US country chart, all of which joined together Aug. 18 to knock Jason Aldean's controversial song “Try That in a Small Town" to the No. 4 spot.
Judging from Anthony's recent social media posts, even he's been shocked by all the attention. "I'm sitting in such a weird place in my life right now. I never wanted to be a full time musician, much less sit at the top of the iTunes charts," the musician wrote Aug. 17 on Facebook.
"I still don’t quite believe what has went on since we uploaded (the song). It’s just strange to me," added the Virginia-based musician.
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How did the 'Rich Men North of Richmond' become a hit?
Oliver Anthony was virtually unknown before “Rich Men North of Richmond” went viral on social media this month.
It all started on Aug. 8, when the YouTube channel RadioWV, which shares footage of outdoor performances by Appalachian musicians, posted a video of Anthony singing "Rich Men North of Richmond." The video has received more than 20 million views.
RadioWV later shared the clip on its TikTok account.
Social media users began sharing the video, as did Anthony, who posted the clip on his official account on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. Anthony's video received more than 25 million additional views.
Fans' fervor for the song carried over onto purchases on iTunes and Apple Music, where it's become a No. 1 hit.
Just over a week after the song was published on YouTube, Anthony performed at venue in North Carolina. Clips from the concert show the crowd singing along.
Who is Oliver Anthony?
In his Aug. 17 Facebook post, Anthony revealed that his real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, and that he took his stage name from a grandfather who grew up poor in Appalachia.
The musician shared anecdotes about himself, telling fans that he dropped out of high school in 2010 and went on to earn his GED certificate.
Anthony has worked "multiple plant jobs in Western NC," and was injured while working at a paper mill in 2013. "I worked 3rd shift, 6 days a week for $14.50 an hour in a living hell," he wrote.
More recently, he's worked in "outside sales in the industrial manufacturing world."
"There’s nothing special about me," Anthony wrote. "I’m not a good musician, I’m not a very good person. I’ve spent the last 5 years struggling with mental health and using alcohol to drown it."
He added, "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."
In a seemingly since-deleted Youtube video, Anthony said in July 2023 that he'd promised God he’d get sober for help following his dreams, Taste of Country reports.
What is 'Rich Men North of Richmond' about?
Social media users praising the song have commented to say they feel as though Anthony is singing about their lives.
In many ways, the song follows in the footsteps of the working-class anthems written by country music legends like Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash.
“I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day / Overtime hours for bull---- pay," Anthony sings on one of the song's verses.
The song's chorus talks about politicians wanting to "take control" of constituents.
"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 s--- and it’s taxed to no end/ Cause of rich men north of Richmond.”
What are fans saying about the song?
Though “Rich Men North of Richmond” has earned the admiration of Republican politicians, including Rep. Green and and former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, who said she can't listen to it "without getting chills, it's clear that the song appeals to working-class Americans.
“Keep speaking for the people! Your voice is louder than any politician in this country and we want to hear you not them!” one fan told Anthony in a Facebook comment.
"You are the voice that we, the blue collared American people, need," wrote another.
"Awesome song!" added someone else. "Thank you for speaking/singing the truth. As a cashier in a grocery store I see it everyday."
Some listeners even cheered for a verse of the song that lashes out against “the obese”:
Well, God, if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds / Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds
Fudge rounds are a Little Debbie snack cake with two chocolate cookies sandwiching a chocolate creme filling.
One listener on X called the body-shaming verse, the "best lyrics in the history of music."
What are the full lyrics to the song?
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day / Overtime hours for bulls*** pay / So I can sit out here and waste my life away / Drag back home and drown my troubles away
(Chorus)
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.
(Repeat Chorus)
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day / Overtime hours for bulls*** pay
This article first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
