Minors on an Island Somewhere

Fighting tears in the land of the free

If you haven’t heard of “Rich Men North of Richmond” yet, you’re officially tuned out. The song, written and performed by independent artist Oliver Anthony (his real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford), dropped on Spotify on August 11, 2023, and currently has nearly 9.3 million monthly listeners there. For two weeks, “Rich Men” earned the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. On YouTube, the song’s video has, in one month, garnered 65 million views and almost 200,00 comments—and has inspired countless more videos with reaction, commentary, and remixes. The unknown songwriter from Appalachia hit a nerve.

When Mr Anthony laments “your dollar ain’t shit/And it’s taxed to no end” and repeats the chorus (“It’s a damn shame/What the world’s gotten to/For people like me/And people like you”), he is speaking directly to the anger millions of listeners feel, as they struggle with inflation, high living costs and disillusionment with Washington.

—The Economist

“I’ve seen songs go viral,” said Joe Rogan in his interview with Anthony on August 30. “But that’s pretty bananas, son. Your shit went to the moon.”

“Who is this guy?!!!” podcasters have been asking, while reviewing the work, all choked up and tears in their eyes. “He got us all emotional,” goes the headline on one reaction. “I just cried!” posts the guy on DependTv channel, who reports that Anthony let people know they they’re not alone, and that the singer captured “how tired we all are in this country.”

The song has been said to have given voice to sentiments that bridge the divide between red and blue, reach into the hearts of the hoi polloi everywhere, and speak to people beyond race or ethnicity. People around the world have embraced the song, reporting in YouTube comments that it’s the same for them in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, Britain, and so on. At a single moment in history, Anthony has been labeled both a right-wing fanatic and a left-wing fanatic. He denies affiliation with any particular party politics, and seems to suggest—with sufficient craft—that he’s referring to the ruling class in general.  

Big stars are reputed to be weighing in on social media. Supposedly, Taylor Swift reacted—though this particular post from the BLEEPS channel lacks legitimacy. It has the stink of AI-generated content, it being bland and soulless. That said, the video reports that Anthony earned about $40,000 per day in its first three weeks from digital sales and streams, and cites that Swift commented on the TikTok reel of the song: “Such a beautiful voice (and song!)” [sic] In another post on the BLEEPS channel, it is alleged that Obama and Anthony bonded over their hatred of Republicans. The propaganda machine is hard at work.

For another example, The Economist, usually considered a moderatist publication, describes the breakout musician with artistry, and then goes on to fuel division. While Anthony stated on Joe Rogan (who the magazine calls a “conservative pundit”) that he is a centrist, critics accuse Republicans of co-opting the song’s message for their purposes. The singer may have turned down an $8 million record deal, but “that will not stop conservative voters and right-wing politicians using his music as their theme song,” concludes The Economist.

The Seattle Times has written 14 separate articles about Taylor Swift since July 14, mostly about the titillation and hysteria surrounding her two-night run at the city’s Lumen Field. Apparently, she’s the biggest thing in music. I can’t name one Taylor Swift song but “Rich Men North of Richmond” is tearing up my soul. In reporting on the massive popularity of the Anthony song, the same newspaper called it a “right-wing anthem.”

The work has been widely called an anthem, in fact, which the Oxford dictionary defines as “a usually rousing popular song that typifies or is identified with a particular subculture, movement, or point of view.” Though Anthony denies party affiliation—and I believe him, for now—it seems obvious the lyrics are referencing the ideas of the resistance. It’s not left. It’s not right. It’s revolution.

I consider myself to be part of the resistance, though I’m rather isolated in my day-to-day life, having few likeminded associates. (Lunatic fringe, I know you’re out there.) I have thought that when the commoners would learn that it was true—the accusations of ritualized pedophilia said to take place amongst the elite—they would wake up. The people would tolerate the buying of elections, the humiliation of the middle class, even censorship. But surely, when the populace found out they were fucking our children, surely it would rouse protest.

Then so Anthony croons about working overtime for bullshit pay, about rich men in D.C. out for total control, and about the obese milking welfare, and he delivers 16 words in verse two that forever condemn the powers that be. “I wish politicians would look out for miners / And not just minors on an island somewhere.” Boom.

It’s a damn shame, indeed. Oliver Anthony set a new bar. Wake up now.

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©2023 Anderson