Right-Wing Influencers Just Found Their Favorite New Country Song

Posted By: Sophia Andrew

Posted On: August 12, 2023

A new country song called “Rich Men North of Richmond” has just been released on streaming platforms, and it’s causing quite a stir among right-wing influencers.

The song is a passionate expression of frustration about the state of the country. It’s sung by Oliver Anthony, who lives off the grid as a farmer with his three dogs in Farmville, Virginia.

Anthony shared a video on YouTube where he talked about starting to write songs in 2021 after spending a lot of nights getting high and drunk.

He gained a small following with his heartfelt solo songs like “I’ve Got to Get Sober” and “Ain’t Gotta Dollar.” But what really caught the attention was his recent performance video of “Rich Men North of Richmond.”

In the video, Anthony, with his red beard, plays the song on a resonator guitar in a field with a deer blind in the background.

This video got noticed by conservative figures like country singer John Rich and commentators Dan Bongino and Matt Walsh.

One of the reasons this song is resonating with many people, as Walsh mentioned in a tweet, is not just because of its political aspects.

It’s because the song feels real and genuine, standing out from the artificial things we often see. Walsh even promised to support any album that Anthony releases on all of his platforms.

Taking a closer look at the lyrics, it becomes clear why “Rich Men North of Richmond” might be attracting right-wing influencers.

In the song, Oliver Anthony voices his strong opinions against high taxes, the decreasing value of the dollar, and also touches on some points from the Reagan era about welfare.

He sings about people in the streets who are struggling to find food while some are abusing welfare, which resonates with certain perspectives on social programs.

He even brings up a specific scenario: “God, if you’re 5 foot 3 and you’re 300 pounds, taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds.”

The most attention-grabbing part, however, is a reference that seems to allude to Jeffrey Epstein’s Caribbean island. Epstein was a billionaire and convicted sex offender who allegedly introduced underage girls to powerful people.

In the lyrics, Anthony wishes that politicians would focus on looking out for miners, referring to workers, and not just minors (underage individuals) on an island somewhere.

These lyrics align with certain conservative viewpoints, which might be why the song has gained traction among right-wing influencers.

In a video where he speaks directly to the camera, Oliver Anthony introduces himself. He mentions that Hank Williams Jr., known for his political songs, is his biggest inspiration, as stated in a YouTube post.

Anthony shares that he considers himself to be politically moderate and has always held this stance. He expresses the belief that both major political sides seem to be serving the same interests, and unfortunately, these interests aren’t beneficial for the people of the country.

In the video, Anthony also addresses the topic of “human trafficking,” which he acknowledges is hinted at in the lyrics of “Rich Men North of Richmond.”

He speaks about how exploiting children is one of the most terrible things a person can do. He mentions that he felt the need to speak out when he saw this issue becoming more accepted in society.

He then concludes the topic by saying he won’t go into further detail but wanted to make his perspective clear.

A conservative influencer compared “Rich Men North of Richmond” to Jason Aldean’s song “Try That in a Small Town.”

The Twitter account DC Draino pointed out that these two songs have gone viral in the last month and suggested a common theme.

They tweeted, “The 2 most viral country songs of the last month are: Jason Aldean’s ‘Try that in a Small Town’ Oliver Anthony’s ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’ You might notice a theme there… People are starved for music that speaks to them about today’s problems.”

As for Oliver Anthony, he sings that he’s just one among many who are trying to navigate the complexities of the 21st century.

He expresses his frustration with the state of the world, saying, “Lord, it’s a damn shame, what the world’s gotten to, for people like me and people like you.”

This sentiment resonates with many who feel similarly about the current challenges and issues.

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