Today, in an instant, someone can become famous. And today that someone is viral singer Oliver Anthony of Virginia, who has been blowing up all over social media recently, for his song “Rich Men North Of Richmond.”
Videos by American Songwriter
Recently, Anthony’s success has been drawing big crowds of hundreds at a small farmer’s market. Thanks to his big red beard and some social media shares from the likes of Joe Rogan and others. So far, the song, all about the downside of working for a living, has garnered nearly 10 million views on YouTube. It touches on sadness, depression, and a little bit of hope.
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It’s a damn shame, Anthony sings in a big booming voice, what the world’s gotten to for people like me and people like you. To date, his social media following has also ballooned to nearly half-a-million followers on Instagram.
According to Twitter user Jason Howerton, who interviewed Anthony, the songwriter has struggled “with mental health & coping with alcohol. In depths of despair, just about a month ago, Oliver got to his knees & broke down in tears. Though he wasn’t a religious man, that night he promised God to get sober if he helped him follow his dream.”
Howerton added, “Oliver was about 30 days sober when someone reached out & asked him to come record a song for his YouTube channel. That song was “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Within days, the song was going VIRAL on social media.”
Anthony began writing his own music around 2021, according to Billboard, and he recorded the now-hit song “to get out there” and that the song “has been recorded on a real microphone and a real camera, and not just on my cell phone.”
Check it out below along with the song’s poignant lyrics.
“Rich Men North of Richmond” Lyrics
You add Anthony’s soulful tone singing these lyrics and it’s not hard to see why people are loving the song.
I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bullsh-t 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-t 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 sh-t 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
It’s safe to say we haven’t seen the last of Anthony. This could end up being the music story of the year as it’s clear that the man has a very bright future in the country music world.
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