Over the weekend, an under-the-radar singer-songwriter from Virginia made waves with his song “Rich Men North of Richmond.” This track delves into the challenges confronted by everyday workers and critiques the elite’s influence over the masses.
Known as Oliver Anthony, his lyrics resonate particularly with conservatives. They praise it as a poignant representation of the working class, emphasizing the struggles of being burdened by taxes and the disparity caused by those exploiting welfare benefits.
Anthony’s performance video, set against the backdrop of a wooded deer stand, was shared on the “RadioWV” YouTube channel. Despite him being a new name in the music world, the video amassed an impressive 1.7 million views in just two days.
Further amplifying its reach, the video made its way to X, the platform previously named Twitter, garnering a staggering 2.5 million views there.
The full performance was posted to the YouTube Channel RadioWV. In roughly 48 hours, the original video has acquired 1.7 million views on YouTube, as of press time. It has also been viewed over 2.5 million times on X.
Anthony reportedly scrambled to create an account on X, where he has only posted three tweets thus far. In his first tweet, he responded to the success of his song.
“Rich Men North of Richmond has been uploaded to all major streaming platforms and will show up there in a few days. Im [sic] 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,” Anthony wrote, sharing a short clip of the song.
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 (@AintGottaDollar) August 11, 2023
The main theme of the song appears to be the divide between the elites and the average working-class American. He calls out Washington, D.C., in the chorus — labeling the politicians and bureaucrats as “rich men north of Richmond.”
Anthony declares that these “rich men” just want “total control” over the people — while also referencing Epstein Island in one line: “I wish politicians would look out for miners, and not just minors on an island somewhere.”
Alongside the very relatable and strong lyrics, Anthony’s unique voice has captivated his audience.
“God bless you! You are speaking for We the People. And WE love you,” tweeted former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R).
God bless you!
You are speaking for We the People. And WE love you.— Kari Lake (@KariLake) August 12, 2023
