These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just wanna have total control
—Oliver Anthony
* * *
Last week Oliver Anthony’s song “Rich Men North of Richmond” soared to number one on the charts. It broke multiple records. I read about it in the New York Times, the Guardian, and the Atlantic.
Meanwhile I was south of Richmond lounging with rich men (and women) on a spacious beach lined with five-story, air-conditioned McMansions sporting elevators, swimming pools, wet bars, hot tubs, and billiard rooms—the kind of houses I once castigated fat-cat Republicans for inhabiting.
And now I was in one. At least I felt (a little) guilty. Fat-cat Republicans don’t. I believe their word is entitled.
According to Anthony, rich men north of Richmond are ruining our country by neglecting “hard-working poor people like me and you who got nothing to eat. I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day, overtime hours for bullshit pay.”
I’m pretty sure he wasn’t referring to you and me. But still, amen, brother, for standing up for the working man. After all, CEOs make 400 times the average wage of workers. You’re standing in a noble tradition.
You load 16 tons, what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter, don’t you call me ’cause I can’t go. I owe my soul to the company store.
But wait.
Anthony, as it turns out, is the sudden darling of the right. Kari Lake, Majorie Taylor Greene, and The Donald love his song. THE GREATEST EVER.
How can that be?
It must be this sentiment: Rich men north of Richmond are using our tax dollars to provide fudge rounds to five-foot-three, 300-pound obese welfare recipients.
(Oh, come on, Oliver, that’s just plain mean!)
As it turns out, this is yet another white man’s grievance anthem. Poor, poor, pitiful me. Sure, many politicians can be cold-hearted, unscrupulous, unprincipled, dishonest, bought, and corrupt.
There’s that.
But there’s also this: Myopic men and women north, south, east, and west of Richmond vote for such people.
By the way, Oliver, if you look south of Richmond, say down to 1100 South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach, Florida, there is a rich man who adores you and given another chance will be happy to get this country under total control. His total control.
You think it’s bad now?
It could be a whole lot worse.
* * *
Yes, it will be a lot worse if he gets in. That’s why my granddaughter moved to Thailand.
The first time I heard this song was as a prelude to an essay by Robert Reich, a noted economist and not exactly the darling of the right wing. The next time I heard it was as a beginning to the first presidential Republican debate of last week. Interesting, isn’t it, how one’s perspective can color the use of the Oliver Anthony piece.
Yet his rage against the income inequality machine is valid and just. In fact, it has been a long-standing one. Special interests, not “we the people”, seem to attract the attention of many politicians. But it’s bigger than that reality, for it is a systemic injustice. While the rest of us sweat out our taxes, 60% of U.S. companies pay no income taxes. Corporate scandals (remember Enron?) have caused people to loose their pensions while CEO’s retire in luxury. Twenty years ago, CEOs paid themselves–on average—$7,452 an hour! So the “North of Richmond” crimes are much wider and deeper than one geographic area. May more of us wake up and become more enlightened before the next election of 2024, lest we continue in the same rut!
Grievance would seem to be the spirit and mood of our times. From the vigilante trope of Try That in a Small Town, bad intention rich folks living North of the Civil War capital of the South, and pretty much worldwide handwringing over the erosion of democracy, the environment, wars and rumors of war, and death writ small, large, and random.
I recall songs of my youth reflecting a different spirit and mood. The band Ocean released a cover of Anne Murray’s “Put Your Hand in the Hand” in 1971. I think it made it to number 2 on the hits chart. Number one was Joy to the World by Three Dog Night. A year before, it was “Everything’s Alright” (Jesus Christ Superstar).
Songs are powerful. Reflective of the times. Anthems for the hopeful and, as well, the hateful.
Anthony’s song is the quintessential blame game, which is why the MAGA Rs adopted it. The relentless (erroneous) message from their direction is that our country’s woes are not our responsibility but someone else’s, and these “others” (Ds by name) have let us down, again. Not even objectively accurate, not to mention psychologically unhealthy, btw.
So far, responsible Rs and all Ds have not been able to change this prevailing conservative R belief or dilute their projected rage. I find this very unsettling. I agree with your view. Apologies for being “Debbie Downer” today.
Thanks!! Great piece!! I left a long message, but maybe fortunately it wouldn’t take. This song is why culture is so important. We do love our contradictory myths in America. Violence against Americans is patriotic. Rapacious capitalism is democracy. Hate in the name of Jesus. Please let us tell the damn truth.
It was entertaining to see Anthony in various news stories all week pissing off both the left and the right, so there’s that.
I encountered a segment of an interview with Oliver Anthony where, he maintained that he hadn’t written the song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” expressly for the right-wing. However, he obviously seemed pleased with the rarified air to which the right-wing had currently elevated him. I too applaud songs that deal with the general neglect and use and abuse of the American working class. However, when I see clips of Trump rallies populated by folks with RVs and RV trailers pulled by $70,000 dollar trucks, I remain skeptical about the movement assumed victimhood of a “down trodden working class.” Remember January 6 and how people came into town flying and driving in from all over the country and then putting themselves up in DC hotels, while eating in restaurants. The same goes for vendors at Trump rallies. It’s an opportunity to make money, attend a “happening,” and have fun with a collection of similarly minded people. This phenomenon is often compared to gatherings that once surrounded Grateful Dead shows. I can’t help it, there’s just something innately fraudulent about the song, and glaringly alarming about a “working class” that is inspired and coalesced by an alleged billionaire, who is an authoritarian, populist, demagogue. “Rich Men North of Richmond” doesn’t compare, nor is it a substitute, for Woody Guthrie’s classics, “Pretty Boy Floyd,” “Pastures of Plenty” or “Deportee.”
I appreciate your piece, the reflections of others here, and feel the intensity of this moment in time… greed, untruths, neglect and blame all swirling about; at the same time valiant efforts by so many others – determined to keep their “eyes on the prize… hold on”.
Music touches truth & spirit… can uplift or fan the flames of hate.
I keep choosing life; hope; and knowing that throughout time these battles have been waged – and somehow, we are still here!! It could get worse – reading “Our missing Hearts”; remembering “Braiding Sweetgrass “… loving you all… thanks once again🙏🏼