I’ve probably had 25 folks send me links to a song written by Oliver Anthony. His anthem has burst the Youtube charts, and he is now no. 1 on iTunes, even getting praise from the titan of podcasts, Joe Rogan.
He tells the story of singing to 20 people a few weeks ago and filling over 20 acres of cars after his song became a national sensation. He should sign something in the next few days or weeks. If you haven’t seen it, I’d encourage you to do it. It does contain some language, but the language can be justified. It’s an economic manifesto, or just a country-boy speaking his mind.
“Rich Man North of Richmond” tells the story of a man “selling my soul, workin’ all day” and “livin’ in the new world with an old soul.” I was struck by this use of language because it reflects a unique sense of contrast between two worlds. One world, led by rich men in D.C., act as members of the elite with little to no regard for the actual state of affairs among the populace. They tout their badges of honor and high-dollar dinners while the hard-working men work daily only to watch their dollar lose value and taxes increase “to no end.”
The other world is the average individual, fixed in his duties to God, family, church, living an ordinary life, interacting with his ordinary neighbors, and his ordinary wife and children. That person is in tune with the realities of life. He is watching a new world unfold like a nightmare while the totalitarians from North of Richmond keep making nefarious deals with Chinese businessmen using their lunch breaks to snort cocaine in fancy halls at the White House.
Oliver Anthony is not making any new insight into the political world. His observations are common and raw. He is not engaging deep thought or reshaping theoretical discourse. He does not need to do that in our day. All major institutions have forsaken the capacity to articulate true truth to some degree or another. So, Oliver comes along and simply puts into music the reality that there are two worlds. And those of us who long for the old world of common sense, political accountability, and decency can see evil’s unfailing love affair with certain distinguished humans in Washington. We don’t like it, and we wrote a song about it. How you like them apples!?
Call it what you want, but Oliver is a touch of common decency and a bit of the right cultural insurrectionist. It truly is amazing what standing up will do to bolster confidence in the good and a growing distaste for suited charlatans.
