Christopher Anthony Lunsford, who performs under the stage name Oliver Anthony, has become an overnight success with his country music song “Rich Men North of Richmond.” It’s climbed to the top of the charts, even mentioned in the first Republican debate. The Left hates it, though some progressive outlets, like The Nation, are more empathetic with the song’s overall message and lack of lefty populist rage. They may not agree with some of the song’s lyrics but admit that it’s gained popularity because it’s tapped into the economic frustrations that tens of millions of Americans feel, and Democrats are oblivious to it.
Yet, the political narrative has taken a life of its own, with some apparently thinking that Mr. Lunsford is a die-hard Biden supporter. He had to take to Instagram, where he said he’d be taking a step back from political posts but wanted to set the record straight about his song: It’s not pro-Biden. It’s not pro-Republican. Both parties are guilty of selling out the country. He has no warm feelings for the president, whom he calls part of the problem.
“Rich Men North of Richmond is about corporate-owned DC politicians on both sides…the lyrics aren’t exclusively knocking Biden. It’s bigger and broader than that. It’s knocking the system collectively,” he wrote.
He also posted to Facebook and YouTube (via The Hollywood Reporter):
In the video, the singer said, “It was funny seeing my song at that presidential debate. Because I wrote that song about those people, you know, so for them to have to sit there and listen to that, that cracks me up. It was funny kind of seeing the response to it.”
He continued, “That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden. You know, it’s a lot bigger than Joe Biden. That song’s written about the people on that stage and a lot more too, not just them, but definitely them.”
Earlier this week, Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” topped the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first song by an artist with no previous chart history to open at No. 1. Following the song’s release earlier in August, many Republicans have praised the track for its lyrics critiquing big government. But some liberals have also criticized the song, saying some lyrics promote negative stereotypes of welfare recipients.
The artist said it has been difficult trying to “get a message out about your political ideology or your belief about the world in three minutes and some change. But I do hate to see that song being weaponized, like I see. I see the right trying to characterize me as one of their own. And I see the left trying to discredit me, I guess in retaliation. That shit’s gotta stop.”
Later in the video, Anthony said he also needed to “address the left” because “they’re sending a message out that … ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ is an attack against the poor. If you listen to my other music, it’s obvious that all of my songs that reference class defend the poor.”
He added, “I do understand there may be some people who misunderstood my words in ‘Rich Men North of Richmond.’ But I’ve got to be clear that my message, like with any of my songs, it references the inefficiencies of the government because of the politicians within it that are engulfed in bribes and extortion.”
America’s populist moment didn’t end in 2020. It never left. And Democrats seem content with ignoring these people, while Republicans seem to forget that these voters didn’t flock to their camp because they’re such good messengers. The working class found them less condescending and provided an outlet to enact electoral revenge.
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