Don’t you hate it when a song gets stuck in your head? And don’t you hate it even more when it’s a song that’s been adopted by tragic reactionaries as a call-to-action protest anthem? Unfortunately that’s what happened last week with the viral country song “Rich Men North of Richmond”. Recorded by complete unknown Oliver Anthony, it rails against taxes, “welfare cheats”, the obese. Endorsements duly rolled in from the right-wing media sphere: podcaster Joe Rogan said he “loved it”, while commentator Matt Walsh branded it “raw and authentic”. Since its release, it’s clocked over 30 million views on YouTube and has zipped to the top of the charts – first the iTunes country chart, then, in an unprecedented record for a previously uncharted artist, the very top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Fans of the song have hailed it as giving a voice to the disaffected working class; detractors have criticised it for dog whistle messaging. Leaving aside the politics, though, the song is… just not great. Musically, it’s fine. Anthony, a former factory worker and farmer who apparently lives off the grid in Virginia, has an unvarnished voice, and his guitar playing is competent. The tune is simple and melodic, if rather repetitive. But the words are where it comes unstuck. Lyrically, “Rich Men North of Richmond” is doggerel – an artless, blunt-force hissy fit.
