Oliver Anthony is sharing his thoughts on his viral song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” being referenced in the first Republican presidential debate for the 2024 election. Anthony’s runaway hit has become so popular that it was a question during the debate on Wednesday (August 23), with moderator and Fox News host Martha MacCallum asking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “Why is this song striking such a nerve?”
“It was funny seeing my song at the presidential debate because I wrote that song about those people. So for them to have to sit there and listen to that, that cracks me up,” Anthony says with a laugh, filming a video from inside his truck. “That song was written about the people on that stage, and a lot more, too. Not just them, but definitely them.”
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 5 Things to Know About Oliver Anthony]
The Virginia native goes on to say that he feels the song that proclaims, These rich men north of Richmond / Lord knows they all just wanna have total control / Wanna know what you think / Wanna know what you do, has been “weaponized” and believes that some people have categorized the song as “an attack on the poor.” Anthony asserts that he stands in the center when it comes to politics and chooses not to identify with one party more than another.
“It’s hard to get a message out about your political ideology or your belief about the world in three minutes and some change,” he continues. “But I do hate to see that song being weaponized. Like, 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.”
After a video of Anthony singing “Rich Men” at a farmers market in Virginia went viral in August 2022, the song quickly shot to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The singer made history as the first artist to reach the pinnacle of the Hot 100 without ever having been on the chart before.
Photo Courtesy of YouTube
Most Viewed
-
Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images -
Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images -
Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images -
Photo by John Medina/Getty Images -
ARLINGTON, TX – Musician Eric Church (L) presents musician Kenny Chesney with the Milestone Award for First Fan-Voted ACM Entertainer Of The Year onstage during the 50th Academy of Country Music Awards at AT&T Stadium on April 19, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Kevin Winter/ACM2015/Getty Images for dcp) -
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Singer Kelsea Ballerini accepts her New Female Vocalist award onstage at the 4th ACM Party for a Cause Festival at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on April 1, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ACM) -
The Beatles on the set of 'Top Of the Pops', plugging their new single 'Paperback Writer'/ 'Rain', 16 June 1966. The group had previously appeared on the show but this was their only appeararance live in the studio. Left to right: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon. (Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images) -
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Guitarist Matt Pike of American heavy metal group Sleep performing live on stage at The Roundhouse in London on April 30, 2017. (Photo by Kevin Nixon/Metal Hammer Magazine/Future via Getty Images)