Oliver Anthony said in a video response that he « hates » the way his lyrics are being « weaponized. »
Singer Oliver Anthony came out with a critical response to the way his viral hit « Rich Men North of Richmond » was used on Wednesday when the song was played at the beginning of the in Milwaukee and prompted the first question by Fox News moderator Martha MacCallum.
« The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up into this, » Anthony says in a 10-minute video released on YouTube.
The song — which describes a deep divide between wealthy and poor Americans — shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week, making him the first artist to do so without having any prior chart history. The 31-year-old country singer is based in Farmville, Virginia, but it wasn’t until a video of his performance posted to WV Radio’s YouTube, which features country, bluegrass and folk musicians in Appalachia, went viral and his musical career took off.
« It was funny seeing my song at the presidential debate, » Anthony says in the video, « because I wrote that song about those people. »
During the debate, MacCallum begins her first question by describing the No.1 hit and saying Anthony’s lyrics « speak of alienation, of deep frustration with the state of government and of this country, » adding, « Washington, D.
