While at least one of my colleagues is adamant about Billy Bragg's uncanny ability to write the perfect love song, the singer-songwriter is probably more widely known for his socialist protest anthems. Maybe love is inherently a protest.
Conversely, there's been this trend in country music where controversial songs expressing not-exactly-Liberal beliefs become the talk of the small town you shouldn't try that in. The latest comes from a previously-unknown Virginia upstart named Oliver Anthony, who has gone viral for a tune called "Rich Men North of Richmond."
The song — about the sad state of the working class, placing the blame on politicians for his hard-earned money being taxed to pay for the healthcare of obese people supposedly using welfare checks to buy fudge rounds — has been adopted by right-wing influencers, and has debuted at No. 1 on this week's Billboard Hot 100. (Anthony has said that he sits "pretty dead centre on politics" and declined requests for interviews, according to The Guardian.)
With all the warmth in his heart, Bragg has responded to the viral track with his own, entitled "Rich Men Earning North of a Million." Subverting Anthony's song structure, the musician/activist points out "where the problem really lies": "If you form a union, you'll soon find / That working people are all of one kind / So we ain't gonna punch down on those who need / A bit of understanding and some solidarity."
"Since I saw that clip of Oliver Anthony singing his song 'Rich Men North of Richmond,' the ghost of Woody Guthrie has been whispering in my ear," Bragg wrote in the description of his YouTube upload. "'Help that guy out,' Woody keeps telling me. 'Let him know there's a way to deal with those problems he's singing about.' So today I sat down and wrote this response to Mr. Anthony's song, for people like him and people like you."
Even before the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike took centre stage, Bragg was on the picket line with striking Starbucks workers in Buffalo last year. Listen to his take on the song below.
Bragg's most recent album remains 2021's The Million Things That Never Happened.
Conversely, there's been this trend in country music where controversial songs expressing not-exactly-Liberal beliefs become the talk of the small town you shouldn't try that in. The latest comes from a previously-unknown Virginia upstart named Oliver Anthony, who has gone viral for a tune called "Rich Men North of Richmond."
The song — about the sad state of the working class, placing the blame on politicians for his hard-earned money being taxed to pay for the healthcare of obese people supposedly using welfare checks to buy fudge rounds — has been adopted by right-wing influencers, and has debuted at No. 1 on this week's Billboard Hot 100. (Anthony has said that he sits "pretty dead centre on politics" and declined requests for interviews, according to The Guardian.)
With all the warmth in his heart, Bragg has responded to the viral track with his own, entitled "Rich Men Earning North of a Million." Subverting Anthony's song structure, the musician/activist points out "where the problem really lies": "If you form a union, you'll soon find / That working people are all of one kind / So we ain't gonna punch down on those who need / A bit of understanding and some solidarity."
"Since I saw that clip of Oliver Anthony singing his song 'Rich Men North of Richmond,' the ghost of Woody Guthrie has been whispering in my ear," Bragg wrote in the description of his YouTube upload. "'Help that guy out,' Woody keeps telling me. 'Let him know there's a way to deal with those problems he's singing about.' So today I sat down and wrote this response to Mr. Anthony's song, for people like him and people like you."
Even before the WGA/SAG-AFTRA strike took centre stage, Bragg was on the picket line with striking Starbucks workers in Buffalo last year. Listen to his take on the song below.
Bragg's most recent album remains 2021's The Million Things That Never Happened.
