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Rich Men North of Richmond: the song lyrics & meaning

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Rich Men North of Richmond is the sensational song released in August 2023, which went viral especially in the United States. A perfect example of how we all love country music, but not just that: the track shared by Oliver Anthony is a message for all those who represent the working class, whose life conditions are always so affected by how the world has evolved lately. Let’s explore the song’s meaning together: you will also have the complete lyrics at the end of this article.

You can watch Oliver Anthony’s Rich Men North of Richmond here on Youtube.

Rich Men North of Richmond: the song lyrics & meaning

The lyrics of Rich Men North of Richmond send an important message about the living conditions of the working class today. It’s a passionate song reacting against the way modernity has made life so hard.

The “Rich Men North of Richmond” in the title can refer to the politicians who run the United States (Washington DC is located about 100 miles north of Richmond) or, more in general, to the wealthy North that economically dominates the South, making life harder for those who live there. Oliver Anthony lives in Virginia and belongs to the farming world, so he knows very well how hard life can be there.

A lousy economy makes life harder for the whole working class. You are underpaid and forced to work a lot to get the minimum pay to pay bills. You dedicate your entire life to hard work, then you have nothing left. Is it really the way we are supposed to enjoy our lives?

I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bulls–t pay
So I can sit out here and waste my life away
Drag back home and drown my troubles away

We all know that things today are much more challenging than years ago. The cost of life gets higher and higher, and an average salary is no longer enough to make ends meet. The lyrics in Rich Men North Of Richmond don’t intend to propose solutions or identify who’s responsible. But for sure, those who make decisions in our society are not doing enough to protect the lower class.

It’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is

That’s what Oliver Anthony cannot accept. He considers himself a man with an old soul, raised with traditional values, knowing how life should be. And cannot see the world getting worse without saying anything. He demands those in power to do something. At some point, he mentions the politicians and how they focus on trivial matters while society deteriorates.

Livin’ in the new world
With an old soul
These rich men north of Richmond
Lord knows they all just wanna have total control

I wish politicians would look out for miners
And not just minors on an island somewhere
Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothin’ to eat

Songs like these are important indicators of how the world is changing. As always, artists can be the ones who see and say things loud, before the others. The meaning of the lyrics in Rich Men North of Richmond is clear: we are no longer willing to accept life conditions getting worse and worse. Someone needs to do something, or the entire Western society will die. Once upon a time, there was the American dream. Now, the dream is getting closer to how life is out of the capitalistic world.

Read other popular song lyrics and their meaning on Auralcrave

The complete lyrics

I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bulls–t pay
So I can sit out here and waste my life away
Drag back home and drown my troubles away

It’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is

Livin’ in the new world
With an old soul
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
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
‘Cause your dollar ain’t s–t and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond

I wish politicians would look out for miners
And not just minors on an island somewhere
Lord, we got folks in the street, ain’t got nothin’ to eat
And the obese milkin’ welfare

Well, God, if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds
Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds
Young men are puttin’ themselves six feet in the ground
‘Cause all this damn country does is keep on kickin’ them down

Lord, it’s a damn shame what the world’s gotten to
For people like me and people like you
Wish I could just wake up and it not be true
But it is, oh, it is

Livin’ in the new world
With an old soul
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
And they don’t think you know, but I know that you do
‘Cause your dollar ain’t s–t and it’s taxed to no end
‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond

I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day
Overtime hours for bulls–t pay

Published by Carlo Affatigato

Carlo has been a web content creator for over 10 years. He founded Auralcrave in 2015, envisioning it as a new space capable of offering different perspectives on topics that passionate all of us. With a scientific background, Carlo developed an interest in music, cinema, literature, and art at a young age, transforming it into a complementary dimension to his professional growth. For years, he was a music journalist specializing in electronic and dance music, writing for the most important Italian magazines (both online and print). Movies and TV series have been a true obsession in many phases of his life: during university, it was not uncommon for him to set the alarm in the middle of the night to watch classic films airing on TV. With the advent of the Internet, Carlo became a keen observer of web and social phenomena, addressing light topics such as advertising, trends, fashion, and general themes. He is the main author of Auralcrave and personally manages its social media, editorial line, book publication, resource management, and business expansion. A former engineer, life coach, husband, and father, he believes that every area of knowledge has interesting stories that deserve to be told and is convinced that doing so makes the world a better place.