Oliver Anthony's 'Rich Men North Of Richmond' Song Goes Mega-Viral, Leads To Huge Crowds At Tiny North Carolina Farmer's Market Show

If there is one positive we can all agree on when it comes to social media is its ability to quickly share powerful stories and expose true authenticity. Oliver Anthony, a Farmville, Virginia native and his song 'Rich Men North of Richmond' going mega-viral over the weekend is the perfect example of that.

If you've scrolled Instagram more than five minutes the last few days there is a very good chance you've seen Anthony, his lengthy beard, and guitar on your screen. You've probably caught yourself shouting the song's opening line "I've been selling my soul" around the house as well.

Radio WV shared a clip of 'Rich Men North of Richmond' to Instagram and YouTube on August 9 and the video has garnered well over 10 million views combined on both platforms. Anthony's Instagram account has picked up 430,000 followers in less than a week's time as well.

The song, which was also shared by Joe Rogan on his own Instagram, speaks to the working-class American, the old soul's living in today's world, and the politicians North of Richmond, Virginia attempting to control everyday lives.

Shortly after Anthony's song went viral on social media, he announced that he would be playing a show at the Morris Farm Market in Barco, North Carolina on Sunday. Barco has a population of under 600 people, and all 600, plus a few hundred more seemed to show up for his show over the weekend.

Anthony struggled with mental health and coping with alcohol in the past and was about 30 days sober when Radio WV reached out and asked him to record a song for the YouTube channel. He agreed and gifted us with 'Rich Men North of Richmond.'

Rich Men North of Richmond Lyrics

You add Anthony's soulful tone singing these lyrics and it's not hard to see why people are loving the song.

I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all day
Overtime hours for bullsh-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 sh-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 sh-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 bullshit pay

It's safe to say we haven't seen the last of Anthony. This could end up being the music story of the year as it's clear that the man has a very bright future in the country music world.