“Rich Men North of Richmond,” the song and video by red-bearded folk singer Oliver Anthony that’s gone viral thanks to its right-wing supporters and left-wing haters, shot up the iTunes Country chart, made headlines about its rise, and inspired a profusion of thinkpieces, with people’s reactions divided mostly along political lines. (Update: it’s actually now the #1 song in the US.) The song blames politicians and welfare for the struggles of the working class, and right wing figures like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Walsh have applauded it, with the latter calling it the “protest song of our generation.”
Billy Bragg, who knows a thing or two about writing protest songs about working-class struggles, has responded with a re-imagining of the song called “Rich Men Earning North of a Million” that suggests the answer to Oliver Anthony’s woes lines in forming a union. “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 writes. “‘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.” Here’s a lyrical excerpt in which Bragg addresses Anthony directly:
Know your culture wars are there to distract while libertarian billionaires avoid paying tax
You want to talk about bathrooms while the flood waters rise, the forest is on fire
They want to divide us because together we’re strong
Are you gonna take action now you sung your damn song?
You don’t like the rich man having total control
You better get the union to roll
Listen to Billy Bragg’s song below. He has shows in the UK lined up through December. See all dates below.
BILLY BRAGG: 2023 TOUR DATES
26 Aug 2023 Lyme Folk Weekend Marine Theatre, Church St, Lyme Regis DT7 3QB
27 Aug 2023 Shrewsbury Folk Festival 2023 West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury
15 Sep 2023 Vredenburgkade 11, 3511 WC Utrecht TivoliVredenburg – Pandora
16 Sep 2023 Turnhoutsebaan 286, 2140 Antwerpen, Belgium De Roma
20 Sep 2023 Apostelnstraße 11, 50667 Köln, Germany Gloria Theatre
21 Sep 2023 Kaiser-Friedrich-Ring 7, 65185 Wiesbaden, Germany Ringkirche
22 Sep 2023 Reeperbahn Festival Hamburg, Germany
24 Sep 2023 Järntorgsgatan 12–14, Gothenburg Pustervik
26 Sep 2023 Näckströmsgatan 8 Berns Berzelii Park, Stockholm 114 83 Sweden Berns
14 Nov 2023 Brighton Dome – Church St, Brighton BN1 1UE
15 Nov 2023 Portsmouth Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2AB
16 Nov 2023 Corn Exchange – 2 Wheeler St, Cambridge CB2 3QB
20 Nov 2023 Cyprus Avenue – Caroline St, Centre, Cork, Ireland
21 Nov 2023 The National Concert Hall – Earlsfort Terrace, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin, D02 N527
22 Nov 2023 Mandela Hall – 77 University Rd, Belfast BT7 1NF
24 Nov 2023 Tramshed – Clare Rd, Cardiff CF11 6QP
25 Nov 2023 Town Hall – Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ
26 Nov 2023 O2 Academy – 55 Cookridge St, Leeds LS2 3AW
28 Nov 2023 Usher Hall – Lothian Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2EA
30 Nov 2023 O2 Apollo – Stockport Rd, Manchester M12 6AP
01 Dec 2023 Sage Gateshead – Sage, St Mary’s Square, Gateshead NE8 2JR
02 Dec 2023 Rock City – 8 Talbot St, Nottingham NG1 5GG
05 Dec 2023 Bristol Beacon – Trenchard St, Bristol BS1 5AR
06 Dec 2023 The Roundhouse – Chalk Farm Rd, Chalk Farm, London NW1 8EH
07 Dec 2023 Clapham Junction, 21-25 St John’s Hill, London, SW11 1TT