Rich Men North of Richmond

[ditcherman]

Personally, I think he's kind of a ****ing idiot to turn down an $8 million dollar music deal. Think of the good he could do for his loved ones and the reach he could have with his message. But reading his life story, it doesn't seem like good decisions are really his thing. Better to just have another beer and wallow in his misery, I suppose. At least the YouTube money will probably cover a new tarp for his trailer.

You think that the last offer he’s gonna get?
I think he’d be smart to not take it.

If he’s such an idiot, such a bad-decision-making drunk, why aren’t you on the charts? right back at ya.

“Not a sellout” is just what we need right now.

 

[bwframe]

There are tons of folks in the country music industry that can help him through this whole ordeal, including the mental health/addiction thing.

Folks like John Rich, Kid Rock and Arron Lewis come to mind. Hell, they may have already quietly voiced their support to him?


.

 

[ditcherman]

Formally introducing himself on Facebook.

View attachment 293531
View attachment 293532
View attachment 293533

I just keep seeing him focus on unity.
That’s where any power we may have over our government lies, at least any earthly power.

 

[Route 45]

You think that the last offer he’s gonna get?
I think he’d be smart to not take it.

If he’s such an idiot, such a bad-decision-making drunk, why aren’t you on the charts? right back at ya.

“Not a sellout” is just what we need right now.

Well for starters, I'm not a singer. Duh.

He's even surprised by the viral response. This wasn't the result of a good decision. It's an overnight sensation, like the Macarena.

And he says himself that he's a drunk.

Good decisions don't get you a $750 trailer with a tarp on the roof.

If you "need" a high school dropout whining about his job and blaming others, that's pretty pathetic.

INGO is starting to get a lot more "workers of the world unite" and a lot less "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" than I would have guessed. Maybe it's all a part of our new clown world, who knows? Does "conservative" even mean anything anymore?

 

[Twangbanger]

Well for starters, I'm not a singer. Duh.

He's even surprised by the viral response. This wasn't the result of a good decision. It's an overnight sensation, like the Macarena.

And he says himself that he's a drunk.

Good decisions don't get you a $750 trailer with a tarp on the roof.

If you "need" a high school dropout whining about his job and blaming others, that's pretty pathetic.

INGO is starting to get a lot more "workers of the world unite" and a lot less "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" than I would have guessed. Maybe it's all a part of our new clown world, who knows? Does "conservative" even mean anything anymore?

You're about to witness a PhD dissertation on pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, acted out in real life.

 

[ditcherman]

Well for starters, I'm not a singer. Duh.

He's even surprised by the viral response. This wasn't the result of a good decision. It's an overnight sensation, like the Macarena.

And he says himself that he's a drunk.

Good decisions don't get you a $750 trailer with a tarp on the roof.

If you "need" a high school dropout whining about his job and blaming others, that's pretty pathetic.

INGO is starting to get a lot more "workers of the world unite" and a lot less "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" than I would have guessed. Maybe it's all a part of our new clown world, who knows? Does "conservative" even mean anything anymore?

For one, he says he’s a repentant, recovering, struggling alcoholic. So kudos to you for kicking him when he’s down.
He’s still back at the ‘counting your change at Aldi’ part. Not for long, though.

Is this not the very definition of a dude pulling himself up by the bootstraps? The story’s not over yet.

 

[deo62]

Me thinks some folks around here have forgotten some of their bad decisions in life. By the grace of God, an inch here or a second there, they learned from it and pulled themselves up. Leave this young man alone, he’s trying

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Me thinks some folks around here have forgotten some of their bad decisions in life. By the grace of God, an inch here or a second there, they learned from it and pulled themselves up. Leave this young man alone, he’s trying

For awhile now I've noticed I'm a lot more patient with someone who is at least really trying.

 

[two70]

He is smart to keep the publishing rights to his music, if that's what he means by turning down $8M. There is no telling what that song would end up being used for. You don't want your song to end up pounding Bud Light beer commercials to death until people are sick of you. You want to incorporate your own publishing company and keep the rights to your music, and I'm sure a ton of people are telling him that.

I wish the guy all of the success and happiness in the world and I can appreciate someone betting on himself. I also respect the decision to turn down the money and the recording contract. However, IMO, he'll be extremely lucky if he isn't completely forgotten about within a year.

IMO, the music execs are not offering him contracts based on his vocal, musical, or lyrical talents, they are offering him contracts based on the hype he has generated because his one song resonates so well in the current political climate. He was fortunate to write a song that speaks to the frustration and anger so many people feel at the exact right time and place, the chances that he will be able to duplicate that are very slim though.

 

[Itchytriggerfinger]

He’s still back at the ‘counting your change at Aldi’ part.

They guy owns 90 acres. I doubt he's "counting change."

 

[ditcherman]

They guy owns 90 acres. I doubt he's "counting change."

Well, he has that 90 acres about a third paid off, still owes $60k on it. So he doesn’t own it. And it’s probably not an income producing property, unless you count ginseng and pot.

But, tell it to Rt45, he’s the one saying he’s so dumb and poor.

 

[DragonGunner]

They guy owns 90 acres. I doubt he's "counting change."

He said he bought a home for $97k and still owes $60k in it…and it’s a cheap camper he lives in. Just hit 21 million views YouTube. Think he is going to be just ok. The more I learn about him the more respect I have. And he probably doesn’t care about what anybody thinks. Think he has his eyes on higher powers.

 

[Magyars]

This guy continues to impress me

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/music/overnight-sensation-oliver-anthony-reveals-why-he-turned-down-125-million-deal/news-story/cc3782103be78082b72b7a7b0136024b

 

[littletommy]

Well for starters, I'm not a singer. Duh.

He's even surprised by the viral response. This wasn't the result of a good decision. It's an overnight sensation, like the Macarena.

And he says himself that he's a drunk.

Good decisions don't get you a $750 trailer with a tarp on the roof.

If you "need" a high school dropout whining about his job and blaming others, that's pretty pathetic.

INGO is starting to get a lot more "workers of the world unite" and a lot less "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" than I would have guessed. Maybe it's all a part of our new clown world, who knows? Does "conservative" even mean anything anymore?

So, I assume you’re an “educated” guy who has never made a bad decision? Post up a video of yourself doing something more impressive than what this guy has done!

You use the term “high school dropout” like it’s some big insult, but I personally wear it as a badge of honor. I didn’t play the game way back then, and I still don’t, and I’ve had a very happy and satisfying life. You, on the other hand, don’t sound like a very pleasant person to be around with all your condescending bull****.

 

[JCSR]

True colors coming out in this thread. Yeah the cream rises but some turds float.

 

[Route 45]

Conservatives don't know whether you want to bitch about people wanting to make a decent living wage (hurr durr $15 Big Mac) or cheer the guy who is literally bitching about ******** pay.

Who do you think is paying him his ******** wages? It ain't the rich men north of Richmond. Unless he works for the government, they don't control his pay. It's the greedy corporate ****s who half of you cheer on if anyone mentions worker rights or unions.

Check out some of the lyrics to his other song, "Ain't Got a Dollar." Basically, it's about how he doesn't care that he doesn't have any money, because he lives in the boonies and can smoke pot and make wine. Yeah, real go-getter.

Enjoy your new 15 minute hero. The rich men north of Richmond are laughing at you.

Maybe he should run for President.

 

[ditcherman]

Conservatives don't know whether you want to bitch about people wanting to make a decent living wage (hurr durr $15 Big Mac) or cheer the guy who is literally bitching about ******** pay.

Who do you think is paying him his ******** wages? It ain't the rich men north of Richmond. Unless he works for the government, they don't control his pay. It's the greedy corporate ****s who half of you cheer on if anyone mentions worker rights or unions.

Check out some of the lyrics to his other song, "Ain't Got a Dollar." Basically, it's about how he doesn't care that he doesn't have any money, because he lives in the boonies and can smoke pot and make wine. Yeah, real go-getter.

Enjoy your new 15 minute hero. The rich men north of Richmond are laughing at you.

Maybe he should run for President.

View attachment 293739

I’ve noticed every one of your posts is focused on the pay thing. There’s a lot more to the song than that. As a matter of fact, as a paycheck writer, not a paycheck getter, that line gives me pause as well. Makes my check myself, ponder if I’m being fair. I’m on record in here railing against crony capitalism. That is as much a part of the problem as big government. IMO they’re at least in bed together if not two different sides of the same coin.

I’d like to think Oliver’s focus is on how much withholding is taken out. I’m pretty sure he’s not a ‘living wage’ advocate, judging by the fudge rounds welfare line, and many other things he has spoken about.

For me, the song grabs almost in spite of the pay talk. And I have never been able to listen to country music, until last week.

No one’s saying you have to like the song. But you can’t just blanket cover those that do with ‘you’re all turning into commies’ (my words, not yours)* because of your reaction to one line in the song.
And I hope you can look past his pot smoking and whatever else to give him a fair shake if it turns out he can be a uniter for more than 15 minutes. I’m hopeful.


*see what I did there? Without the parenthetical I’m a hypocrite.

By the way, IMO you’re thinking that it’s only conservatives that love this may be wrong. Not sure you can get to number one on ITunes for a week and still going strong, and go from 150,000 listens on Spotify to almost 10 million in a week based on just conservative country music listeners.
I base my logic on the thinking that if that were true Bob Dole would have been beat by someone more conservative and we never would have even considered the Clintons or Obama, and Trump would still a business man in NY.
Just trying to say that the conservative base doesn’t seem that powerful to me, and that there is hope for unity among the people.

 

[Twangbanger]

Conservatives don't know whether you want to bitch about people wanting to make a decent living wage (hurr durr $15 Big Mac) or cheer the guy who is literally bitching about ******** pay.

Who do you think is paying him his ******** wages? It ain't the rich men north of Richmond. Unless he works for the government, they don't control his pay. It's the greedy corporate ****s who half of you cheer on if anyone mentions worker rights or unions.

Check out some of the lyrics to his other song, "Ain't Got a Dollar." Basically, it's about how he doesn't care that he doesn't have any money, because he lives in the boonies and can smoke pot and make wine. Yeah, real go-getter.

Enjoy your new 15 minute hero. The rich men north of Richmond are laughing at you.

Maybe he should run for President.

View attachment 293739

I get that you're butthurt a song you don't like resonates with people who don't agree with your solutions for the world's problems. But you're not adding anything constructive to the conversation, and are really just coming across as bitter.

O.A. has been artistically criticized here by multiple contributors for the apparent non-ownership of one's situation portrayed in that song. So you're being a little selective in your assessment. Part of my criticism is based on looking at the parts of my family that stayed behind in the Appalachian coal mining region. Public assistance and disability are a way of life there, and some of them see getting on Medicaid as an eventual "goal" in life. There are some extended family members I'm really, straight-up ashamed of, people who were raised to know better, but eventually succumbed to the siren song of government support.

You've constructed a nice two-part dichotomy between "worker rights and unions" and conservatism, which is not that clear-cut in real life. Donald Trump successfully put tariffs on China (which many on the WSJ side of the spectrum always said would lead to disaster), de-resourced what was perceived to be an anti-American WTO arbitration court, stopped the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal dead in its tracks, and worked diligently and innovatively to stem the tide of low-wage workers into the US, which undercuts domestic wages. These were all departures from the standard "Chamber of Commerce" conservative line and were designed to benefit domestic workers.

Meanwhile, some of your union bigs are busy supporting *more* immigrants because they think they can organize them.

I'm a big proponent of "paternalistic, well-regulated capitalism." I fully realize the greedy capitalist oligarchs want to grind the middle class under their boot heel. Oliver Anthony apparently does too. This is part of the reason why so many gravitate to Trump, not because he's perfect, but he's the only alternative people have seen that doesn't involve handing the country over to the loony anti-carbon Left, or the "Chamber of Commerce" GOP. The "standard Republican line" is indeed flawed, and Trumpian politics indicates people on the right realize that.

Unions did some good things for American workers, but we also have to accept they're the main reason the Oligarchs pursued Free Trade in the first place. Factory Unions (which is the type of unions we're talking about, when discussing jobs unskilled people at the bottom can actually do) went too far on things like Seniority and may places not being able to competitively rate people on their work performance. Generations of executives came up through the ranks seeing the damage that does, and American Capitalism simply sent the jobs elsewhere (for that reason and others), and it continues to this day. They would have eventually figured out a way to do it anyway, but the excesses of factory unions pushed the gas pedal to 90mph and caused it to happen in a shorter time that was harder for communities to adjust to.

"Your answer" is not the only one that exists. Your favored ideas of Unions and "Working Wages" need a bit of a tune-up before they can be accepted by large numbers in this country. This nation still has a lot of reasonable people who realize productivity, self-reliance, and work ethic count for a lot in improving people's situations. They are critical of "Working Wage Laws" and Universal Basic Income because it gives government too direct a role in the DNA of our economy. I can't speak for others, but I still want people to have to compete against each other, because it's an "unpleasant but necessary" concession to reality which is better than the alternative. I just want that "competitive game" to be heavily "rigged" with regulations restricting the ability of Oligarchs to walk away with everything. What I'm calling "your side" just wants to do away with the game altogether, and put Washington directly in charge by substituting the government into the negotiating position of the worker. I simply disagree and think that will be a disaster.

Your "$15 Big Mac" is already on its way to happening. Fast food places right here in the Midwest are now _voluntarily_ paying the kind of wages we used to only argue about. It didn't require a "Working Wage Law" to make it happen. Employers eventually saw the reality of the marketplace, and did what they had to do to keep operating. We didn't need Federal Intervention on that. (I think a lot of things like Carbon and Global Warming will be the same way, if we would just give the market a chance instead of shoving Davos down our throats).

 

[littletommy]

I’ve noticed every one of your posts is focused on the pay thing. There’s a lot more to the song than that. As a matter of fact, as a paycheck writer, not a paycheck getter, that line gives me pause as well. Makes my check myself, ponder if I’m being fair. I’m on record in here railing against crony capitalism. That is as much a part of the problem as big government. IMO they’re at least in bed together if not two different sides of the same coin.

I’d like to think Oliver’s focus is on how much withholding is taken out. I’m pretty sure he’s not a ‘living wage’ advocate, judging by the fudge rounds welfare line, and many other things he has spoken about.

For me, the song grabs almost in spite of the pay talk. And I have never been able to listen to country music, until last week.

No one’s saying you have to like the song. But you can’t just blanket cover those that do with ‘you’re all turning into commies’ (my words, not yours)* because of your reaction to one line in the song.
And I hope you can look past his pot smoking and whatever else to give him a fair shake if it turns out he can be a uniter for more than 15 minutes. I’m hopeful.


*see what I did there? Without the parenthetical I’m a hypocrite.

By the way, IMO you’re thinking that it’s only conservatives that love this may be wrong. Not sure you can get to number one on ITunes for a week and still going strong, and go from 150,000 listens on Spotify to almost 10 million in a week based on just conservative country music listeners.
I base my logic on the thinking that if that were true Bob Dole would have been beat by someone more conservative and we never would have even considered the Clintons or Obama, and Trump would still a business man in NY.
Just trying to say that the conservative base doesn’t seem that powerful to me, and that there is hope for unity among the people.

I agree with what you’re saying, but to me, his posts focus more on “I’m smarter than everyone else”.

 

[Leadeye]

I remember Hank Jr''s "Survive" song back in the 80s, but don't remember this much contention. Times change.