Popular song as populist revolt

The Left has become obsessed with the astounding success of the previously unknown singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony (born Christopher Anthony Lunsford). His recent three-minute ballad “Rich Men North of Richmond” has earned much progressive invective. One unintended result of his critics’ disdain is that it serves as a reminder of why the Democratic Party lost long ago its former base in the white working class, which should be a source of shame for party members but often is not.

The hysterical leftist attacks on Anthony came quickly. Rolling Stone dismissed the song, calling it a “screed” filled with “Reagan-era talking points,” while New York magazine accused the lyrics of “cruel, reactionary sentiments” that “exploited white resentment.”