The Sound Of The Soul. What’s Connecting Millions Of People?

We have spent the last few weeks pontificating on the effect that color and smell have on our minds. Some have called this our emotional and rational minds. Others call it our System 1 and System 2 processing. This week we move on to another sense, the sense of sound. Rather than look at some deeper scientific studies, we are focusing on what seems at this moment in time to be, what some might call, “lightning in a bottle,” Oliver Anthony’s song Rich Men North of Richmond, which, at the time of this blog, has had more than 15MM views on YouTube, 3.7MM plays on Spotify, and is number 1 on iTunes.

As an aside, currently Oliver Anthony also has the #2, #3, #11, and #13 songs on the iTunes Top 100. Not bad for a guy who, until a week ago, was posting videos from his cell phone to a crowd that could fit in an elevator of a high-rise hotel.

So, if you’ll allow me to share honestly for a moment, I’ll take that grace and reveal that if I were to hop in my DeLorean and travel back to this time last week, two things would be true:

1. I would be like most folks and have never heard of Oliver Anthony, and
2. I would never have known there are people making money on YouTube by listening to and reacting to videos, be it music, video games, politics, or the like.

But those two things? They both changed last Sunday evening. That’s how we got here, where I find myself writing a blog about a song that has struck a nerve with millions and millions of people throughout the world. Now, those reasons don’t have to be the same for everyone, but the effect seems to be visceral to many, myself included.

And to not spoil the “movie” or over-hype the upcoming Miami Hurricane season (where they’ll be defending their 20th consecutive offseason championship), here’s the video if you haven’t seen it. Fair warning: there are a few choice words in it, so maybe keep the volume down if you’re at work – trust me, the edited version just doesn’t hit the same.

‘Rich Men North of Richmond’

If you’ve now checked off number one from above and want to dive into number two, “Let’s go.”

My friends, “YouTube reaction videos” are real, and they exist in the world we live in. To be honest, I don’t know if I’m more surprised by the fact that I didn’t know they existed or that there might be as many reaction videos as there are views on Oliver Anthony’s video.

Well, upon discovering them and how this song and video hit, I went hunting for Peter Cottontail, and boy, did I find him!

As you might imagine, I discovered, most of the content creators probably didn’t come from the same background I did. It is highly unlikely that many of graduated from Mulberry High School in Imperial Polk County. While I can imagine some may have poorly written blogs – they probably prefer camera time, unlike yours truly. They might have musical talent (unlike me) and don’t shy away from tattoos (or a hundred of ’em). No matter our superficial differences, most of their reactions mirrored mine, and I loved watching their honest facial expressions as they experienced the sounds, the visual, the pain, the fear, the discontent, and the soul that seemed to scream out and resonate with them.

Here are but a few examples. There are so many more, and you can certainly chase your own bunnies on YouTube:

Heartbreaking Truth!!! Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond | REACTION *TEARS*

Oliver Anthony – Rich Men North Of Richmond Reaction | She’s Crying From The Pain

THE VOICE OF THE WORKING CLASS!!!! OLIVER ANTHONY – RICH MEN NORTH OF RICHMOND (REACTION)

First time hearing Oliver Anthony- “Rich Men North Of Richmond” *REACTION*

At the end of the day, this song shows how sound, soul, and authenticity can touch people of all different backgrounds, regardless of age, color, socioeconomic status. The perfect song can serve reach us all, in ways we may not even realize. And what does it have to do with marketing? “Nothing,” that’s what makes it so incredibly important at this moment. Sometimes, the most powerful messages aren’t crafted by marketing ‘geniuses,’ but are found in raw emotion that may take the form of an unforgettable image or a song, that speaks to each of us where we are.

Till next time.

P.S: If you want to see the lyrics they are below.

[Verse 1]

I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day

Overtime hours for bullshit pay

So I can sit out here and waste my life away

Drag back home and drown my troubles away

[Pre-Chorus]

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

[Chorus]

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 shit and it’s taxed to no end

‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond

[Verse 2]

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

[Verse 3]

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

[Pre-Chorus]

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

[Chorus]

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 shit and it’s taxed to no end

‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond

[Outro]

I’ve been sellin’ my soul, workin’ all day

Overtime hours for bullshit pay

P.P.S. Here are the links to the content created in the blog.

Oliver Anthony Music

Oliver Anthony Music – YouTube

Oliver Anthony Music – Spotify

OkayRickk

Instagram: OkayRickk

https://www.youtube.com/@Okayrick

ReactToTheWorld

https://www.youtube.com/@ReactToTheWorld

ShawnAndMel

https://www.youtube.com/@ShawnandMel4Life

#shawnandmel

VloggingWithGreg

Instagram: vloggingwithgreg

https://www.youtube.com/@VloggingWithGreg