Lyrics:
https://genius.com/Oliver-anthony-rich-men-north-of-richmond-lyrics
[Verse 1]
I've been sellin' my soul, workin' all day
Overtime hours for bulls*** 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 s*** 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 five-foot-three and you're three-hundred 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 s*** 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 bulls*** pay
I can see how the jabs at vices of sloth and gluttony might trigger those who struggle with such sins, however I think in the balance he was venting frustrations that are broadly bipartisan about poor wage rates and political leaders who may be failing the average person
Blame the corporation making and marketing crappy food, not the person addicted to eating it
a lot of people oscillate in their arguments, like they wouldn't say it's ok a guy assaulted a woman just because she was wearing inappropriate clothing? but here personal responsibility for avoiding unhealthy food is not promoted?
...are you drunk? I feel like I can smell this comment.
You kind of sound like you’re arguing against yourself with your analogy. There is a at a minimum a degree of victim blaming when it comes to shaming people who are overweight. Food deserts exist, as does a massive marketing machine that promotes unhealthy food nonstop. Add the addiction aspect and no, I don’t assume someone is overweight solely because they lack conviction.
Could perhaps a charitable interpretation of the song be that there are some people on welfare who could work but choose not to (sloth) and choose to eat excessively when they could choose otherwise (gluttony), and that the musician is complaining about these specific people, and not people who may simply be overweight due to poisoning or unemployed due to bad luck?