"I wish politicians would look out for miners, not just for minors on an island somewhere" That one goes past a lot of people, but is one of the hardest lines in the song!
It's not that it goes by them, it's just them not wanting to come to grips with the fact that a CRAP ton of our politicians both men and women are a bunch of pebos.....which then requires action other than talking, which they cant do.... so they go back to sleep wishing it wasn't true. I feel for them alittle, it's maddening walking around daily trying to not go feral. Since our entire system of living is fake and ran by evil humans who protected themselves against losing their power by creating laws and a policing class. It's hard out here.😅😂 But i agree with you that's def the hardest line.💯
Absolutely spot on. I posted similar thoughts. The island “caring” he is talking about is not the caring we normal people think of. It is absolutely the “hardest line in the song”. Couldn’t agree more.
When a singer so beaten and frustrated that he is about to cry, that is what it sounds like. The way he uses those sounds when your voice breaks from emotion is just beautiful.
100% d'accord. Ce chanteur est un choc culturel. Il est capable de réveiller des émotions profondes. Surprenant. Qui plus est, les paroles sont puissantes. A suivre.
The reason this man's voice appeals to me is because it feels like a regular blue collar guy who has just had enough and decided to sing about it. It doesn't need to be refined or more efficient. He embodies a feeling and the wish of spoken words of millions of men just like me, fed up with a broken system in a broken world.
He said he was contemplating suicide. And if he was really going to leave this world, he wanted to leave something behind. So he recorded his first songs on his android phone and just let it go. Cut to turning down 8 mil. Just insane. Never give up.
I think the "five foot three" line is right where the emotion of the song switches from sadness to anger and I absolutely love that you can feel the emotion change.
@@youtubeconnollyfamily No, that line (Young men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground 'cause all this damn country does is keep kickin' them down) is about the extremely high suicide rate among young men and how large portions of our society keeps treating them shit, blaming all the world's problems on them, constantly putting them down, etc. and he's positing that's the reason why they're killing themselves in record numbers. In reality there are a lot of factors, but that's certainly one of them and could partly explain the more recent increases in the last 10-15 years.
@@Kat957 thank you very much for explaining that to me. That makes more sense. Once again, I appreciate you explaining that.🙏 I got four young kids dude. Life is so damn difficult right now. It’s hard. It really is. This song always hits hard.
If you thought this one hit you, give "I want to go home" a listen. That one really hits different for anyone that has ever really wanted to just "go home"
Yes and I would add for those who may not know, when he says "I want to go home", he's asking God to take him. When you realize that that's what he means it's heart breaking. I would have to say that I thought his song "I want to go home" is equally as good as this one...maybe even better.
This song is for anyone and everyone who gets out of bed every day and tries to make an honest living in a world where dishonest people make the rules and rig the system in their favor. It's never been more clear that politicians serve their corporate masters instead of the people who elect them. This song gives a voice to the frustration we all feel over how broken the system is. Your analysis of his voice and the authenticity in it is spot on. That's why it has stirred the souls of so many of us. Just perfectly written and sung.
@rockykimpel I've been there. I'm fortunate enough to be pretty financially secure now. But I was a self-employed carpenter from 2006 until 2012. The housing crash of 2008 crippled my business. It was so bad that I had to borrow money from finance companies just to pay my bills. It's an awful feeling to look your children in the eye and not know how you'll afford to pay for groceries or keep the power turned on. I'm not saying this to take anything away from your struggle. I just want you to know that I understand how you feel and that there is hope. I was lucky enough to get a job at a nuclear power plant in 2012. I started out working for a vendor. But in 2019, I hired in with the power company itself. I'm 43 now, and for the first time in my adult life, I'm financially secure. So don't let this bullshit break you. Cry, scream, shout in anger, or whatever you need to do. It's OK to do all those things. I've done them, too. Just don't give up, whatever you do. Better days may be ahead. Best of luck to you, brother
His instrument is a resonator. And his language and tone also resonate. When three or more things resonate in a moment it becomes something more. Well done! As an artist and in general. His reflection has touched many on a level beyond a song.
This is proof that the radio is full of songs that nobody thinks twice about. Songs with expensive production, professional booths... and here's a guy who puts his heart out there with a guitar and a microphone and it hits harder than all of them. Because the message is so powerful. I love this track!
Yes, I loved the line "I wish politicians would look out for miners And not just minors on an island somewhere" Fuck those minors being trafficked, what about the coal miners!??
It would've been good if he just stuck to the message of politicians being awful... but then he had to throw in the typical disdain for the poor nonsense that "conservatives" love so much... talented musician, garbage song with a garbage message.
@@MLL2704what distain for the poor are you talking about? He is(well was) poor. He’s singing about the frustration of working his ass off, for people who tell you you’re easily replaceable and have zero respect for you. While the politicians don’t care about helping anyone but themselves. The frustration is about people who put zero effort into helping themselves, yet get paid to stay home and do nothing. Speaking for myself, I am proud to work hard and take care of my family, help my community and people I decide for myself are worth helping. Poor has little to do with it, it’s effort and entitlement that is the issue. I hope this helps you understand the perspective of which this song was written.
Holy cow, towards the end of your video when you talk about imperfections making music human, and that’s why music can portray so much emotion… spot on. As silly as it sounds, the example I always give is the song Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys. In the second or third verse, they all start laughing and kinda make a mess of the lyrics. But it’s so… charming(I guess), that it makes the song what it is. Bottom line, perfect is lame…most of the time lol
@@MLL2704this may be no sense to you, and in ways it may even be nonsense to me, but for literally millions of your fellow citizens it's day to day life. Rural America is a fraction of the size it once was, and millions and millions of people walk their cleared walking and jogging trails in massive cities never giving a thought to what life has become in rfd land, and much of what it has become is as a result of political decisions made in Washington that rural America has less and less input on. People live their lives in their urban jungles or cozy suburbs never giving a thought to the people who work with their backs making life in their cities liveable. These people earn less, work harder, and die younger than most groups in America and contrary to your claims, they come both in liberal and conservative flavors, despite you trying to pigeon hole them into a nice package where you can dismiss them. The part about mines and politicians is relevant because industry and politicians deemed those miners and their products essential for the nation up until a point where they were deemed useless and then went about passing legislation that closed down the jobs they had spent a lifetime working, and left those areas to fend for themselves where there were no other alternatives. Yes times were changing but change cones slowly and it was government that drove the final nail in their coffins before it would have otherwise come. The same has happened in farming communities where government policy directly affects whether or not farms are profitable. Urban jungles can survive without the miners they kicked to the curb while offering previous little in ways to survive without mining. Government policy or lack there of has also affected farming by allowing corporations like Monsanto to force farms into paying for their genetically modified seed because the wind blows pollen across various fields and Monsanto shuts down any farm that saves it's own seed because they claim copyright infringement because every strain of corn now shows Monsantos genetics if tested. Every rural industry is under pressure, from foreign products, corporate players who simply want to eliminate competition, and politicians who see just another source of revenue, and another industry to regulate that it knows nothing about. Attitudes like yours is precisely why someone like a former President struck a nerve. These people come from the fly over states that provide you with everything that makes life in the city possible. There may not be as many of them as there were when I helped my grandparents out up vegetables for the winter because they couldn't afford store bought food, feed cattle, harvest various crops, and sleep with the windows open in Texas during the summer because they had no AC until 1990 when my grandmother was in her late 80s. Hard work was never complained about, but government policy and nonsense regulation was. The message is real for many and if ignored it will ultimate cost liberals and conservatives who are too busy making sure their agendas don't cross paths.
Think song hits hard not just in the US but around the world I'm from England and it relates so much I cry everytime I hear it which is quite a few times a day!
You make a great point. This plaintive song has lyrics that are so full of truth that is not just a regional or national set of problems; people throughout the world are exploited daily by "rich men" who want to control us. "It's a damn shame... for people like me, people like you, (and for people from other countries and cultures, too). It's the (not so New) World Order. I'm a Southern American from Texas, and a traditionalist in my values--an "old soul" also. This song hits me"hard". Thank you for helping me to understand music with your evaluations. I am lacking in any formal musicoly education, so I appreciate your expertise! You educate me and give me a better understanding and appreciation of vocalists of different genres. Thank you for that! At the same time, I find your emotional reactions are freely shown like a song should allow. That is most refreshing in a person so highly educated in music as you are. I am your fan!
This is what emotional pain sounds like. This man was in pain and had no where to turn, so he turns to this song and moves all of his pain into it, and that's why it hits hard. Anyone who understands even a tenth of what he's saying and feeling recognizes this and it hits them in their soul.
A friend of Dan Bongino approached him to write this song, recorded it, and put it on every right wing show he could. They're very desperate to be relevant and accepted by the "elites" they pretend to hate. Oliver is a good singer but the reaction to the song started very artificially.
My understanding was that he actually tore into the conservatives for using his song because he wrote it about them. He described himself as being a centrist politically.
@@roywarnerfilms I would agree he's probably on the conservative side in idealistic terms, but wants nothing to do with the modern GOP (see the "total control" line in the chorus). And don't forget that while he's angry about welfare abuse, he's also angry about people starving on the street. It's not a partisan song -- it doesn't mention much in the way of how to fix any of these problems, which is where our differences lie -- which is why it resonates with so many.
Elizabeth... this is pretty much the most you have ever spoken about the contents of a song, instead of mostly the technique involved. I freaking love it!!!
He doesn't over-sing it, didn't try to polish it up, doesn't try to fool us...he just does what he does. I also like how he doesn't try to cover up his Virginia mountain accent.
I invite you to some of his internet interviews. Oliver Anthony, real name is Chris Anthony, his grandpa was Oliver , that said , his interviews are stunning. He is very articulate , well spoken. I am just an older rock guy , did it for 30 years. I made a wage, and this is not Country Music. It is 'World Music'. This guy is the real deal.
It’s interesting - many singers have a very strong accent in their speaking voice that doesn’t come through when they sing. Think Mick Jagger, The Beatles, etc. Chris appears to go the other direction. I think his singing channels old time bluegrass. It’s not entirely a mountain accent either - he’s from Piedmont Virginia, not the mountains. Listen to Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show and you’ll hear a very similar accent (he’s from Charlottesville, VA if I remember right).
@@chipsterb4946 I moved from Utah to Kentucky 23 years ago. When I talk to friends or relatives in Ut, occasionally they will comment about my accent. Yet, I still get kentuckians asking where I'm from. When asked "why do you ask"?, usually the answer is "I could tell by your accent". I guess I'm stuck in the middle between western slang and appalactia somewhere.
It’s no secret why he has done what he’s done. He’s vocalizing what we all feel. My voice wavers and pitches every day trying to vent my frustration with what we are dealing with
I adore the American folk tradition (I am not American) and this young man is a blistering addition to it. 'I Want To Go Home' and 'I've Gotta Get Sober' are even more striking.
@@PuckTheFenguinsYou mean all modern music. The list of music genres born from outside the US, is pretty small, and certainly insignificant, in Western culture.
I love that you pointed out the importance of imperfection in music. I think it's the reason vinyl records have made such a comeback, people don't want perfection, they want to hear the "real" sound because they can connect to it.
I also love vinyl. I've found that the imperfection is an appealing part of many things. Hand made items as an example. Old engines not running as perfect as a new one as another (think muscle cars or even hit and miss motors).
I do like that part about listening to records as well but the main reason I started collecting records is because I had a meet and greet with sick puppies which was kind of lame because they didn’t say a word to anyone and people who worked for the band said we had to buy merch for them to sign so I bought a record. Then when bad wolves opened up for five finger death punch back when Tommy was still the vocalist. They were selling signed records for $30 so I bought one. Then Diamanté was selling personalized records for cheap so I bought one of those. After that I decided to start a record collection. It’s pretty fun for me to collect!
He skyrocketed faster than the establishment’s censors could keep up. Now they are powerless to erase him. He is saying exactly what the majority of us are thinking and feeling, but feel powerless to express. Censors and cancellation activists are everywhere and taking down so many honest posts. We used to have free speech in this country, but apparently no longer. But an American style reckoning is coming, sooner than most people are willing to believe. So keep your powder dry! If you want to really understand the growing movement taking place across the country, go ahead and examine Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town”. And take a look at how the establishment has tried to take him down with all manner of false allegations.
He's just smart enough to know he doesn't need them. He knows he's making more money by owning his music and putting it out on his own. It's not that he doesn't want the money. He's making a massive amount of money on this song right now.
@@Im_Old_Greggkind of true. Most upcoming artists need to marketing and promotions for stability because they will blow their earnings on luxuries and “consumables.” This man deserves to reap his rewards but it’s almost impossible to imagine he will leave his humility behind him.
@@zaccarter3801 I certainly hope he keeps ahold of who he is. It's his humility and authenticity that made him blow up. It seems like he has his head on straight though. He's smart to not get involved in the music industry folks. They would only ruin everything that made him become so popular
Damnit... i lve listened to this song like 20 times today, and it makes me tear up everytime. Im a 38 year old combat veteran, married with three kids and this song is such a gut punch.
Which branch? I've never served myself, but my best friend is a non-combat Marine Corps vet. I know that armed service is gnarly, regardless! Just curious
What I love most about this song is how reactors are opening up about their own lives. By laying himself bare, he’s invited intimacy across a huge swath of people.
It's great because it's not just the "reactors" reacting. It's near everyone opening up, thus why it's become such an overnight hit. We can all relate to this song, often on deep levels. It's rare to find someone who once wasn't going through rough times in their lives and seeing just how much taxes take from your paycheck when you're already struggling to make ends meet. I still haven't paid my 2020 taxes because I just don't have the money to pay and I don't know what I can do about it since I'm still struggling in this declining state of society.
@@annelliott3810 God has nothing to do with this. This is simply a man singing about his point of view. You don't need to involve a deity every time somebody breaks the mould or speaks the truth. I respect your belief and may god bless you, but please recognise actual humanity when you see it.
I may be biased because I'm from there, but the way people from this little belt of Appalachia sing just touches the soul in such a way. It may also have to do with how music from this region often focuses on the extreme hardships we face as people and persevering through poverty and opression. I can't believe I used to be ashamed of my accent and where I come from. We have such a rich and deep history and culture here that is so unique.
As someone from the similar area it's true it is true. Most people don't realize how much this area has contributed to our country over the years. They don't realize that our area has held up the country for a long time. There is a lot that this country would not have if it wasn't for our area.
Also it's not Appalachian music technically 😅... Even he he said it himself.. He is Piedmont born and raised not Appalachia, he also said he doesn't deserve to claim anything with Appalachian music and gave credit to the people of the Appalachian music scene he said that there's many gifted folks out there doing their thing further west of him. It's one of several assumptions that people have taken and run with since his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” went viral. Piedmont/Farmville is a bit too far east to be labeled Appalachia. He was born and raised in the Piedmont area of Virginia and currently resides in Farmville, VA just saying. But I hear ya 😅
Not just you being biased. I'm from up North in Quebec and the amount of artist that I've discovered lately and learned they were from the Appalachian region is just baffling. Truly great folk music!
I'm from New Zealand.. long way away from Appalachia. The accent has nothing to do with what makes the song resonate. The honesty behind the meaning of the words he selected is truly universal. But I'm in no way saying you shouldn't be proud of where you came from.. cause I know I am
I’ve mentioned this on other reactions. As a 54 year old Veteran who has been working since 7, this song resinates with Me and easily does to so many who work so hard, and never seem to make ends meet. It is a song that puts Me to tears. When I was younger, it was anger. Now, it’s just sadness and pain. Working hard while those proclaimed above tell you that everything is your fault, we are taking from you, and (insert insult) because I may believe something different than you. Sit down and shut up. The song hits home for so many. Thank You for sharing.
I'm right there with you. I've worked since I was 11 starting with my father painting houses. I worked my self to the bone and at 39 can barely walk and I'm stuck in a state I hate because the cost of living here is so damn high I can barely make it thought the month oh and I have to take care of my elderly mother because my sister is M.I.A. and my brother couldn't give a damn. Yes this song hits me hard and I break down every time I listen to it because that's soooo much how I feel. I just don't know what to do to get away from the hell whole I live in.
I'm sure there's a bunch of people out there that don't believe and understand that some of us have work hard for a living eight or nine years old. And it wasn't for candy money either. I started working at a local fruit market at about 8 and later at a bakery and moving furniture and it continued till this day and at 57 years old I still can't get any dental work done and I still have to budget every single grocery list and wonder where the money's going to come from for the next vet bill. Personally I don't go to a doctor, don't have cable, and my only bad habit is cigarettes. I don't know where everybody else gets their money for new cars and cable and steaks and fudge rounds when I know they don't work for a living but I sure can't manage to get any of it. Finally found a niche about 3 years ago that I thought I could do until my ripe old age and guess what. My local government is claiming that they could have monopolies on the business because they are the government. And they're trying to squeeze me out of business. Many of us work hard for a living and some of us have worked hard for a very long time and just can't seem to catch a break.
It's like he's playing on your front porch, echoing exactly the way most of us feel right now with pure emotion, not filtered out by production. Instant legend in my book!
I know this is a year old an no one will probably see this but this is my favorite video so far. Having a song that makes you think of your own life, pain and frustration is a gift. Seeing someone else feel it in front of me as well helps. Especially a professional that appreciates the quality of the music and loves it.
One of my favorite moments in that clip is how the dog looks up at the singer during the emotional ending there. Dogs may not always understand our words, but they do connect to our emotions extremely well, I am convinced of that.
The people who get it are who this was written for... like him. I don't know why political pundits try to explain it to us when they do not get it... if you've read or seen those out of touch reviews... they don't get it... they never will. Enjoyed your review of this and breaking down the voice science
I have worked hard most of my life but still not sure if we are going to have enough for retirement when I not able to work. I worry for my children as well. the government doesn't care for any of us.
Wait until you hear his song 'I Want To Go Home', I still can't get through it without crying and I've heard it dozens of times! What a talent and voice for 'We the People' in this corrupt system we are all suffering under.
A mixture of raw, broken anguish and hopeless, bitter fury at a system that crushes the little people while enriching a small group of parasitic elites. The kind of song that starts movements. I know many people suffering through some variation of his plight, and this song breaks my heart every time. I so appreciate that you get it - it looks like you're about to cry sometimes. I live about 30 minutes from his home in Farmville, and I can't tell you how many people around here feel the same way.
This is a musical bar fight. The opening salvo it’s just relentless. Then it takes a break and you’re anticipating a lull in the action but what you don’t realize is the next round is on its way and it’s even more violent. I absolutely love this song! Perfect delivery. The break down really helps open up the nuances.
what this dude did with this song number 1 on all the charts when it's filmed from a phone and everything..without a record label and I don't even think the guy played a single concert, it's incredible, and he's still putting out hits, and it's not fluff lyrics either, no shock and awe or sex appeal selling this, this is the power of music and what music's supposed to be
Not to detract at all from the absolute telent and hard work going on there, but I think it also has something to say about the state of things in our country right now. These big labels have all the money in the world to bring together some of the most highly regarded and compensated artists and have them create songs designed to be fun and intriguing (sex, money, drugs,etc), spend millions advertising it and getting it to as many ears as possible... and the people would still rather listen to a phone recording of some random dude in the woods singing about working folks problems. People are waking up to just how regularly and thoroughly our current system is screwing us. For years I've complained that popular music from before I was born talked about the real problems in our society, but sometime in my childhood (late 90's) it felt like popular music switched to always being about falling in love, being in love, breaking up, sex, having money, just dancing, and there's just no more popular music pointing a big finger directly in the face of all these horrible systemic problems. I am very much hoping this is the first of MANY good honest songs to hit the charts this hard.
@@TheAwesomes2104 I agree with you for the most part. Modern music really became soulless. Look up The Defiant. Still very new, but exploring these themes. I do hope more singers follow Oliver Anthony's lead....we need these subjects explored culturally.
Oliver's music just hits straight into the center of the heart. I Want to Go Home is another very hard-hitting song. I'm just so glad real Folk/Country is still alive.
He has said that the people close to him call him Chris but fans could choose to call him either Chris or Oliver. He isn't fully established as an artist yet but his stage name could be considered Oliver Anthony
That's the beautiful thing about his music. It doesn't matter where you're from, its able to not only resonate inside you but is also able to pull your heart strings.
Nothing to do with what country you are from. Everything to do with not being in the leadership cabal. Being used, abused, and controlled. Not simply a states thing.
@@michaelvolpi6851you Americans are doing much better than us brits, and most every other citizen in the world lol. Don’t go getting yourself confused thinking that you’re some third world citizen… average wage in the uk is 30k lol
We need that gut punch. Every time I hear this song I just hurt. It's pulling me out of the depression and apathy that has haunted me for years. This is the first time I've seen you get this emotional about a song. It gives me hope that if enough people stop hiding from the hurt, then things will change.
I always got that punch from Les Miserables "Can you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men, it is the music of a people who will not be slaves again..."
Check out Ren - Hi Ren if you want another and have any thoughts about mental illness. Elizabeth has reacted to that song as well, if you missed it. Both this song and that hit me hard. And I definitely second (4th?) Aaron Lewis as well.
@@Code9 I love how every once in a while folk really makes a comeback. Even if it's small. I love the stories they tell. I try to do the same in my photography and videography as well. It's definitely the most important part of anything. The story. The message. P. S. Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues is credited by some to be the first hip-hop song.
I hope that, in the face of what lots of artists have brought to light regarding the shady stuff in the music industry, stripped-down recording without a ton of polish becomes something big, and shows you can get attention without a giant budget - nothing more needed than your instrument, your voice, and a song that resonates.
I am a 77 year old retired Bass player and I really dig your channel and your analysis of these singers and am always so impressed with your ears and the things you hear on these tracks. Reminds me of a drummer I worked with for many years. He could hear bass lines so much better than I could and helped me learn so many parts off records over the years. Vinyl records that is because digital recordings have such clear separation. Now to my point. I do wish you would go back a ways and analyze some jazz singers like Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. Just throw one in every now and then. Please?
They where aiming at 350k views on the song when they recorded and uploaded it. As you might notice (the full video) is not even on his own youtube. Speak numbers that he also turned down an $8million record deal.
As a blue collar Virginia boy, husband and father, I can't hear most of his songs without tearing up a bit. First time I heard this song, I was working overtime on a Saturday to just help make ends meet. I also enjoy the passion and earnestness that you pour into these reactions instead of just simply reacting for the views.
This guy tapped into one of the deepest cultural nerves common in societies from around the world, and whatever you vote here in the States, it hits you hard. This song will be a legend in no time at all.
Dude came in hotter with one guitar and one voice than any mass produced stuff we've heard in the past couple decades. And the content was spot on for what's going on right now. If it didn't strike a chord, we'd never have heard of him.
That's because he really can sing (without auto-tune) and play guitar. The guitar part is not complicated. It doesn't have to be - it's so well written and so well done. The vocals are just outstanding. This is real music.
Authenticity is a palpable aspect of great art and the music industry can’t produce or create authenticity, all they do is kill it on the rare times a performer has it
Talk about raw and honest. This is the definition of pure passion and pain. I cannot imagine how Oliver felt while singing this without breaking down in tears.
It's wired into our DNA to have an emotional response to a cry, and his voice has that cry response to it. The beauty and Brilliance of this song besides his voice, is that the lyrics are Bullseye right on target and somehow at the same time they're also a metaphor for the much bigger picture.
I have to say that I was honestly touched by your reaction to this song. Compared to ANY of your other other videos. This one REALLY showed your emotional side on a personal level. It made me love you even more!
Attended a concert of his in savanna ga. He’s a true to his beliefs voice. People that haven’t lived in his world have no idea how deep the emotions run.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for doing this song justice and focusing on the pain and emotion in Chris's lyrics and voice. This song has brought this 46 year old father to tears on more than one occasion - and I live half a world away. This song resonates far beyond the United States, I can assure you. Your work is outstanding as always. Peace and love to you and yours.
This song is one that hits home hard. It is refreshing to see your take on a song like this. Not only the analysis, but the reaction. Your emotion is showing, and that means a lot. Thanks for reviewing this one!
Great reaction Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing ths story of your childhood. I grew up helping my grandpa on a small farm so i know what you're talking about.
The magic of this song is displayed in the way you opened your heart by sharing YOUR personal information because you got punched in the heart! It brings us to reflect on ourselves in our world which is how we grow as humans.
I think part of the popularity, is the simplicity of the song/video. No overwhelming visuals, or instrumentals. Just a man, a guitar, his dogs, and a mic, singing the day to day pains of a blue collar worker, which hits home world wide. An incredible piece with a strong message.
I already loved Elizabeth, but this video just took to a new level. It would have been so easy for her to pander to the mob, or cope out and play it safe, but instead she was truly sincere, honest AND still respectful. I give all the props, you deserve all the success you have, Liz.
@@gryphon0468 The lyrics are incredibly pandering without actually saying anything deep or meaningful. Reminds me of that song by that guy from Staind after he went full country magatard, you know who I'm talking about? Does anyone even remember that guy? Anyway, it was just a lot of empty anger that said nothing. This is just the same thing but with someone who can actually sing.
@@RoguSpanishthat comparison doesn't feel fair. Staind dude was just delusionally sad. This guy has some blue collar bias but the guts of what he's saying are rooted deep in common human experience. He's not breaking new intellectual ground, but I think he does a great job of communicating the pain of the rural marginalized. And that is valuable by itself.
She nailed it at the outset. He's not singing a song, he is showing you a view into his soul. I've heard this song 25 times over the past few weeks and it still gives me chills. Not the lyrics, the exposed soul. The ethos and pathos are sublime. (yes, I had to look up those 3 words...vocab lesson for the day)
Oliver Anthony is a federal government propaganda plant that uses vague platitudes to appeal to the low IQ masses. It's very concerning as many people buy into it as they do. I think it also says something about the channel creator when she can't spot it out either as a professional in the field.
View of his soul? You seen the fact this guy was at burning man and his recent interview where even the right hate his as well now. This was pandering to hatred
@@Rayeo_TNJpandering to hatred? Of the system? Yes, we are being robbed of a life that should be mixed with joy and struggle, not just consistent struggle. Those greedy people make life so incredibly difficult for the majority of people. Pandering to hatred is a strong statement and I didn’t see anyone jump to hatred, just feeling the frustration and being validated that so many others are feeling the same.
I'm a Finn and this song brings tears in my eyes every time. I wish I could shake Anthony's hand one day. Awesome reaction, I find you as amazing as Oliver! Well done once again!
The way he says "🏝️ island" gets me every time, I don't think anyone could sing that better...and that's the highest compliment I can pay this talented young man
He's brought you to tears! This is a hilarious watch-along. I'm not even jealous; I went through my 20's not being able to cry, only a few years ago did I start shedding tears again. It's refreshing to be able to feel again, just in time for the world to burn.
Same! Not a thing damn bothered me till maybe 4-5 years ago family dying friends losing everything took it all with 0 cares... now a simple goodbye in a movie brings out the emotions sometimes😊
Oliver’s success comes from his soulful delivery, expressing the escalating struggle of the poor and middle class worldwide. It’s so relatable because it’s so real.
Excepthis blame he says lies in the politicians and the obese welfare ppl. No mention of all the investment firms, big corporations, or billionaires who have been destroying the working since the 1920s but more easily since reagan and the 80s
Just weird that he blames the poor on welfare then also cries about the poor not being helped. He’s talking in circles because he doesn’t know who to actually be angry at.
@razrv3lc he said on joe rogan it was more of a dig at the shitty food stamps and referencing the high cost of good food and the abundance of fatty junk foods..
He tells us how much he loves his dogs in "I Wanna Go Home", but in his own emotional way. The song is not about what you probably think it is. Looking forward to seeing Elizabeth do that one as well.
The simplistic sound...the tortured lyrics....haunting voice. Perfect storm to take over the charts...plus throw in the way most people feel right now...he is speaking their truth.
I'm from New Zealand and this song hits hard. The only people benefiting from politics and the division it causes are the damn politicians. No country is free from the pain he speaks of. They keep us distracted by fighting each other while they rake in our hard-earned money. It's a sick broken system we live in.
I'm from Brazil, but a few years ago when I was still in High School I had learned about New Zealand educational and housing systems and I really wanted to emigrate there and have better chances than I have over here. Well, yesterday I checked out news about NZ and the housing and living crisis in your country really shocked me. It feels like there's no way out for us common people anymore, being used and abused by billionaires and corrupted politicians all over the world. I hope the situation for you guys improve soon. It's unbearable to see the way we live now.
I’ve watched a batch of reactions to this guy and they all start as if it’s just another new song…but it’s not. The song stings on so many levels. It was also clear that your reaction was more intense than any of the previous songs I’ve seen you do. Thanks for a heartfelt reaction and please do more of Oliver Anthony! ❤
It's really nice to see you reacting to this song. I know that you talked about the fear of beeing canceled before, so reacting so positivly to sth. that controversial says a lot about you.
I ran clubs for many years as well as being raised around the live music industry. I can say from personal experience that the most entertaining is shows have ALWAYS been those that were in the moment and didn't feel overly rehearsed. A wrong note or a forgotten lyric and the artists ability to adapt where the crowd just enjoys the ride are the best. The perfect performance are often the ones that weren't perfect at all. The entertainer became your good neighbor
Yep, what you describe is the very reason some bands constantly mix up the tempo, or the lyrics, or any number of factors. They want to capture that special moment, and a few misses are worth it, if you hit some homeruns.
"Living in the new world with an old soul." This song has also resonated a lot with me, as I suppose it has with many others. I love your videos. Thanks for everything.
I've known Chris for 3 years now. We met a a guys house that was forming a band. It didn't work out so Chris and I still hung out and jammed from time to time. Once he got big I lost touch with him and can't get a hold of him. The number I have of his has been disconnected. I'm sure I'll run into him again. I've always told people don't let his voice fool ya, cause he has talent!
I'm sure he's a very busy guy now with people pulling him every which way, everyone vying for his attention. I hope he plays it wisely and doesn't let the industry use him up, I hope he remains true to himself. Instant fame has a way of destroying people who aren't ready for it.
Elizabeth, it’s amazing to find that you have lived experience in this area. Instead of just making a political rant for clicks, you can relate and relay what we all know is true. God bless.
@@tr-lj2vx I won’t name call like you did but, honestly, do you not understand who the rich men north of Richmond are? It 100% about what the ruling class (politicians) are doing to all those beneath them. Get a grip.
First of all it is always refreshing to see your reactions Ms Elizabeth. The joy that flows through you harmonizes with the song of my soul. Oliver is a troubadour in every shade of the word. From the words he chooses to the emotional delivery every moment is truly magnificent. Many artists today give us a message but rarely do we feel that message as strongly and purely as Oliver presents it. Cannot wait for the next one.
Elizabeth, you, truly, are the worlds expert on music and how it affects us on a physical and emotional level. Thank you. You translate so much into the conscious mind that I cannot process on my own. Thank you for what you do. Your expertise on how a person sings and how that triggers emotion is unparalleled.
So interesting reading everyone's comments and how you relate to this! I work in the Music Department of the university in the town where he is from (Farmville) and it has been a whirlwind here since this went viral. Truly amazing how music can touch so many people!
Everyone is struggling right now (middle class and poor), there's an increasing desperation building up and that's why this song is resonating soo hard. I'm disabled and I'm drowning and desperate right now, I'm trying to survive on a $1,590 monthly social security check in expensive ass SoCal on a $960 rent for a crappy 1 bedroom apartment in a bad area. I pay my rent no matter what because I don't want to end up homeless, everything else is where I have to sacrifice and go without. It's a miserable situation, I'm desperate.
my favorite moment was when you could hear the emotion in your voice I've watched a lot of your videos and never have I seen that and I think this is what makes this song so special its not just the talent or how it sounds its or what genre it is but about the message it spreads and the emotion that it instils and that's what music is supposed to be
This singer did a podcast where he said he never has had any musical teaching amd had been on amd off with music for all his life and has just started being a full time musician. Great deep dive in this song/artist
I could see you were struggling a little on this one. It's hard to do analysis when the song hits on such an emotional level. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. This is what I love about your channel. I get so much more than a little music education. At some time, you might want to check out his song, "I Want To Go Home." You may not want to react to it as it is so much more personal and emotional.
This may seem hyperbolic, but Chris ("Oliver") has arguably the most apt and fitting singing voice for his genre I've ever heard. I mean, his natural singing voice just sounds like God gave him the best combination of rich tones and soothing octaves for belting out country tunes P.S: The Jeffrey Epstein bars are 🔥🔥🔥!!!
I think the reason this song resonates with so many of us is because it speaks the truth in a way we can all recognize. That is real art, because it's also something all of us who aren't in charge understand, but seldom vocalize.
Whelp, this dug so deep into my emotions, bringing up memories I'd kept tucked away for a long time. This wasn't a song; it was a life experience sung by someone who is clearly passionate and you hear it in the delivery. Elizabeth, thank you for sharing some pieces of your life, I've always appreciated songs that can open us up.
I have been gripped by this song since it came out, because of the message in both lyrics AND delivery. Don’t forget, this is a single take, essentially a live performance (you haven’t hit that yet as I type, and not sure if you will). The way the rawness hits with the added “H” sound (on the “yodel crack”, as you call it) on his vowels because he’s pushing so much air makes his vocal take as emotional as if it were a scream, even though it isn’t. Edited to add: I think the fact that he ended the song the same way he began, slowed chord with a sus chord variation, lyrics sung despondently, is a fantastic touch. To me it reinforced that we’re going nowhere, and end up as we started, maybe worse off because resignation to the fact takes the wind out of our sails and leads to acceptance that this is just the way it is.
You are seriously one of my favorite reactors, mostly for the JOY you wear on your sleeve! Your smile is contagious, and I can't help but get just as excited as you do when you speak. Thank you!
YES!! You did this song! So glad you did, and glad you liked it! Glad you were moved by the lyrics and not just the voice. The line, "minors on an island somewhere" is a reference to Epsteun Island. He has a unique accent also, where he adds an 'h' in front of his vowels.
Listening to you talk about your earnings as an opera singer and where you grew up, about how you have to fight these big cooperations to barely make ends meet, I feel your pain and frustration, but the passion is still there! Having been around this channel for quite awhile now, I feel lucky. Lucky cause I've been able to deal with emotional factors, loss and loneliness by listening to you talk about music and relatable everyday life stuff. Im so happy that you're doing so well on TH-cam, and I hope your success grows as fast as your musical horizon has been over the last few years! But this song. This song, though it's a very American reality of current events, I feel these lyrics down to my core. We're all struggling, have less, make more but cant make ends meet, while on the other side of the scale, the people on top are making more money then ever. It's a damn shame, what the world's gotten to, for people like me, for people like you.
I was watching another review of this from a guitarists perspective, and he pointed out that towards the end of the song you can see Anthony's hands shaking as he plays which i hadn't noticed before. He poured his heart and soul into this performance and you can absolutely feel it. Love what you do! I always get excited when I see a new video from you. Thank you for such a unique and uplifting perspective! Much love from Hawaii
It's like Eminem said in the song: "You better lose yourself in the music The moment, you own it, you better never let it go (Go) You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo"
Oliver was offered an 8 million recording contract, which he turned down. You should look up the videos on how he got to this point in his life. This isn't just affecting many US Citizens, but I have seen that it is spreading worldwide. Check out his other song "I Want To Go Home".
@@zekeoutdoors weird thing to claim. The channel that have the original video sure makes lots of money from the views, he dont. That he get paid royalties would be natural, and from performing it.
@@zekeoutdoorsyou think these people are interested in externally verified facts? They want to dictate reality. Why do you think they always refuse to substantiate their claims and every time tell you to "Google it" or "do your own research." They're intellectual cowards.
This is by far my favorite reaction of yours. The way you explained how he was conveying the emotion made the song all the better. And well, heck, I am a Slayer fan of almost 40 years.
"I wish politicians would look out for miners, not just for minors on an island somewhere" That one goes past a lot of people, but is one of the hardest lines in the song!
It's not that it goes by them, it's just them not wanting to come to grips with the fact that a CRAP ton of our politicians both men and women are a bunch of pebos.....which then requires action other than talking, which they cant do.... so they go back to sleep wishing it wasn't true. I feel for them alittle, it's maddening walking around daily trying to not go feral. Since our entire system of living is fake and ran by evil humans who protected themselves against losing their power by creating laws and a policing class.
It's hard out here.😅😂
But i agree with you that's def the hardest line.💯
Often that's the only line I hear when I listen to this. Make me weep every time.
Absolutely spot on. I posted similar thoughts. The island “caring” he is talking about is not the caring we normal people think of. It is absolutely the “hardest line in the song”. Couldn’t agree more.
It doesn’t go past anyone, it’s just not the most important line in the song and has less emotion.
@@clayjay88literally the most important line
When a singer so beaten and frustrated that he is about to cry, that is what it sounds like. The way he uses those sounds when your voice breaks from emotion is just beautiful.
Crying from anger and rage.
@@mitchellsmith6979 both of thoes are human emotions
100% d'accord. Ce chanteur est un choc culturel. Il est capable de réveiller des émotions profondes. Surprenant. Qui plus est, les paroles sont puissantes. A suivre.
This song IS him/all of us crying.
From what? This is all an act by the fact.
The reason this man's voice appeals to me is because it feels like a regular blue collar guy who has just had enough and decided to sing about it. It doesn't need to be refined or more efficient. He embodies a feeling and the wish of spoken words of millions of men just like me, fed up with a broken system in a broken world.
He said he was contemplating suicide. And if he was really going to leave this world, he wanted to leave something behind. So he recorded his first songs on his android phone and just let it go. Cut to turning down 8 mil. Just insane. Never give up.
I think the "five foot three" line is right where the emotion of the song switches from sadness to anger and I absolutely love that you can feel the emotion change.
And talking about 6 feet underground meaning, even when you die, they’re still taxing you.
@@youtubeconnollyfamily No, that line (Young men are puttin' themselves six feet in the ground 'cause all this damn country does is keep kickin' them down) is about the extremely high suicide rate among young men and how large portions of our society keeps treating them shit, blaming all the world's problems on them, constantly putting them down, etc. and he's positing that's the reason why they're killing themselves in record numbers. In reality there are a lot of factors, but that's certainly one of them and could partly explain the more recent increases in the last 10-15 years.
@@Kat957 thank you very much for explaining that to me. That makes more sense. Once again, I appreciate you explaining that.🙏 I got four young kids dude. Life is so damn difficult right now. It’s hard. It really is. This song always hits hard.
If you thought this one hit you, give "I want to go home" a listen. That one really hits different for anyone that has ever really wanted to just "go home"
That song 🤜
Feels 💥💔
Seconding this!
Absolutely. He put into a song how I've felt most of my life. Soul crushing accuracy.
100%!
Yes and I would add for those who may not know, when he says "I want to go home", he's asking God to take him. When you realize that that's what he means it's heart breaking. I would have to say that I thought his song "I want to go home" is equally as good as this one...maybe even better.
This song is for anyone and everyone who gets out of bed every day and tries to make an honest living in a world where dishonest people make the rules and rig the system in their favor. It's never been more clear that politicians serve their corporate masters instead of the people who elect them. This song gives a voice to the frustration we all feel over how broken the system is. Your analysis of his voice and the authenticity in it is spot on. That's why it has stirred the souls of so many of us. Just perfectly written and sung.
Workin 2 restaurant jobs 50-60 hours just barely gettin by with all the bills....literally balled my eyes out cuz this song hit me so hard.
@rockykimpel I've been there. I'm fortunate enough to be pretty financially secure now. But I was a self-employed carpenter from 2006 until 2012. The housing crash of 2008 crippled my business. It was so bad that I had to borrow money from finance companies just to pay my bills. It's an awful feeling to look your children in the eye and not know how you'll afford to pay for groceries or keep the power turned on.
I'm not saying this to take anything away from your struggle. I just want you to know that I understand how you feel and that there is hope. I was lucky enough to get a job at a nuclear power plant in 2012. I started out working for a vendor. But in 2019, I hired in with the power company itself. I'm 43 now, and for the first time in my adult life, I'm financially secure.
So don't let this bullshit break you. Cry, scream, shout in anger, or whatever you need to do. It's OK to do all those things. I've done them, too. Just don't give up, whatever you do. Better days may be ahead. Best of luck to you, brother
Someone had to come ut and say it. No one trusts any talking heads on mainstream media. Maybe music will wake people up
Great comment
His instrument is a resonator. And his language and tone also resonate. When three or more things resonate in a moment it becomes something more. Well done! As an artist and in general. His reflection has touched many on a level beyond a song.
This is proof that the radio is full of songs that nobody thinks twice about. Songs with expensive production, professional booths... and here's a guy who puts his heart out there with a guitar and a microphone and it hits harder than all of them. Because the message is so powerful. I love this track!
Yes, I loved the line "I wish politicians would look out for miners
And not just minors on an island somewhere"
Fuck those minors being trafficked, what about the coal miners!??
It would've been good if he just stuck to the message of politicians being awful... but then he had to throw in the typical disdain for the poor nonsense that "conservatives" love so much... talented musician, garbage song with a garbage message.
@@MLL2704what distain for the poor are you talking about? He is(well was) poor. He’s singing about the frustration of working his ass off, for people who tell you you’re easily replaceable and have zero respect for you. While the politicians don’t care about helping anyone but themselves. The frustration is about people who put zero effort into helping themselves, yet get paid to stay home and do nothing.
Speaking for myself, I am proud to work hard and take care of my family, help my community and people I decide for myself are worth helping. Poor has little to do with it, it’s effort and entitlement that is the issue.
I hope this helps you understand the perspective of which this song was written.
Holy cow, towards the end of your video when you talk about imperfections making music human, and that’s why music can portray so much emotion… spot on.
As silly as it sounds, the example I always give is the song Barbara Ann by The Beach Boys. In the second or third verse, they all start laughing and kinda make a mess of the lyrics. But it’s so… charming(I guess), that it makes the song what it is.
Bottom line, perfect is lame…most of the time lol
@@MLL2704this may be no sense to you, and in ways it may even be nonsense to me, but for literally millions of your fellow citizens it's day to day life. Rural America is a fraction of the size it once was, and millions and millions of people walk their cleared walking and jogging trails in massive cities never giving a thought to what life has become in rfd land, and much of what it has become is as a result of political decisions made in Washington that rural America has less and less input on. People live their lives in their urban jungles or cozy suburbs never giving a thought to the people who work with their backs making life in their cities liveable. These people earn less, work harder, and die younger than most groups in America and contrary to your claims, they come both in liberal and conservative flavors, despite you trying to pigeon hole them into a nice package where you can dismiss them.
The part about mines and politicians is relevant because industry and politicians deemed those miners and their products essential for the nation up until a point where they were deemed useless and then went about passing legislation that closed down the jobs they had spent a lifetime working, and left those areas to fend for themselves where there were no other alternatives. Yes times were changing but change cones slowly and it was government that drove the final nail in their coffins before it would have otherwise come. The same has happened in farming communities where government policy directly affects whether or not farms are profitable.
Urban jungles can survive without the miners they kicked to the curb while offering previous little in ways to survive without mining. Government policy or lack there of has also affected farming by allowing corporations like Monsanto to force farms into paying for their genetically modified seed because the wind blows pollen across various fields and Monsanto shuts down any farm that saves it's own seed because they claim copyright infringement because every strain of corn now shows Monsantos genetics if tested. Every rural industry is under pressure, from foreign products, corporate players who simply want to eliminate competition, and politicians who see just another source of revenue, and another industry to regulate that it knows nothing about. Attitudes like yours is precisely why someone like a former President struck a nerve.
These people come from the fly over states that provide you with everything that makes life in the city possible. There may not be as many of them as there were when I helped my grandparents out up vegetables for the winter because they couldn't afford store bought food, feed cattle, harvest various crops, and sleep with the windows open in Texas during the summer because they had no AC until 1990 when my grandmother was in her late 80s. Hard work was never complained about, but government policy and nonsense regulation was. The message is real for many and if ignored it will ultimate cost liberals and conservatives who are too busy making sure their agendas don't cross paths.
Think song hits hard not just in the US but around the world I'm from England and it relates so much I cry everytime I hear it which is quite a few times a day!
You make a great point. This plaintive song has lyrics that are so full of truth that is not just a regional or national set of problems; people throughout the world are exploited daily by "rich men" who want to control us. "It's a damn shame... for people like me, people like you, (and for people from other countries and cultures, too). It's the (not so New) World Order. I'm a Southern American from Texas, and a traditionalist in my values--an "old soul" also. This song hits me"hard".
Thank you for helping me to understand music with your evaluations. I am lacking in any formal musicoly education, so I appreciate your expertise! You educate me and give me a better understanding and appreciation of vocalists of different genres. Thank you for that! At the same time, I find your emotional reactions are freely shown like a song should allow. That is most refreshing in a person so highly educated in music as you are. I am your fan!
This is what emotional pain sounds like. This man was in pain and had no where to turn, so he turns to this song and moves all of his pain into it, and that's why it hits hard. Anyone who understands even a tenth of what he's saying and feeling recognizes this and it hits them in their soul.
A friend of Dan Bongino approached him to write this song, recorded it, and put it on every right wing show he could. They're very desperate to be relevant and accepted by the "elites" they pretend to hate. Oliver is a good singer but the reaction to the song started very artificially.
My understanding was that he actually tore into the conservatives for using his song because he wrote it about them. He described himself as being a centrist politically.
Hopefully they don't direct it toward poor people with health conditions and instead focus on things that ACTUALLY affect them.
@@engmed4400 a "centrist" is a conservative who doesn't want to admit it
@@roywarnerfilms I would agree he's probably on the conservative side in idealistic terms, but wants nothing to do with the modern GOP (see the "total control" line in the chorus). And don't forget that while he's angry about welfare abuse, he's also angry about people starving on the street. It's not a partisan song -- it doesn't mention much in the way of how to fix any of these problems, which is where our differences lie -- which is why it resonates with so many.
Elizabeth... this is pretty much the most you have ever spoken about the contents of a song, instead of mostly the technique involved. I freaking love it!!!
yeah finally and it was amazing
I agree
it's impossible to stay neutral on this one.
Well, she is a vocal coach / critic, not a sociologist / politician.
This song is sadly so true
He doesn't over-sing it, didn't try to polish it up, doesn't try to fool us...he just does what he does. I also like how he doesn't try to cover up his Virginia mountain accent.
I invite you to some of his internet interviews. Oliver Anthony, real name is Chris Anthony, his grandpa was Oliver , that said , his interviews are stunning. He is very articulate , well spoken. I am just an older rock guy , did it for 30 years. I made a wage, and this is not Country Music. It is 'World Music'. This guy is the real deal.
His name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, and conversational voice doesn’t reveal his southern roots.
It’s interesting - many singers have a very strong accent in their speaking voice that doesn’t come through when they sing. Think Mick Jagger, The Beatles, etc. Chris appears to go the other direction. I think his singing channels old time bluegrass. It’s not entirely a mountain accent either - he’s from Piedmont Virginia, not the mountains. Listen to Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show and you’ll hear a very similar accent (he’s from Charlottesville, VA if I remember right).
@@chipsterb4946Farmville, VA actually, and yes that is not really mountains. More like gently rolling farmland.
@@chipsterb4946
I moved from Utah to Kentucky 23 years ago. When I talk to friends or relatives in Ut, occasionally they will comment about my accent.
Yet, I still get kentuckians asking where I'm from. When asked "why do you ask"?, usually the answer is "I could tell by your accent".
I guess I'm stuck in the middle between western slang and appalactia somewhere.
It’s no secret why he has done what he’s done. He’s vocalizing what we all feel. My voice wavers and pitches every day trying to vent my frustration with what we are dealing with
I adore the American folk tradition (I am not American) and this young man is a blistering addition to it. 'I Want To Go Home' and 'I've Gotta Get Sober' are even more striking.
Whenever someone says Americans have no culture, I just think about folk music and laugh
Woody Guthrie tradition in protest folk song. A man and only his guitar.
Woody Guthrie would recognize Oliver Anthony. A man and only his guitar.
gotta get sober is a banger
@@PuckTheFenguinsYou mean all modern music. The list of music genres born from outside the US, is pretty small, and certainly insignificant, in Western culture.
I love that you pointed out the importance of imperfection in music. I think it's the reason vinyl records have made such a comeback, people don't want perfection, they want to hear the "real" sound because they can connect to it.
I also love vinyl. I've found that the imperfection is an appealing part of many things. Hand made items as an example. Old engines not running as perfect as a new one as another (think muscle cars or even hit and miss motors).
I agree.
Clean vinyl on a good player gives much higher quality than most online sources.
I do like that part about listening to records as well but the main reason I started collecting records is because I had a meet and greet with sick puppies which was kind of lame because they didn’t say a word to anyone and people who worked for the band said we had to buy merch for them to sign so I bought a record. Then when bad wolves opened up for five finger death punch back when Tommy was still the vocalist. They were selling signed records for $30 so I bought one. Then Diamanté was selling personalized records for cheap so I bought one of those. After that I decided to start a record collection. It’s pretty fun for me to collect!
@@DougFrantzNot to mention new engines break down far more than old ones and it's usually some silly electronic element.
The man turned down 8mil from a record company. That says it all. No censoring this fella.
He skyrocketed faster than the establishment’s censors could keep up. Now they are powerless to erase him.
He is saying exactly what the majority of us are thinking and feeling, but feel powerless to express. Censors and cancellation activists are everywhere and taking down so many honest posts. We used to have free speech in this country, but apparently no longer.
But an American style reckoning is coming, sooner than most people are willing to believe.
So keep your powder dry!
If you want to really understand the growing movement taking place across the country, go ahead and examine Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town”. And take a look at how the establishment has tried to take him down with all manner of false allegations.
He's just smart enough to know he doesn't need them. He knows he's making more money by owning his music and putting it out on his own. It's not that he doesn't want the money. He's making a massive amount of money on this song right now.
@@Im_Old_Greggkind of true. Most upcoming artists need to marketing and promotions for stability because they will blow their earnings on luxuries and “consumables.” This man deserves to reap his rewards but it’s almost impossible to imagine he will leave his humility behind him.
@@zaccarter3801 I certainly hope he keeps ahold of who he is. It's his humility and authenticity that made him blow up. It seems like he has his head on straight though. He's smart to not get involved in the music industry folks. They would only ruin everything that made him become so popular
I think he has a plan, and it's he is plan
Damnit... i lve listened to this song like 20 times today, and it makes me tear up everytime.
Im a 38 year old combat veteran, married with three kids and this song is such a gut punch.
Thank you for your service and yeah same here brother. It definitely touches your soul and I tear up every time I hear it!!
With you all the way.
Which branch? I've never served myself, but my best friend is a non-combat Marine Corps vet. I know that armed service is gnarly, regardless! Just curious
@djjazzyjeff1232 coast guard reserves...
Keep rocking dude I appreciate your service
Just an ordinary man in the woods with a guitar touching peoples hearts all over the world. 🙏🏻🏴🔥
What I love most about this song is how reactors are opening up about their own lives. By laying himself bare, he’s invited intimacy across a huge swath of people.
This is such a great comment! So true!
@@Cheesusriceee Agreed!!
It's great because it's not just the "reactors" reacting. It's near everyone opening up, thus why it's become such an overnight hit. We can all relate to this song, often on deep levels. It's rare to find someone who once wasn't going through rough times in their lives and seeing just how much taxes take from your paycheck when you're already struggling to make ends meet. I still haven't paid my 2020 taxes because I just don't have the money to pay and I don't know what I can do about it since I'm still struggling in this declining state of society.
Yeah... that's how it feels!! Thanks for putting a face to that feeling friend! ❤
Well said.
No vocal lessons, no auto tune, no band, just raw God given talent.
And raw emotion. The emotion and conviction of an entire country's people in the voice of one man.
... the God part, is the most important part... it's why we got to hear the song in the first place.
i miss it and its good to hear someones soul today
Amen❤ he just gave himself to the Lord and boy did God use him!!! Praise God
@@annelliott3810 God has nothing to do with this. This is simply a man singing about his point of view. You don't need to involve a deity every time somebody breaks the mould or speaks the truth. I respect your belief and may god bless you, but please recognise actual humanity when you see it.
I may be biased because I'm from there, but the way people from this little belt of Appalachia sing just touches the soul in such a way. It may also have to do with how music from this region often focuses on the extreme hardships we face as people and persevering through poverty and opression. I can't believe I used to be ashamed of my accent and where I come from. We have such a rich and deep history and culture here that is so unique.
As someone from the similar area it's true it is true. Most people don't realize how much this area has contributed to our country over the years. They don't realize that our area has held up the country for a long time. There is a lot that this country would not have if it wasn't for our area.
I wish she would review Dr. Stanley. Some of his Primitive Baptist hymns or O Death would amaze her.
Also it's not Appalachian music technically 😅... Even he he said it himself.. He is Piedmont born and raised not Appalachia, he also said he doesn't deserve to claim anything with Appalachian music and gave credit to the people of the Appalachian music scene he said that there's many gifted folks out there doing their thing further west of him.
It's one of several assumptions that people have taken and run with since his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” went viral. Piedmont/Farmville is a bit too far east to be labeled Appalachia. He was born and raised in the Piedmont area of Virginia and currently resides in Farmville, VA just saying. But I hear ya 😅
Not just you being biased. I'm from up North in Quebec and the amount of artist that I've discovered lately and learned they were from the Appalachian region is just baffling. Truly great folk music!
I'm from New Zealand.. long way away from Appalachia. The accent has nothing to do with what makes the song resonate. The honesty behind the meaning of the words he selected is truly universal. But I'm in no way saying you shouldn't be proud of where you came from.. cause I know I am
I’ve mentioned this on other reactions. As a 54 year old Veteran who has been working since 7, this song resinates with Me and easily does to so many who work so hard, and never seem to make ends meet. It is a song that puts Me to tears. When I was younger, it was anger. Now, it’s just sadness and pain. Working hard while those proclaimed above tell you that everything is your fault, we are taking from you, and (insert insult) because I may believe something different than you. Sit down and shut up. The song hits home for so many. Thank You for sharing.
59 year old veteran here brother. Completely understand and agree with you.
@@danielcrow4247 Welcome Home Brother.
Thank you for your response and your service. You absolutely stated how I feel.
I'm right there with you. I've worked since I was 11 starting with my father painting houses. I worked my self to the bone and at 39 can barely walk and I'm stuck in a state I hate because the cost of living here is so damn high I can barely make it thought the month oh and I have to take care of my elderly mother because my sister is M.I.A. and my brother couldn't give a damn. Yes this song hits me hard and I break down every time I listen to it because that's soooo much how I feel. I just don't know what to do to get away from the hell whole I live in.
I'm sure there's a bunch of people out there that don't believe and understand that some of us have work hard for a living eight or nine years old. And it wasn't for candy money either.
I started working at a local fruit market at about 8 and later at a bakery and moving furniture and it continued till this day and at 57 years old I still can't get any dental work done and I still have to budget every single grocery list and wonder where the money's going to come from for the next vet bill. Personally I don't go to a doctor, don't have cable, and my only bad habit is cigarettes. I don't know where everybody else gets their money for new cars and cable and steaks and fudge rounds when I know they don't work for a living but I sure can't manage to get any of it.
Finally found a niche about 3 years ago that I thought I could do until my ripe old age and guess what. My local government is claiming that they could have monopolies on the business because they are the government. And they're trying to squeeze me out of business.
Many of us work hard for a living and some of us have worked hard for a very long time and just can't seem to catch a break.
It's like he's playing on your front porch, echoing exactly the way most of us feel right now with pure emotion, not filtered out by production. Instant legend in my book!
It's the simplicity, just a man, his guitar, and a message. God bess Chris. The world needs Oliver Anthony right now.
Amen. G-d bless Chris.
I know this is a year old an no one will probably see this but this is my favorite video so far. Having a song that makes you think of your own life, pain and frustration is a gift. Seeing someone else feel it in front of me as well helps. Especially a professional that appreciates the quality of the music and loves it.
I wept when I first heard this. I'm a musician and a tradesmen . Oliver's singing hits home. ❤
As did I
Same.
I cried like a baby, too. ❤
I still get choked up.
I cried my eyes out
One of my favorite moments in that clip is how the dog looks up at the singer during the emotional ending there. Dogs may not always understand our words, but they do connect to our emotions extremely well, I am convinced of that.
I concur
It makes me wonder if the dog heard the vagus nerve tremble she mentioned and was checking on him.
This song hit all normal working people in the gut. We all felt it, we all feel that way but he managed to articulate it. This is raw emotion.
Gives me chills every time I hear it!
The people who get it are who this was written for... like him.
I don't know why political pundits try to explain it to us when they do not get it... if you've read or seen those out of touch reviews... they don't get it... they never will.
Enjoyed your review of this and breaking down the voice science
I have worked hard most of my life but still not sure if we are going to have enough for retirement when I not able to work. I worry for my children as well. the government doesn't care for any of us.
Precisely 🥁🥁🥁
A sobering gut punch
The most heart felt song I’ve ever heard. The emotion in his voice is so overwhelming and the lyrics so true. Oliver is such an inspiration 👏👏
Wait until you hear his song 'I Want To Go Home', I still can't get through it without crying and I've heard it dozens of times! What a talent and voice for 'We the People' in this corrupt system we are all suffering under.
It's worth repeating that he's never had a single vocal lesson! Raw talent!
I love the line, “if I could just wake up and it not be true, but it is, oh it is.”
Gets me every time.
When I heard that I thought How did He know what I was thinking? He was thinking that too? I have felt that so often.
I've thought pretty much the same thing. Is this really the world we live in now? Like, did I wake up in an insane asylum?
It really hit me the first time he said "But it is.". Just the way he dropped his voice, he sounded so defeated.
A mixture of raw, broken anguish and hopeless, bitter fury at a system that crushes the little people while enriching a small group of parasitic elites. The kind of song that starts movements. I know many people suffering through some variation of his plight, and this song breaks my heart every time. I so appreciate that you get it - it looks like you're about to cry sometimes. I live about 30 minutes from his home in Farmville, and I can't tell you how many people around here feel the same way.
Amazing comment. Thank you. Perfectly stated.
This is a musical bar fight. The opening salvo it’s just relentless. Then it takes a break and you’re anticipating a lull in the action but what you don’t realize is the next round is on its way and it’s even more violent. I absolutely love this song! Perfect delivery. The break down really helps open up the nuances.
what this dude did with this song number 1 on all the charts when it's filmed from a phone and everything..without a record label and I don't even think the guy played a single concert, it's incredible, and he's still putting out hits, and it's not fluff lyrics either, no shock and awe or sex appeal selling this, this is the power of music and what music's supposed to be
Absolutely
He's doing concerts now though bless him what a song!
Not to detract at all from the absolute telent and hard work going on there, but I think it also has something to say about the state of things in our country right now. These big labels have all the money in the world to bring together some of the most highly regarded and compensated artists and have them create songs designed to be fun and intriguing (sex, money, drugs,etc), spend millions advertising it and getting it to as many ears as possible... and the people would still rather listen to a phone recording of some random dude in the woods singing about working folks problems. People are waking up to just how regularly and thoroughly our current system is screwing us. For years I've complained that popular music from before I was born talked about the real problems in our society, but sometime in my childhood (late 90's) it felt like popular music switched to always being about falling in love, being in love, breaking up, sex, having money, just dancing, and there's just no more popular music pointing a big finger directly in the face of all these horrible systemic problems. I am very much hoping this is the first of MANY good honest songs to hit the charts this hard.
He did some concerts before the song was put on youtube. He had some show commitments prior to the song getting big, which he kept.
@@TheAwesomes2104 I agree with you for the most part. Modern music really became soulless. Look up The Defiant. Still very new, but exploring these themes.
I do hope more singers follow Oliver Anthony's lead....we need these subjects explored culturally.
Oliver's music just hits straight into the center of the heart. I Want to Go Home is another very hard-hitting song. I'm just so glad real Folk/Country is still alive.
His name is Chris, not Oliver.
He has said that the people close to him call him Chris but fans could choose to call him either Chris or Oliver. He isn't fully established as an artist yet but his stage name could be considered Oliver Anthony
His song "I Want To Go Home" makes me weep every time.
And I'm a 52 year old Englishman with no ties to the US.
I feel every word.
That's the beautiful thing about his music. It doesn't matter where you're from, its able to not only resonate inside you but is also able to pull your heart strings.
No worries mate!
Nothing to do with what country you are from. Everything to do with not being in the leadership cabal. Being used, abused, and controlled. Not simply a states thing.
Keep us Americans in your thoughts. We are going through it, and WE the PEOPLE are fed up with the US GOVT. We hate them as much as you do.
@@michaelvolpi6851you Americans are doing much better than us brits, and most every other citizen in the world lol. Don’t go getting yourself confused thinking that you’re some third world citizen… average wage in the uk is 30k lol
We need that gut punch. Every time I hear this song I just hurt. It's pulling me out of the depression and apathy that has haunted me for years. This is the first time I've seen you get this emotional about a song. It gives me hope that if enough people stop hiding from the hurt, then things will change.
I always got that punch from Les Miserables
"Can you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men, it is the music of a people who will not be slaves again..."
100% agree brother!!!
I love you
@@MyGumShoe Me?
It's refreshing to hear a song with just a guitar and vocals that hits you like this does.
You'd like aaron lewis from staind. He has solo stuff that's just him and the acoustic.
@@carbonclaw7280 Yes!
@@carbonclaw7280 10000%
Check out Ren - Hi Ren if you want another and have any thoughts about mental illness. Elizabeth has reacted to that song as well, if you missed it. Both this song and that hit me hard.
And I definitely second (4th?) Aaron Lewis as well.
@@Code9 I love how every once in a while folk really makes a comeback. Even if it's small. I love the stories they tell. I try to do the same in my photography and videography as well. It's definitely the most important part of anything. The story. The message.
P. S. Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues is credited by some to be the first hip-hop song.
I hope that, in the face of what lots of artists have brought to light regarding the shady stuff in the music industry, stripped-down recording without a ton of polish becomes something big, and shows you can get attention without a giant budget - nothing more needed than your instrument, your voice, and a song that resonates.
As a musician I'd like this too
No pun intended yes? Resonator guitar he is playing.
This is Chris Stapleton to me, his US anthem at the Superbowl...simple and true
I am a 77 year old retired Bass player and I really dig your channel and your analysis of these singers and am always so impressed with your ears and the things you hear on these tracks. Reminds me of a drummer I worked with for many years. He could hear bass lines so much better than I could and helped me learn so many parts off records over the years. Vinyl records that is because digital recordings have such clear separation. Now to my point. I do wish you would go back a ways and analyze some jazz singers like Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, and Ella Fitzgerald. Just throw one in every now and then. Please?
They where aiming at 350k views on the song when they recorded and uploaded it. As you might notice (the full video) is not even on his own youtube.
Speak numbers that he also turned down an $8million record deal.
As a blue collar Virginia boy, husband and father, I can't hear most of his songs without tearing up a bit. First time I heard this song, I was working overtime on a Saturday to just help make ends meet.
I also enjoy the passion and earnestness that you pour into these reactions instead of just simply reacting for the views.
Amen from a Virginia girl☺️
Amen from Fauquier county
Amen from Appomattox county
And Republicans want to screw the workers.
I love your gut-felt reaction to this! I've seen your giggles, your joy, but this a wonderful view of the depth of your soul. Bless you, lady!
Oliver Anthony broke the internet in all the right ways and for all the right reasons- psyched for his success.
Her feeling the fury is beautiful. Hair is on point too. This song still gives me chills after 50 listens.
This is called "singing from the heart." There's emotion in it.. cause he's mad, tired, and disappointed. It connects directly to people.
Amen.
I love how you engage with the substance of the song and not just how it is sung. This song has changed my life
This guy tapped into one of the deepest cultural nerves common in societies from around the world, and whatever you vote here in the States, it hits you hard. This song will be a legend in no time at all.
Dude came in hotter with one guitar and one voice than any mass produced stuff we've heard in the past couple decades. And the content was spot on for what's going on right now. If it didn't strike a chord, we'd never have heard of him.
That's because he really can sing (without auto-tune) and play guitar. The guitar part is not complicated. It doesn't have to be - it's so well written and so well done. The vocals are just outstanding. This is real music.
Authenticity is a palpable aspect of great art and the music industry can’t produce or create authenticity, all they do is kill it on the rare times a performer has it
Yep! This has the tennis match between RAGE & DEPRESSION! The way he just gives up at the end is crushing!!!👍🏻👴🎶🦸🏻♀️🇺🇸🦅
Very much so!
And that’s the new American dream. We realized too late..
Great summary. Spot on.
Talk about raw and honest. This is the definition of pure passion and pain. I cannot imagine how Oliver felt while singing this without breaking down in tears.
It's wired into our DNA to have an emotional response to a cry, and his voice has that cry response to it.
The beauty and Brilliance of this song besides his voice, is that the lyrics are Bullseye right on target and somehow at the same time they're also a metaphor for the much bigger picture.
I have to say that I was honestly touched by your reaction to this song. Compared to ANY of your other other videos. This one REALLY showed your emotional side on a personal level. It made me love you even more!
I'm a Metal fan, and this song almost made me cry. The emotion just comes through so much!
@112677s. I completely agree.iam a metalhead as well and I did cry.a good truthful,raw,emotional song is a good song no matter what genre it is.
Reminds me of a country disturbed sound of silence if you will. His other songs too are equally as passionate.
Metalhead here too and this song drilled into my soul.
Also I’m a metal head… I think we can enjoy this is because metal is also filled with emotion.
@@Cruizerstylin absolutely!
Attended a concert of his in savanna ga. He’s a true to his beliefs voice.
People that haven’t lived in his world have no idea how deep the emotions run.
Thank you, Elizabeth, for doing this song justice and focusing on the pain and emotion in Chris's lyrics and voice. This song has brought this 46 year old father to tears on more than one occasion - and I live half a world away. This song resonates far beyond the United States, I can assure you. Your work is outstanding as always. Peace and love to you and yours.
This song is one that hits home hard. It is refreshing to see your take on a song like this. Not only the analysis, but the reaction. Your emotion is showing, and that means a lot. Thanks for reviewing this one!
Hits you right in the heart doesn't it... Brings tears to my eyes every time I hear this song...
Great reaction Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing ths story of your childhood. I grew up helping my grandpa on a small farm so i know what you're talking about.
The magic of this song is displayed in the way you opened your heart by sharing YOUR personal information because you got punched in the heart! It brings us to reflect on ourselves in our world which is how we grow as humans.
I think part of the popularity, is the simplicity of the song/video. No overwhelming visuals, or instrumentals. Just a man, a guitar, his dogs, and a mic, singing the day to day pains of a blue collar worker, which hits home world wide. An incredible piece with a strong message.
I already loved Elizabeth, but this video just took to a new level. It would have been so easy for her to pander to the mob, or cope out and play it safe, but instead she was truly sincere, honest AND still respectful. I give all the props, you deserve all the success you have, Liz.
same here
This song IS pandering to the mob.
What the hell do you even mean by "pander to the mob"?
@@gryphon0468 The lyrics are incredibly pandering without actually saying anything deep or meaningful. Reminds me of that song by that guy from Staind after he went full country magatard, you know who I'm talking about? Does anyone even remember that guy? Anyway, it was just a lot of empty anger that said nothing. This is just the same thing but with someone who can actually sing.
@@RoguSpanishthat comparison doesn't feel fair. Staind dude was just delusionally sad. This guy has some blue collar bias but the guts of what he's saying are rooted deep in common human experience. He's not breaking new intellectual ground, but I think he does a great job of communicating the pain of the rural marginalized. And that is valuable by itself.
Ive listened to this song hundreds of times, your review is the first time it made me tear up a little.
All technical evaluation aside. He just turned emotion up to 11 and let it rip, just raw motion
That second verse is straight Fire 🔥
I think we all get the message. Being from California...I understand.
She nailed it at the outset. He's not singing a song, he is showing you a view into his soul. I've heard this song 25 times over the past few weeks and it still gives me chills. Not the lyrics, the exposed soul. The ethos and pathos are sublime. (yes, I had to look up those 3 words...vocab lesson for the day)
He means it!
Oliver Anthony is a federal government propaganda plant that uses vague platitudes to appeal to the low IQ masses. It's very concerning as many people buy into it as they do. I think it also says something about the channel creator when she can't spot it out either as a professional in the field.
Only 25? Lol
View of his soul? You seen the fact this guy was at burning man and his recent interview where even the right hate his as well now. This was pandering to hatred
@@Rayeo_TNJpandering to hatred? Of the system? Yes, we are being robbed of a life that should be mixed with joy and struggle, not just consistent struggle. Those greedy people make life so incredibly difficult for the majority of people. Pandering to hatred is a strong statement and I didn’t see anyone jump to hatred, just feeling the frustration and being validated that so many others are feeling the same.
This is now my favourite "The Charismatic Voice" video. Excellent video Elizabeth. I'm glad you didn't try to down-play the emotional effect.
I'm a Finn and this song brings tears in my eyes every time. I wish I could shake Anthony's hand one day. Awesome reaction, I find you as amazing as Oliver! Well done once again!
The way he says "🏝️ island" gets me every time, I don't think anyone could sing that better...and that's the highest compliment I can pay this talented young man
Dude has no musical training and just HAS that voice. So cool 🙌
Dude has a message, a raw voice, and knows 3-4 chords. Pretty good combo to have
@@JB-423 "Three chords and the truth" is all you need.
I’m so happy you decided to review this man’s beautiful voice!
He's brought you to tears! This is a hilarious watch-along. I'm not even jealous; I went through my 20's not being able to cry, only a few years ago did I start shedding tears again. It's refreshing to be able to feel again, just in time for the world to burn.
Same! Not a thing damn bothered me till maybe 4-5 years ago family dying friends losing everything took it all with 0 cares... now a simple goodbye in a movie brings out the emotions sometimes😊
Oliver’s success comes from his soulful delivery, expressing the escalating struggle of the poor and middle class worldwide. It’s so relatable because it’s so real.
Excepthis blame he says lies in the politicians and the obese welfare ppl. No mention of all the investment firms, big corporations, or billionaires who have been destroying the working since the 1920s but more easily since reagan and the 80s
Just weird that he blames the poor on welfare then also cries about the poor not being helped. He’s talking in circles because he doesn’t know who to actually be angry at.
@razrv3lc he said on joe rogan it was more of a dig at the shitty food stamps and referencing the high cost of good food and the abundance of fatty junk foods..
@@razrv3lc Quit straw manning
He tells us how much he loves his dogs in "I Wanna Go Home", but in his own emotional way. The song is not about what you probably think it is. Looking forward to seeing Elizabeth do that one as well.
The simplistic sound...the tortured lyrics....haunting voice. Perfect storm to take over the charts...plus throw in the way most people feel right now...he is speaking their truth.
I'm from New Zealand and this song hits hard. The only people benefiting from politics and the division it causes are the damn politicians. No country is free from the pain he speaks of. They keep us distracted by fighting each other while they rake in our hard-earned money. It's a sick broken system we live in.
i live near richmond NZ .. this song applies to NZ those crooks north in wellington have alot to answer for, just like the crooks in D.C
I'm from Brazil, but a few years ago when I was still in High School I had learned about New Zealand educational and housing systems and I really wanted to emigrate there and have better chances than I have over here. Well, yesterday I checked out news about NZ and the housing and living crisis in your country really shocked me. It feels like there's no way out for us common people anymore, being used and abused by billionaires and corrupted politicians all over the world. I hope the situation for you guys improve soon. It's unbearable to see the way we live now.
I’ve watched a batch of reactions to this guy and they all start as if it’s just another new song…but it’s not. The song stings on so many levels. It was also clear that your reaction was more intense than any of the previous songs I’ve seen you do. Thanks for a heartfelt reaction and please do more of Oliver Anthony! ❤
It's really nice to see you reacting to this song. I know that you talked about the fear of beeing canceled before, so reacting so positivly to sth. that controversial says a lot about you.
I ran clubs for many years as well as being raised around the live music industry. I can say from personal experience that the most entertaining is shows have ALWAYS been those that were in the moment and didn't feel overly rehearsed. A wrong note or a forgotten lyric and the artists ability to adapt where the crowd just enjoys the ride are the best. The perfect performance are often the ones that weren't perfect at all. The entertainer became your good neighbor
Yep, what you describe is the very reason some bands constantly mix up the tempo, or the lyrics, or any number of factors. They want to capture that special moment, and a few misses are worth it, if you hit some homeruns.
"Living in the new world with an old soul." This song has also resonated a lot with me, as I suppose it has with many others.
I love your videos. Thanks for everything.
I've always told him he had a unique voice that rocks! It was an honor playing music with him...miss ya Chris! Hope to cross paths again!
Wait...tell us more! Where and when did you play with him? Was it before the fame?
I've known Chris for 3 years now. We met a a guys house that was forming a band. It didn't work out so Chris and I still hung out and jammed from time to time. Once he got big I lost touch with him and can't get a hold of him. The number I have of his has been disconnected. I'm sure I'll run into him again. I've always told people don't let his voice fool ya, cause he has talent!
@@shanemiller73 "Once he got big I lost touch..." But he only became famous last month. How do you lose touch in a month?
It happens. That was the only number I had from him
I'm sure he's a very busy guy now with people pulling him every which way, everyone vying for his attention. I hope he plays it wisely and doesn't let the industry use him up, I hope he remains true to himself. Instant fame has a way of destroying people who aren't ready for it.
55 million people haven't listen to this song cause at least 250,000 was me running back to see if i can manage a whole playthrough without tearing up
Elizabeth, it’s amazing to find that you have lived experience in this area. Instead of just making a political rant for clicks, you can relate and relay what we all know is true. God bless.
@@tr-lj2vx I won’t name call like you did but, honestly, do you not understand who the rich men north of Richmond are? It 100% about what the ruling class (politicians) are doing to all those beneath them. Get a grip.
@@tr-lj2vx this song is 200% about politics, with a high dose of dog whistles for the far-right. No wonder it is from a statunitian
@@JFrit67Exactly. He's saying it's BOTH sides. Because it is.
@tr-lj2vx it's not just one particular party, it goes beyond that.
Exactly. A tribalist will promote a lie just to spite an enemy, but those with humanity will try to understand.
First of all it is always refreshing to see your reactions Ms Elizabeth. The joy that flows through you harmonizes with the song of my soul. Oliver is a troubadour in every shade of the word. From the words he chooses to the emotional delivery every moment is truly magnificent. Many artists today give us a message but rarely do we feel that message as strongly and purely as Oliver presents it. Cannot wait for the next one.
Elizabeth, you, truly, are the worlds expert on music and how it affects us on a physical and emotional level. Thank you. You translate so much into the conscious mind that I cannot process on my own. Thank you for what you do. Your expertise on how a person sings and how that triggers emotion is unparalleled.
Not THE Brian Johnson? Holy shit, but you are absolutely correct she is a great teacher
So interesting reading everyone's comments and how you relate to this! I work in the Music Department of the university in the town where he is from (Farmville) and it has been a whirlwind here since this went viral. Truly amazing how music can touch so many people!
Everyone is struggling right now (middle class and poor), there's an increasing desperation building up and that's why this song is resonating soo hard. I'm disabled and I'm drowning and desperate right now, I'm trying to survive on a $1,590 monthly social security check in expensive ass SoCal on a $960 rent for a crappy 1 bedroom apartment in a bad area.
I pay my rent no matter what because I don't want to end up homeless, everything else is where I have to sacrifice and go without. It's a miserable situation, I'm desperate.
@@BigHomieSteveTheMetalHeadI feel ya. I live on a LOT less than that, but the same crappy accomodations. Be well.
@@IgorVladimer that sucks man, sorry to hear that. Do you live in California also? The prices here are crazy!
@@BigHomieSteveTheMetalHead Yes. Unfortunately. But I'm getting along alright, for now! 😁
'I want to go home ' is another brilliant offering from Oliver Anthony music. Worth the listen.
my favorite moment was when you could hear the emotion in your voice I've watched a lot of your videos and never have I seen that and I think this is what makes this song so special its not just the talent or how it sounds its or what genre it is but about the message it spreads and the emotion that it instils and that's what music is supposed to be
This singer did a podcast where he said he never has had any musical teaching amd had been on amd off with music for all his life and has just started being a full time musician. Great deep dive in this song/artist
I could see you were struggling a little on this one. It's hard to do analysis when the song hits on such an emotional level. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. This is what I love about your channel. I get so much more than a little music education. At some time, you might want to check out his song, "I Want To Go Home." You may not want to react to it as it is so much more personal and emotional.
The delivery of this song gives me goosebumps everytime I hear it. The emotion he puts in just hits so hard
Zero studio tricks. Just raw talent, passion, and a message that connects with everyone.
This may seem hyperbolic, but Chris ("Oliver") has arguably the most apt and fitting singing voice for his genre I've ever heard. I mean, his natural singing voice just sounds like God gave him the best combination of rich tones and soothing octaves for belting out country tunes
P.S: The Jeffrey Epstein bars are 🔥🔥🔥!!!
#EpsteinDidntKillHimself
He talks about not having any formal voice coaching, and wonders if there's an authenticity to his sound as a result.
I think the reason this song resonates with so many of us is because it speaks the truth in a way we can all recognize. That is real art, because it's also something all of us who aren't in charge understand, but seldom vocalize.
Whelp, this dug so deep into my emotions, bringing up memories I'd kept tucked away for a long time. This wasn't a song; it was a life experience sung by someone who is clearly passionate and you hear it in the delivery.
Elizabeth, thank you for sharing some pieces of your life, I've always appreciated songs that can open us up.
One of your best and my favorite reactions on your channel 😊. Thank you and God bless 🙏
I have been gripped by this song since it came out, because of the message in both lyrics AND delivery. Don’t forget, this is a single take, essentially a live performance (you haven’t hit that yet as I type, and not sure if you will). The way the rawness hits with the added “H” sound (on the “yodel crack”, as you call it) on his vowels because he’s pushing so much air makes his vocal take as emotional as if it were a scream, even though it isn’t.
Edited to add: I think the fact that he ended the song the same way he began, slowed chord with a sus chord variation, lyrics sung despondently, is a fantastic touch. To me it reinforced that we’re going nowhere, and end up as we started, maybe worse off because resignation to the fact takes the wind out of our sails and leads to acceptance that this is just the way it is.
Excellent comment!
You are seriously one of my favorite reactors, mostly for the JOY you wear on your sleeve! Your smile is contagious, and I can't help but get just as excited as you do when you speak. Thank you!
YES!! You did this song! So glad you did, and glad you liked it! Glad you were moved by the lyrics and not just the voice. The line, "minors on an island somewhere" is a reference to Epsteun Island. He has a unique accent also, where he adds an 'h' in front of his vowels.
Listening to you talk about your earnings as an opera singer and where you grew up, about how you have to fight these big cooperations to barely make ends meet, I feel your pain and frustration, but the passion is still there! Having been around this channel for quite awhile now, I feel lucky. Lucky cause I've been able to deal with emotional factors, loss and loneliness by listening to you talk about music and relatable everyday life stuff.
Im so happy that you're doing so well on TH-cam, and I hope your success grows as fast as your musical horizon has been over the last few years!
But this song. This song, though it's a very American reality of current events, I feel these lyrics down to my core. We're all struggling, have less, make more but cant make ends meet, while on the other side of the scale, the people on top are making more money then ever.
It's a damn shame, what the world's gotten to, for people like me, for people like you.
So cool to have someone break down the emotion of his voice we all feel. Phenomenal!!!!
I was watching another review of this from a guitarists perspective, and he pointed out that towards the end of the song you can see Anthony's hands shaking as he plays which i hadn't noticed before. He poured his heart and soul into this performance and you can absolutely feel it.
Love what you do! I always get excited when I see a new video from you. Thank you for such a unique and uplifting perspective! Much love from Hawaii
I saw that reaction too, and he was spot on
It's like Eminem said in the song:
"You better lose yourself in the music
The moment, you own it, you better never let it go (Go)
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo"
Oliver was offered an 8 million recording contract, which he turned down. You should look up the videos on how he got to this point in his life. This isn't just affecting many US Citizens, but I have seen that it is spreading worldwide. Check out his other song "I Want To Go Home".
He knew that was the industries attempt to buy him out and shut him down.
Well he makes 40k a day off that song so I think he is fine, can't complain about pay anymore
@@zekeoutdoors weird thing to claim. The channel that have the original video sure makes lots of money from the views, he dont.
That he get paid royalties would be natural, and from performing it.
@@JoriDiculous not a claim, look it up
@@zekeoutdoorsyou think these people are interested in externally verified facts? They want to dictate reality. Why do you think they always refuse to substantiate their claims and every time tell you to "Google it" or "do your own research." They're intellectual cowards.
This is by far my favorite reaction of yours. The way you explained how he was conveying the emotion made the song all the better. And well, heck, I am a Slayer fan of almost 40 years.