Rich Men North of Richmond cover: Rabbi records Jewish parody of viral song

In 2023, it's become normal for celebrities to be made overnight. Andy Warhol famously said: "In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" and thanks to social media, that 15 minutes of fame is more attainable than ever.

And now, one Chabad rabbi has made his very own bid for viral stardom with a parody of one of the year's most viral songs - Rich Men North of Richmond. Rabbi Levi Teldon has recorded a special High Holidays cover of the country protest track which shot singer Oliver Anthony to fame last month.

The original, which received hundreds of millions of views in the first weeks after it was released and shot to the top of the US Billboard charts, is a fiery, politically charged ballad about the plight of the working man in 2023 America.

But Rabbi Teldon's is a little different. Entitled Rams Horns North of Brooklyn the frum track has relatable themes like not getting time off work for Jewish holidays, forgetting Hebrew words, and not knowing when in the year the holidays will fall.

I parodied rich men north of richmond right in time for the high holidays pic.twitter.com/RQaPR0cOKV
— Levi Teldon (@AlamoRabbi) September 3, 2023

While somewhat less viral than the original, Rabbi Teldon's video has racked up thousands of views on Twitter. The Chabad emissary, who is based in the Texas city of San Antonio, told the JC that it wasn't the first time he's tried to use humour to spread Jewish values to the masses.

He said:" I love thinking of ways to share Jewish values with humor and creativity. So when the music video kept coming up on my feed, I knew I had to write a Jewish parody version.

"Oliver Anthony’s song gives voice to the frustrations many working-class Americans are feeling, so I felt, ok, let me see if I can give voice to the inner dialogue many Jews experience during the high holiday season.

But Rabbi Teldon's song isn't just about kvetching. While the song might be moan-heavy, he also wanted to convey Jewish pride about the holidays.

"There’s a lot of kvetching and yodeling of course but I finish with a positive line 'But Jews are pushin’ themselves, showin’ up proud' as a nod to the beautifully stubborn Jewish soul and how if you cut to the core of the high holiday experience, we all just want to connect."

Teldon, who describes himself as a "native New Yorker and born-again Texan", directs programming at Chabad Center in San Antonio with his wife Rochel, and is the co-founder of a networking group for young Jewish people in the city.

Rams Horns North of Brooklyn is not his first musical endeavour. He told the JC: "A year ago I did a parody music video of [Jonas Brothers song] What a man gotta do with a friend of mine called What a rabbi gotta Do.

"We got lots of good feedback and had a great time recording and shooting it. It’s all about using our talent to bring smiles and joy to people. It’s a fun hobby and fulfilling to know I made a positive impact in someone’s life."

Originally from Long Island, Rabbi Teldon might not be your typical country music fan, but he says he'd love to see other Jewish artists take on the genre.

"It’s not too common but it is out there. There’s something heartfelt and authentic about it. It can get you dancing and it can make you shed a tear."