Singer-songwriter Jesse Welles’s newly released acoustic protest song about the healthcare insurance industry, “United Health,” goes viral just weeks after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder.
Welles, who first gained traction with songs like “War Isn’t Murder” and “Amazon Santa Claus,” is known for his sharp critiques of modern capitalism and global conflict.
In “United Health,” Welles recounts the rise of healthcare giant UnitedHealthcare and its founder Richard T. Burke, borrowing the melody from John Prine’s “Fish and Whistle.”
Welles sings: “Way back in 70 and 7, Mister Richard T. Burke started buying HMOs putting federal grants to work/made 50 billion buckaroos last year/the Warren Buffett of health, the Jeff Bezos of fear.”
He continues: “There ain’t no ‘you’ in United Health, there ain’t no ‘me’ in the company/there ain’t no ‘us’ in the private trust/there’s hardly humans in ‘humanity.’”
The song comes amid widespread fury online against the industry sparked after Thompson was gunned down in New York, apparently motivated by disillusionment and anger at the rejection of health insurance claims. Luigi Mangione, the sole suspect in the shooting, was charged with murder earlier this week.
Welles alludes to the incident in his track: “Now CEOs come and go and one just went/the ingredients you got bake the cake that you get.”
Formerly the frontman of the Fayetteville rock band Dead Indian, Welles has drawn comparisons to the politically charged populist folk music of Oliver
He is currently preparing for the February launch of his sold out Fear Is the Mind Killer tour.
Watch above via YouTube.