Jesse Welles - Winnie Bell
Jesse Welles- American Singer-Songwriter and Guitarist
The two songs I am going to use from Jesse Welles are “War isn't murder” and “Cancer”.
Here are the lyrics for “War Isn’t Murder” and a Youtube video of Jesse Welles singing War Isn’t Murder”.
Here are the Lyrics for “Cancer” as well as a video of him singing “Cancer”.
Analytical question:
How do the tones and the themes of “War Isn’t Murder” and “Cancer” contrast to each other, how do the lyrics of these songs show Jesse Welles different approaches to suffering and morality?
Answer:
When listening to the songs “War Isn’t Murder” and “Cancer” a difference that really stood out to me was how different the songs feel. This was interesting because both songs are about suffering but they are very different vibes from each other. War Isn’t Murder immediately starts with “War isn't murder, good men don't die, Children don't starve and all the women survive”, this just sounds like a lie you’re supposed to believe ("War Isn’t Murder”). The use of the title “War isn’t murder” throughout the song is like a contradiction in itself and it makes us really think because most of us would argue war is murder. Most of the lyrics really cause the listener to take a second and almost decipher them which seems on purpose to get us to think about how violence gets framed differently truly depending on who is a part of it. The song makes it seem like Jesse Welles wrote this song with a lot of purpose of just making the listener think about the morality of war. The lyrics show that suffering in war is justified for money or power but what is most important is the people who die do not actually benefit.
The song “Cancer” feels very different. It feels more personal but also more chaotic and blunt. From the first lyrics you get the feeling that cancer is just something we are going to have to just deal with “Cancer’s getting meaner And it ain’t never been fun” just seems like something my granddad would say (“Cancer”). Jesse wrote these lyrics in this song to show how unfair and random cancer truly is. He writes in a way of humor and anger like “It’s your own personalized, Pan Pizza Hut, home-grown little tumor Take it”, which makes the song feel almost relatable but also absurd that he compared a tumor to a pizza ("Cancer"). The song does not try to explain or justify cancer, it just points out how unfair it is in people's lives. The lyrics feel heavy but unlike War Isn’t Murder, there’s no debate happening here, nothing is being justified there is just pain and fear. There is a sense of helplessness that by the end cancer just feels unavoidable.
What words, phrases, use of language, images particularly struck you? Why? This is basically a brief passage analysis.
In “War Isn’t Murder,” the phrase “The dead don’t feel honor They don’t feel that brave They don’t feel avenged They’re lucky if they got graves” really stuck with me (“War Isn’t Murder”). The listing makes it feel aggressive and devastating, it strips away any idea of war you had and forces you to imagine the dead as nothing. Lines like “Girl, even Kushner agrees it’s good real estate” stuck out to me because it uses humor and current references to make it more memorable (“War Isn’t Murder”). In “Cancer” the phrase “Everything you ate The sleep you didn’t get Your job and the air and the water and your pet” struck me because it shows the randomness and unfairness of cancer and that almost everything around you could be blamed (“Cancer”). I also liked the image of “Cancer of the head, shoulders, knees, and toes”, which uses a bit of humor to show how cancer can be so invasive (“Cancer”). The sarcasm and dark humor of both of these songs stuck out a lot but is also a very interesting writing style.
Consider the sound and structure of the music and how it adds to the meaning of the songs. Write a brief paragraph explaining how the repetition, chorus, and rhythm add to the messages you hear in the songs.
In “War Isn’t Murder,” the repetition of the line “War isn’t murder” is important to the message because it feels like a chant which makes the sarcasm hit even harder (”War Isn’t Murder”). The rhythm of the music is steady but feels a bit dark and heavy, which matches the seriousness of the subject. The “Let’s talk about dead people” sections feel almost like a mini chorus that you keep coming back to(“War Isn’t Murder”).Makes the dead feel unavoidable which is important to the message because it is like you cannot ignore the consequences of war. In “Cancer,” the rhythm is faster and a little more chaotic, which fits the randomness of the disease. Repeating “cancer” over and over adds to that feeling of randomness almost like it is everywhere (“Cancer”). The long lists of causes also act like a kind of verbal rhythm that builds a lot of tension and frustration. Both songs use a lot of repetition to point out the main ideas.
Hey Winnie! First of all, I absolutely love love love Jesse Welles; he was one of my top artists in 2025. So, I can definitely agree with your argument that he would be deserving of a Nobel Peace Prize. His writing is very influential both politically and personally. The two songs you chose beautifully represent this. The part of your response which I thought was good was the, "what lyrics stuck out the most" and, "“Everything you ate The sleep you didn’t get Your job and the air and the water and your pet” struck me because it shows the randomness and unfairness of cancer and that almost everything around you could be blamed (“Cancer”)." (Bell). Those lyrics are so sad! Yet so impactful. It really encapsulates strong emotions, as well as using accessible language to depict not only a song, but a story. His way of writing is very unique and interesting.
ReplyDeleteFor your analytical question, you answered it perfectly. After listening to and reading the songs, they do contrast. Yet, they are still so impactful. I think how you described the difference "Cancer" had compared to "War Isn't Murder" really showcased the in-depth messages behind his songs. Since his topics in songs are so serious, your ending to your "Cancer" paragraph wrapped it well, "There is a sense of helplessness that by the end cancer just feels unavoidable." (Bell). I enjoyed reading your post, and I think your paper will be awesome! I hope I get the chance to read it.
Hi, Winnie! I first found Jesse Welles on TikTok and I found his content intriguing. He was singing in the woods, just like he is in the YouTube videos. I immediately followed him and I’m glad I did. His song, “War Isn’t Murder” really helps put the atrocities of war into perspective. He states, “When you're fighting the Devil, murder's okay” I believe this line highlights the hypocrisies of war and places contradicting thoughts about war on center stage. The song makes people rethink their beliefs that have been drilled in their head since elementary school. I was less familiar with the song “Cancer”; however, I wish I learned about it sooner. The song is incredibly impactful and the language that Welles used was ingenious. He talks about how most things today have the ability to give a person cancer and how big businesses make billions on peoples suffering. Jesse Welles is an incredible singer. His voice is like a reflection of past singers like Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash. He, unlike many artists today, speaks up about what he believes and finds important. I would agree that Jesse Welles absolutely deserves a Nobel Prize for his inspiration work. I think you did a great job at answering the analytical question. Where “War Isn’t Murder” sounds more somber and has a great use of irony, “Cancer” uses far darker humor. In “War Isn’t Murder” he talks about how suffering is hidden to shield the public's view of war, in “Cancer” he talks about how the disease does not care and will target anyone.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this artist and was happy to see you chose him. "War Isn't Murder" is actually one of my favorite songs of his. The question of this blog was "How do the tones and the themes of “War Isn’t Murder” and “Cancer” contrast to each other, how do the lyrics of these songs show Jesse Welles different approaches to suffering and morality? " With "War Isn't Murder" it uses like sarcasm like when it says "War isn't murder, good men don't die Children don't starve and all the women survive" (War Isn't Murder). Despite what he is saying we know that he does not agree with the statement, but it also sheds light on what some politicians might want us to think. War is often fight by people who never wanted war in the first place. The blog also touched on this with " violence gets framed differently truly depending on who is a part" (Winnie Bell). However, on the other hand "Cancer" Is very strait forward.
ReplyDeleteThe line that shows its straightforwardness is "Cancer's getting meaner And it ain't never been fun" (Cancer). This remines me of the term "As serious as cancer" when people were assuring someone that they were being serious about something. "Cancer" talked about how serious it is and how it feel inevitable. The blog touched on that to with the line "cancer can be so invasive" (Winnie Bell). Nowadays it can often feel inevitable with cancer being talked about, it can come from the food we eat, the air we breath, the sun on our skin. People always carry the fear of cancer and can feel like it's just a matter of time till it gets to us.
They contrast with each other because "War isn't Murder" uses irony to saying the opposite of what he means to get his message across and "Cancer" used a more serious with his straightforward lyrics. These two songs show the different approaches to suffering and morality by using ways to express his views in a way that grabs your attention. He is not scared of saying what he thinks. He is using a megaphone in the silent library of our scared contempt of the world we were handed. He saying the quiet part out loud and is helping these conversations to start. Conversations is where change can start.
Hi Winnie! I never listened to Jesse Welles before so this was interesting. I think you did a great job describing the songs of “War isn't murder” and “Cancer”. When it comes to the section on what part of the songs struck you I thought that the quote “The dead don’t feel honor They don’t feel that brave They don’t feel avenged They’re lucky if they got graves” is somewhat true and I agree that it is a striking statement on the futility of warfare. When it comes to your analytical question I think that you did a great job nailing on the head when you said “both songs are about suffering but they have very different vibes from each other.” I would generally agree that the presentation of the types of suffering in “Cancer and “War isn't murder” are different because the song “War isn't murder” is about how the suffering and death that follows people who fight isn't beneficial to them at all while those who run the show are the ones benefiting, while contrasting to Cancer where there is not a person behind the suffering but rather a force that has absolutely no upsides and due to its randomness and absurdity that it does leave that sense of helplessness. Overall I think your post is well written and good.
ReplyDeleteRather than different approaches, I think they actually take very similar approaches. He addresses both the subjects with the concept of fairness. War is a manmade issue in which innocent people die from violence and inadequate access to cancer treatment due to finances is another manmade issue that kills. At the end of “Cancer”, he says “cancer is a lucrative business as a war.” He is making a connection between cancer and war. The war in “War isn't Murder” is referring to violence and what not, while the war in “Cancer” is a war against not only individuals’ own bodies, but also the externalities like insurance companies and the medical industry taking advantage and profiting off of people’s illness financially. So with cancer, people are suffering from the illness biologically and also suffering from financially affording treatment.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great discussion on the contradictions between Welles' songs. I would answer your question similarly and I love how you made it known that there are abundant similarities between the songs "War isn't murder" and "Cancer". I agree with what you said about the first song, "War isn't murder" especially the point you made about this song being more "aggressive". I believe the lyrics of these songs show Jesse Welles different approaches to suffering and morality by having different emotional tones. Winnie, you talk about how Jesse Welles represents a "sense of hopelessness" in the song "Cancer" while "War isn't murder" compares death to a depiction of nothing. In my opinion, "Cancer" is a silent cry for change while "War isn't murder" is loud jab at the wrongful doings of those who comply with war. Those are the main differences I see in Jesse Welles songs and I think you describe the contradictions in a powerful way that makes them stick out more so than the similarities. You chose a good artist for your discussion and I am glad I was introduced to Jesse Welles, he is a modern Bob Dylan.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/8E9l_i6HPYM
https://youtu.be/U4o9JpqYyZw
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ReplyDeleteHi Winnie! I have never heard of Jesse Welles before today but after listening to these two songs he sounds like an amazing artist! In "War Isn't Murder" and "Cancer", Welles shows two totally different tones and ways of looking at suffering. In "War Isn't Murder", the tone is very repetitive, he consistently repeats the words "War Isn't Murder" (“War Isn’t Murder”). I feel that he does this to make you question and think about the phrase each time you hear it. I also think the song is trying to get the listeners to question who gets to decide what counts as violence or not, because violence has been excused when it serves a political purpose. On the other hand, "Cancer" gives a more personal and emotional feeling. Instead of focusing of society, this song is more focused on the pain and fear that come with illnesses like cancer. The suffering is not caused by people and their decisions like wars are. I think you chose a good artist and it was very cool to listen to his songs!
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/8E9l_i6HPYM
I like how you explained that even though both songs are about suffering, they feel completely different when you listen to them. I agree that “War Isn’t Murder” sounds more sarcastic and almost argumentative. When Welles repeats, “War isn't murder, good men don't die,” it clearly feels ironic, like he’s saying something he doesn’t actually believe in order to show how wrong it sounds (Welles, “War Isn’t Murder”). It makes me think about how war is sometimes talked about in a way that hides how violent it really is. The line “The dead don’t feel honor / They don’t feel that brave” really stood out to me because it takes away the heroic language people often use and replaces it with something blunt and uncomfortable (Welles, “War Isn’t Murder”). On the other hand, “Cancer” feels more personal and less like a debate. When he says, “It’s your own personalized, Pan Pizza Hut, home-grown little tumor,” it’s kind of dark and strange, but it shows how cancer feels invasive and unfair (Welles, “Cancer”). There’s no justification happening in that song, just frustration and helplessness. I think that’s the biggest difference: one song questions the morality of war, and the other just shows how cruel and random suffering can be. Overall, your post made me think more about how tone can completely change the way we understand a song’s message.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Welles, Jesse. “War Isn’t Murder.” Welles Music, 2024.
Welles, Jesse. “Cancer.” Welles Music, 2024.
“War Isn’t Murder” focuses on how people hurt one another and the deaths war causes is excused by society. Wallace makes a point of saying “war isn’t murder,” and “they’re called casualties” (“War Isn’t Murder”). This begs the question of who gets to decide whether the deaths of soldiers or civilians are murder or if it was a necessary casualty for the cause. The people who lose their lives to war are not respected, as shown by his lyrics, “They’re lucky if they got graves” (“War Isn’t Murder”). His use of sarcasm and irony encourage listeners to stop and think about their double meanings. While “War Isn’t Murder” is complicated and has deeper meanings to the lyrics, “Cancer” takes a more literal approach in conveying its message. It feels more personal by referencing how anybody’s body can become cancerous because of almost any action they take. Wallace sings about different parts of everyday life that can cause the illness such as, “everything you ate,” and “the sun and red meat” (“Cancer”). He even notes how cancer is expected later in life but can come at any point. At the end Wallace speaks on the industries which profit off people’s pain, “I wish has the patent on the cancer screenin’” references how healthcare benefits off patients’ cancer treatments (“Cancer”). He seems to tie both songs together with the ending lyrics, “Cancer is as lucrative a business as-a-war So if you ain’t expecting peace, then why expect a cure?” (“Cancer”). Overall, both “War Isn’t Murder” and “Cancer” by Jesse Welles focus on societies expectations of suffering and what is expected of a specific event. In the case of “War Isn’t Murder”, the idea that deaths are casualties instead of war crimes is expected, it is normal. For “Cancer”, society waits everyday for it to make its appearance and when it does even the people claiming to help are benefitting from your suffering.
ReplyDeleteWelles, Jesse. “War Isn’t Murder.” Youtube, 2024.
Welles, Jesse. “Cancer” Youtube, 2024
Winnie, I accidently came across Jesse's music going down one of my video doom scrolls, and I was instantly reminded of Dylan. He is not copying Dylan, but he definitely carries the spirit of Dylan's music and lyrics on to a new generation.
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