Daddy Bought the Rights to Me

At the micro level, this is the true story of a little girl whose wealthy father discards her and makes everyone choose her or his money. At the macro level, it evolves int the true story of society.

  

It was tech eve in Seattle, and daddy was an average joe

Me, I was a hot free agent, friends and fam could come and go

Put me on a pedestal, kissed me, hugged me, loved me so

Life was good I was the apple, when daddy was a poor tech bro

 

Then daddy made his first big bucks, he sent me to the other team

Gave my manager the end run, had her walk a balance beam

Made loving me conditional, it was all a bit extreme

Said who wants the milk and baby, this daddy’s got the thick rich cream

 

    Birthday parties unattended, commitments open-ended

    Mommy’s socials unbefriended, my virtue undefended

    Money is a tempting friend, asks if you really need to care

    Cuz daddy bought the rights to me, when he became a billionaire

 

Now daddy is a smart man, no one ever doubted that

Came up with new ideas, got to be a tech big cat

Money equals power and he liked his brand new hat

His domain kept on expanding, he became an autocrat

 

    Ultimatums were extended, stipulations never ended

    Autonomy suspended, subjugation was defended

    Money’s a controlling friend, says no one is allowed to care 

    Cuz daddy bought the rights to me, when he became a billionaire

 

Eventually the day came, when the market went insane

Daddy won the stock shell game and everyone jumped on his train

Grandpa was the first to leave me, complained I was a ball and chain

Aunts uncles cousins friends and foes, the taste of dough was like cocaine

 

    Gaslighting implemented, my existence disconnected

    His attorneys over-funded, my child support neglected

    Money is the devil’s friend, he takes your morals and will to care

    Cuz daddy bought the rights to me, when he became a billionaire

 

When I came down with the cancer, mommy contacted the family

Not a single person answered, no one dared to come and see me

They make me sad, the memories, when we lived along the sea

I was born a cherished child, not a piece in your Monopoly

 

    Oh, if you sell your soul supporting, rich folks that keep on hoarding

    Your rights they keep on thwarting, and the truth they keep contorting

    When tough times fall upon us, do you think he’ll really care…

    Cuz daddy bought the rights to you… when he became a billionaire

   

    Oh yeah, daddy bought the rights to you… that’s how he became a billionaire

 

Daddy Bought the Rights to Me © 2025 by Jessie Shaw Thompson is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.  Feel free to re-print, perform, and tweak this poem-song, with credit to Jessie Shaw Thompson and dedication to Emma.   

       

Author's Note

This poem-song mostly follows the beat of Johnny Cash's "To Beat the Devil."