Alone in the world was poor little Anne
As sweet a young child as you´d find.
Her parents had gone to their final reward
Leavin´ their baby behind.

(Did you hear?)
This poor little child was only nine years of age
when mother and dad went away;
Still she brav-el-y worked
At the one thing she knew
to earn her few pennies a day.

She made artificial flowers, artificial flowers,
Flowers for ladies of fashion to wear;
She made artificial flowers, you know those artificial flowers,
Fashioned from Annie´s despair.

With paper and shears, with some wire and wax
She made up each tulip and ´mum.
As snowflakes drifted into her tenement room
Her baby little fingers grew numb.

From makin´ artificial flowers, those artificial flowers
Flowers for ladies of high fashion to wear.
She made artificial flowers, artificial flowers
Made from Annie´s despair.

They found little Annie all covered with ice
Still clutchin´ her poor frozen shears
Amidst all the blossoms she had fashioned by hand
And watered with all her young tears.

There must be a heaven where little Annie can play
In heavenly gardens and bowers.
And instea-a-ad of a halo she´ll wear ´round her head
A garland of genuine flowers.

No more artificial flowers;
Throw away those artificial flowers,
Flowers for ladies of society to wear.
Throw away those artificial flowers,
Those dum-dum flowers,
Fashioned from Annie´s,
Fashioned from A-a-a-annie´s
Des-pa-a-a-air.
(Give her the real thing!)