Written by Natalie Cole

(Hoo, hoo, hoo) Mmm (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Growing up wasn't easy for Annie Mae

(Hoo, hoo, hoo)

A little girl in a great big world

Annie Mae (hoo, hoo, hoo)

No one knew about her past

Some people swore she'd never last

She was (growing up much too fast)

Growing (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Just a little too fast (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Never had her a Mama, no, no

Annie Mae (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Rarely heard a kind spoken word

Annie Mae (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Looking at life through an empty shell

And all the time she's catching hell

She was growing

(Growing up much too fast) up much too fast

Does anybody know where is Annie Mae today

Where oh where is Annie Mae

All you got to do is look into the faces of

All the young girls

On the avenue--(young girls!)

Oh, well, (hoo, hoo, hoo) ha

In the night hear her cry, Annie Mae (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Hurt and pain keeps coming again

And again, and again, Annie Mae (hoo, hoo, hoo)

Trippin' and runnin' is blowin' her mind

Tryin' to decide if she'll make it this time

She was (growing up) oh, yeah (much too fast)

She was (growing up much too fast)

Somebody got to stop her, oh Annie, Annie

(Ooh) (hoo, hoo, hoo) (where is Annie Mae)

Annie, Annie

Somebody

(Ooh) (hoo, hoo, hoo) (where is Annie Mae)

got to stop her, oh, Annie, Annie,

(Ooh) (hoo, hoo, hoo) (where is Annie Mae)

Annie, Annie

She's runnin', she's runnin'

Growin' up too fast, oh, oh

(She's running') oh, oh

Growin' up too fast, oh, oh

(She's runnin') oh, oh

Growin' up too fast, oh, hey

(She's runnin') Annie, Annie Mae, yeah

(She's running) Where you goin' Annie

(She's runnin') Don't you think somebody aught to stop you

(She's runnin') Somebody aught to stop you

(She's runnin') Don't you think I'm gonna try to stop you