listen now children a story i ll tell of a woman they called anna lee she had a fine son and she raised him up well and a daughter as lovely as she i ll return to you dear in the dimming of day as the sparrow returns to her nest i ll return to you dreaming with each lullaby hold your sweet weary head to my breast she sang to her darlings a sweet lullaby as the cool evening shadows grow long angels and nightingales gather at night just to hear mother anna lee s song i ll return to you dear in the dimming of day as the sparrow returns to her nest i ll return to you dreaming with each lullaby hold your sweet weary head to my breast i heard it one morning she rode into town to tend to her dear sister there she kissed her two babies on check and on brow and left them with nary a care the wind it did rise and the rain it did fall the river a shadowy wave anna lee never heard danger s dark call and was swept to her watery grave i ll return to you dear in the dimming of day as the sparrow returns to her nest i ll return to you dreaming with each lullaby hold your sweet weary head to my breast