Anchors Aweigh

This article is about the song "Anchors Aweigh". For the 1945 film of the same name starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly, see: Anchors Aweigh (movie).

---

"Anchors Aweigh" is the song of the United States Navy, composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmerman with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles.

Zimmerman was at the time a Lieutenant, and had been bandmaster of the Army-Navy football game on December 1, 1906, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. Before a crowd in excess of 30,000 Navy won the game with a score of 10-0, their first win in the matchup since 1900.

Another Academy Midshipman, Royal Lovell (class of 1926) later wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse:

Blue of the Seven Seas; Gold of God's great sun

Let these our colors be Till all of time be done-n-n-ne,

By Severn shore we learn Navy's stern call:

Faith, courage, service true With honor over, honor over all.

The song was gradually adopted as the song of the U.S. Navy; although there is a pending proposal to make it the official song, and to incorporate protocol into Navy regulations for its performance, its status remains unofficial as of 2004. Its lyrics were considered too specific to the Academy and not representative of the Navy at large, and so were rewritten by George D. Lottman (note the reference to "farewell to college joys"). Its melody was also slightly rewritten by Domenico Salvino. The current lyrics include three verses and two bridges; the second verse is the one most commonly sung.

Verse 1

Stand Navy out to sea

Fight our battle cry:

We'll never change our course

So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y

Roll out the T. N. T.

Anchors Aweigh

Sail on to victory and

Sink their bones to Davy Jones hooray!

Bridge

Yo ho there shipmate

Take the fighting to the far off seas

Yo ho there messmate

Hear the wailing of the wild banshees

All hands, fire brands

Let's Blast them as we go. So

Verse 2

Anchors Aweigh my boys

Anchors Aweigh

Farewell to college joys

We sail at break of day day day day

Through our last night on shore

Drink to the foam

Until we meet once more

Here's wishing you a happy voyage home!

Bridge

Heave a ho there sailor

Everybody drink up while you may

Heave a ho there sailor

For your gonna sail at break of day

Drink away, Drink away,

For you sail at break of day, Hey!

Verse 3

Anchors Aweigh my boys

Anchors Aweigh

Farewell to college joys

We sail at break of day day day day

Through our last night on shore

Drink to the foam

Until we meet once more

Here's wishing you a happy voyage home!

Note: to "weigh anchor" is to bring it aboard a vessel in preparation for departure. The phrase anchors aweigh is an acknowledgment to the commander that this procedure has been completed.