Anchors Aweigh

"Anchors Aweigh" is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy, and as a result, the song is strongly associated with the United States Navy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmerman with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. When he composed "Anchors Aweigh", Zimmerman was a Lieutenant, and had been bandmaster of the United States Naval Academy Band since 1887. Miles was Midshipman First Class at the Academy, in the class of 1907, and asked Zimmerman to assist him in composing a song for that class, to be used as a football march. Another Academy Midshipman, Royal Lovell (class of 1926) later wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse.

Etymology
To "weigh anchor" is to bring it aboard a vessel in preparation for departure. The phrase "anchor's aweigh" is a report that the anchor is clear of the sea bottom and, therefore, the ship is officially underway.

"Weigh" as a verb means to "bear" or "move", thus giving it several shades of meaning and derivation, including "weight" or heaviness. This lends itself to obvious plays on words, as with Flip Wilson's old routine about Christopher Columbus. "Columbus cried, 'Weigh anchor'. A few minutes later, a crewman reported, 'Two thousand, one hundred thirty six pounds'."

"Anchors Aweigh" is often misspelled as "Anchors Away," leading to confusion of the terms and the misunderstanding that it means 'to drop anchor' (i.e. 'away').

History
The song was first played during the Army–Navy football game on December 1, 1906, at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Before a crowd in excess of 30,000 Navy won the game 10–0, their first win in the match up since 1900.

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. 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 Savino.

The song is also used by the U.S. Navy's Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois, in where recruits when passing through an underground tunnel heading away from the barracks sing the first verse and sing the second verse on the way back.

At the ceremony that marks the transition from being a Chief Selectee to a Chief Petty Officer, the Selectees sing the song while marching through the auditorium or amphitheater where the ceremony is taking place. All three verses of the Enlisted version are sung.

Lyrics
Anchors Aweigh (1906 version) Taken from the Naval History & Heritage Command website

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 TNT, Anchors Aweigh. Sail on to Victory And sink their bones to Davy Jones, Hooray!

Anchors Away, my boys, Anchors Aweigh. Farewell to college joys, We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay. Through our last night on shore, Drink to the foam, Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

Blue of the Mighty Deep; Gold of God's Sun Let these colors be till all of time be done, done, done, On seven seas we learn Navy's stern call: Faith, Courage, Service true, with Honor, Over Honor, Over All.

Naval Academy Version

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 TNT, Anchors Aweigh;

Sail on to victory, and sink their bones to Davy Jones, hooray!

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh!

Farewell to Foreign Shores, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay;

Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,

Until we meet once more, here's wishing you a happy voyage home!

Stand Navy down the field; Sails set to the sky;

We'll never change our course, So Army you steer shy-y-y-y;

Roll up the score, Navy, Anchors Aweigh;

Sail Navy down the field, And sink the Army, sink the Army Grey!

Get underway, Navy, Decks cleared for the fray;

We'll hoist true Navy Blue,So Army down your Grey-y-y-y;

Full speed ahead, Navy; Army heave to;

Furl Black and Grey and Gold, And hoist the Navy, hoist the Navy Blue!

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!

Australian Rules football club songs
The tune of "Anchors Aweigh" (with changed lyrics) is used by the following Australian Rules Football clubs as their theme song.


 * East Perth Football Club (East Perth Forever Boys)
 * Hobart Football Club

In popular culture

 * In the 1993 movie Dennis the Menace (film), a few bars of the song was played as a doorbell chime.
 * In an episode of Garfield and Friends, Garfield sings "Anchors Aweigh" in anticipation of going on a cruise ship with lots of food (after originally refusing to go until hearing about the food).
 * "Anchors Aweigh" is featured in the 1945 MGM musical Anchors Aweigh, performed by the U.S. Navy Band.
 * It is frequently quoted in Warner Bros. Cartoons to indicate nautical themes.
 * A short instrumental clip of "Anchors Aweigh" is featured in the "Baby June And Her News Boys" number in the stage musical Gypsy.
 * A band plays "Anchors Aweigh" in Batman during the film's "bomb scene."
 * In an episode of Three's Company, Jack Tripper sings part of "Anchors Aweigh" when leaving a phone message for a woman.
 * It is played several times on JAG.
 * "Anchors Aweigh" is used on The Colbert Report during the X Did It! segments.
 * "Anchors Aweigh" is used in the Kelsey Grammer submarine comedy Down Periscope, (sung by the men of USC Concert Chorale) as the diesel submarine USS Stingray is initially launched.
 * "Anchors Aweigh" has been used in TV spots for Carnival Cruise Lines.
 * A version of "Anchors Aweigh" with Swedish lyrics and works as a fighting-spirit-song for the soccer club IFK Norrköping, called "Härliga IFK" ("Lovely IFK").
 * An instrumental version of "Anchors Aweigh" plays in the 10th episode of School House airing in 1949 on DuMont Television Network.
 * An instrumental version of "Anchors Aweigh" performed by Mark Seibert is briefly played at the pre-credit end sequence of the 1989 Sierra On-Line video game Codename: ICEMAN.