Origin of Anchors Aweigh? Music written by Bandmaster Lieut. Zimmerman. In 1906, Lieut. Zimmerman was approached by Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles with a request for a new march. As a member of the Class of 1907, Miles and his classmates "were eager to have a piece of music that would be inspiring, one with a swing to it so it could be used as a football marching song, and one that would live forever."

Ahhhh sweet music to my ears!!!!!!!

MMCM(SS) Greg Peterman USN Retired

Yes and in the words of the immortal Jackie Gleason, "How sweet it is!"

Yes, it is a 'stirring' piece of words and music. But here's what tickles me - this song is about a group of college kids singing about beating another bunch of college kids...all of whom are going to become officers. That's khaki, my friends!

That's the genius of the music and it's presentation over the years - even diehard "hate the officer corps" folks think "Anchors Aweigh" is 'inspiring'.

Go Navy!!

"Mack the Knife"
CDR USN (Ret)

How does that go again?

Current 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 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.

Original Version
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 o 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.

classic!

I've drank to the foam on many of my last nights on shore whilst in the Navy.

As Dick Martin used to, "I'll drink to that!" Yep killed many a 16 ouncer the night before getting underway myself.

It may not "Swing?" like Anchors Aweigh, but I'll take the Navy Hymn anytime.

Anchors Aweigh my friends, I'll see you another day
I'm going away, expierences have to come
and the past has got to go
back into our dreams, back into our dreams

Anchors Aweigh my friends
Everybody understands that good times,
that good times they come and they go
and together we will always flow
back into our dreams, back into our dreams

And our troubles, we can't leave them behind
but the wind blows, and blows them all away
and the road goes...and takes them all away
...back into our dreams


Zimmermann composed the music while Miles developed the words and the title.

His verses read:

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 the Grey and Gold and hoist the Navy, hoist the Navy Blue

A third stanza for "Anchors Aweigh" was written by Midshipman Royal Lovell. And in the 1920s the lyrics were revised by George D. Lottman. It is Lottman's final verse that is particularly well known.

John Philip Sousa. c1900. Prints and Photographs Division Anchors Aweigh, 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.

Charles Zimmermann died just before the U.S. entered WWI but his counterpart, John Philip Sousa, enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve and was paid one dollar per month to organize the young musicians recruited into the service. He molded the Great Lakes Navy Band into an accomplished musical organization and became the first Navy musician to hold the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Midshipman Miles continued with his Navy career and reached the rank of Captain.

RE: Anchors Aweigh
Original Lyrics

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.

Revised Lyrics
by George D. Lottman
It is Verse 2 that is most widely sung.

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 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.

Revised Lyrics
Revised lyrics by MCPON John Hagen 2 years ago. This was done to, "Promote new respect for the Navy's official song." The first and second verses remain unchanged from the revised lyrics by Geo. Lottman. The third verse has a minor change. Here is the complete song as written by MCPON Hagen.

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 ashore, 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 great son.
Let these our colors be till all of time be done, done, done, done.
On the seven seas we learn Navy's stern call:
Faith, courage, service true, with honor, over honor, over all.

ANCHORS AWEIGH
(A.H. Miles and Charles Zimmerman)
(Revised lyrics--last 2 verses-- by George D. Lottman)

Stand, Navy, down the field
Sails set to the sky;
We'll never change our course
So Army, you steer shy.
Roll up the score, Navy
Anchor's aweigh!
Sail, Navy, down the field
And sink the Army, sink the Army grey.

Get under way, Navy
Decks cleared for the fray.
We'll hoist the Navy blue
So Army, down your grey-ey-ey-ey
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 colours be
'Til all of time be done-ne-ne-ne
By Severn shore we learn
Navy's stern call;
Faith, courage, service true
With honor over, honor over all

Stand Navy out to sea
Fight our battle cry
We'll never change our course, so vicious foes 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!

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

ANCHORS AWEIGH (2)

WAVES of the navy there's a ship sailing on the bay
And she won't put in to shore again until that victory day
Carry on for that gallant ship and for every hero brave
Who will find on shore, his man-sized chore was done by a navy WAVE

Turn up the sound

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85vsoVC98OY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5rPYpNNYjg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6gtISlR2dk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1COncWG8zx4&feature=rela...8H58&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5rPYpNNYjg&feature=related

Personally Anchors Away is a bit like Bud Abbott & Lou Costello "WHO'S ON FIRST"
http://www.freeaudioclips.com/player.php?id=2164

SOOOOO CONFUSING!!!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Deadlydaring,