Anchors Aweigh
| Revised Lyrics by George D. Lottman
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 Lyrics attributed to Lieut. Charles A. Zimmermann, USN and Midshipman First Class Alfred Hart Miles 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. |
About This Music
Lieut. Charles A. Zimmermann, USN, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, had been selected as the bandmaster of the Naval Academy Band in 1887 at the age of 26. His father, Charles Z. Zimmermann, had played in the band during the Civil War years. Early in his career, Lieut. Zimmermann started the practice of composing a march for each graduating class. By 1892, "Zimmy", as he was affectionately known by the midshipmen, became so popular that he was presented with a gold medal by that year's class. More gold medals followed as Zimmermann wrote a march for each succeeding class
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."
Supposedly, with the two men seated at the Naval Academy Chapel organ, Zimmermann composed the tune and Miles set the title and wrote to two first stanzas in November 1906. This march was played by the band and sung by the brigade at the 1906 Army-Navy football game later that month, and for the first time in several seasons, Navy won. This march, Anchors Aweigh, was subsequently dedicated to the Academy Class of 1907 and adopted as the official song of the U.S. Navy. The concluding stanza was written by Midshipman Royal Lovell, Class of 1926.