Who composed the song Anchors Aweigh?”
Anchors Aweigh” is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy, and strongly associated with 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 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. “Anchors Aweigh” is unusual for a college fight song in that its lyrics refer specifically (and repeatedly) to a particular opponent (Army) which may not even be present at the event at which the song is sung.
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh. Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay. “Anchors Aweigh,” the official song of the Navy, was first sung publicly in Philadelphia’s Franklin Field at the December 1, 1906 Army-Navy football game. The rousing song helped the Midshipmen shut out the Cadets with a 10 to 0 victory. Lieutenant Charles A. Zimmermann, a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory and director of the Naval Academy Band, composed the song’s music, and Midshipman Alfred H. Miles supplied its words. To a remarkable degree Charles Zimmermann’s career paralleled that of the bandleader John Philip Sousa. Zimmermann’s father was a member of the Navy Academy Band during the Civil War just as Sousa’s father was of the Marine Band. Each of the sons, both at age 26, assumed leadership of those respective bands and both committed their lives to music and the promotion of music education. Image: Annapolis / Bristow Adams Annapolis / Bristow Adams. Andrew B. Graham, photo
“Anchors Aweigh” is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy, and strongly associated with 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 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.
