An anchor that is aweigh is one that has just begun to put weight onto the rope or chain by which it is being hauled up.

We'll never change our course so vicious foes steer shy-y-y-y! Miles was Midshipman First Class at the Academy, in the class of 1907, and had asked Zimmermann to assist him in composing a song for that class, to be used as a football march. This wasn't only reserved for anchors 'a-trip' was a general sailing term that was used for anything that was about to begin. Another Academy Midshipman, Royal Lovell later wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse. 'A-trip' just meant 'about to be underway', that is, 'on a trip'. 'Anchors Aweigh' is the fight song of the United States Naval Academy and march song of the United States Navy. Get under way Navy, decks cleared for the fray There is some doubt in the public mind as to how this phrase should be spelled. The phrase 'anchors aweigh' is a report that the anchors are clear of the sea bottom and, therefore, the ship is officially under way. Mary's Catholic Church in Annapolis, and the opening notes of the melody to Anchors Aweigh bear a marked similarity (although in a different tempo) to the opening of the ancient Marian hymn Salve Regina, with which Zimmerman would have been thoroughly familiar. In addition to being bandmaster at the Naval Academy, Zimmerman was also the organist at St. Sailors were fond of adding 'a' to words to make new ones, for example, 'astern', 'aboard', ashore', 'afloat', 'adrift', 'aground', etc. Faith, courage, service true, With honor over, honor over all. Zimmermann with lyrics by Alfred Hart Miles. We'll never change our course, So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y.

Anchors aweigh navy song lyrics