“Anchors Aweigh (1945) Part Three: Songs, Release & Reception, and Trivia”
Anchors Aweigh Songs
We Hate To Leave
The first song from the movie Anchors Aweigh is performed by Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly after receiving the news that they have been granted several days of shore leave. It is a military-style marching song, ironic and mocking, dedicated to their fellow sailors who must remain on board and will miss out on all the fun the city has to offer.
Cradle Song
This is the quintessential lullaby, composed by Johannes Brahms in 1868 under the title Wiegenlied. In the film, Clarence sings it tenderly to help little Donald fall asleep. Sinatra captivates the audience with his rendition, despite the melody being one of the most recognizable from childhood.
I Begged Her
One of the most iconic moments of the film. In a hotel full of servicemen, Clarence and Joe boast through this song about supposed romantic conquests that, in reality, never happened.
The number includes the famous dance sequence with Gene Kelly, which required weeks of rehearsals for Sinatra. While his skill does not match Kelly’s, the result is more than respectable. Comparing them in this aspect is as unproductive as comparing them in singing.
If You Knew Susie
Nowadays, a scene like this in such an innocent film might surprise many. However, at the time, it was seen as a comedic prank rather than a serious attack on the female lead. In this scene, Clarence and Joe arrive at Susan’s house only to find that she has a date with another man. Determined to win her over, they improvise a song that distorts her reputation, implying that she is too promiscuous. The suitor, confused and upset, leaves, clearing the way for the protagonists.
The musical number is a medley of three popular early 20th-century songs, adapted with new lyrics to fit the plot:
If You Knew Susie (1925) by Buddy DeSylva, popularized by Eddie Cantor.
M-O-T-H-E-R (1915) by Howard Johnson and Theodore Morse, a nostalgic ballad about motherhood.
Tiger Rag (1917), a jazz classic first performed by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.
What Makes The Sunset?
Unable to express his feelings for Susan, Clarence sings this piece, reflecting on his doubts and existence itself (“What makes the sun set? What makes the moon rise?”). Brooklyn hears him sing and instantly falls in love with him.
It is an introspective song, similar to How Deep Is the Ocean? or Are You Lonesome Tonight?. With a Latin-tinged rhythm reminiscent of a beguine, Sinatra delivers the performance with the necessary vulnerability, showcasing his vocal range without extravagance.
The Charm Of You
Clarence tells Brooklyn that he has a date with Susan but is anxious about what to say. To help, Brooklyn suggests he practice with her. Clarence sings this song, which has a beautiful melody but lyrics so overly sentimental (“Your charm is like a Christmas tree with toys when children see it for the first time.”) that they might be excessive even for the sugary standards of the time.
Brooklyn is enchanted by Clarence’s sensitivity, while he finds inspiration in a portrait of Susan hanging behind her. The scene, wrapped in Axel Stordahl’s lush orchestral arrangement, with the characters caught in a sort of mystical-romantic ecstasy, is charmingly corny—but Sinatra’s voice is so beautiful and his delivery so sincere that it’s impossible not to enjoy it.
I Fall In Love Too Easily
This is the film’s most beautiful musical moment and one of the finest sequences in Frank Sinatra’s filmography. In just a minute and a half, it encapsulates all the qualities that made him a star in every field he pursued: his honest expressiveness, irresistible charisma, and timeless artistry.
In the song, Clarence sorrowfully reflects on the suffering caused by his tendency to fall in love too easily. As he finishes the piece, he realizes that the person he truly loves is Brooklyn.
This song is a heartbreakingly beautiful portrait of a man tormented by his own uncontrollable heart. Sinatra’s delivery is delicate, elegant, and deeply melancholic, while the melody, as sweet as it is somber, unfolds in a magnificent orchestral arrangement by Axel Stordahl, with the piano as the lead instrument.
Over time, the song won over audiences, critics, and musicians alike, becoming a standard in the Great American Songbook, with over 500 recorded versions.
As a side note, in one scene, Sinatra and José Iturbi briefly perform Tonight We Love, an adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1.
Release And Reception
The film premiered in July 1945, two months after the end of World War II. Its optimistic and patriotic tone resonated with the celebratory spirit of the time. It became the second highest-grossing film of the year, earning $4.5 million in the U.S. and $7.5 million worldwide (equivalent to $79.4 million and $132.3 million in 2025).
It received four Academy Award nominations:
Best Picture
Best Actor (Gene Kelly)
Best Song (I Fall in Love Too Easily)
Best Color Cinematography
It won the Oscar for Best Original Score, composed by Georgie Stoll.
Trivia
The film’s most legendary sequence is Gene Kelly dancing with Jerry, the animated mouse from the Tom and Jerry series. It is a stunning blend of live action and animation in a fantasy world where Joe teaches the mouse how to dance. Even by today’s standards, it is impressive, but considering the technical limitations of 1945, the achievement is even greater. This magical scene was created by filming Kelly alone and then animating the mouse to match him frame by frame—a process that took two months and required 10,000 hand-painted frames.
During filming, Sinatra was eager to see his progress as soon as possible and constantly asked producer Joe Pasternak to let him watch the daily rushes. This went against studio policy, as stars often disliked what they saw before editing. However, Sinatra convinced Pasternak, under the condition that it be a private screening. To Pasternak’s anger and surprise, Frank showed up with six friends. Furious, the producer confronted him, but Sinatra threatened to walk off the film if he didn’t get his way. Pasternak reluctantly agreed again, though Sinatra must have realized he was pushing too far, as he returned alone the next day. The press caught wind of the incident and exaggerated it, even though it was the only significant disagreement between Sinatra and Pasternak during production. However, it was a prelude to a much bigger scandal—perhaps the most serious one of the shoot—that truly put Sinatra’s involvement in jeopardy.
Hal Swisher, a United Press reporter, was interviewing José Iturbi on set when he overheard some remarks from Sinatra, which he published in Daily Variety in October 1944:
“Movies stink. Most of the people in them do too. I don’t want to work in films anymore. Hollywood won’t believe me, but they’ll see I mean it.”
Sinatra quickly denied the alleged statement, declaring, “Hollywood and the people in the film industry have been good to me… I was completely surprised when I saw the article.” Swisher stood by his story, and Sinatra threatened legal action for defamation. His agent, Al Levy, issued a statement claiming the comment had been taken out of context and was meant as a joke, made in a moment of fatigue. This did not satisfy MGM executives, who demanded a formal apology from Sinatra. His press agent, Jack Keller, gave Swisher a statement—some authors believe it was written by MGM itself:
“I think maybe I spoke too lightly about leaving movies and my feelings toward Hollywood. I have a seven-year contract with RKO… and one more commitment at Metro… and believe me, I intend to fulfill my contractual obligations.”
In any case, tensions between Sinatra and the studio were smoothed over.
Sinatra, Kelly, and Grayson starred in a one-hour radio adaptation of the film, directed by Frederick MacKaye and broadcast on December 29, 1947, as part of the Lux Radio Theater series on NBC.
Conclusion
Anchors Aweigh is a milestone in musical cinema and American cultural history. It marked a turning point in blending animation and live-action with the sublime Gene Kelly and Jerry sequence, a groundbreaking technological feat that inspired many later films. It also provided an optimistic vision of postwar America.
For Sinatra, Anchors Aweigh cemented his status in Hollywood, proving his acting talent and charisma, which would sustain a notable film career for the next forty years.
Article written by Mahnuel Muñoz. Facebook group “Al Mal Tiempo, Frank Sinatra“. https://www.facebook.com/groups/120950148274703
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