You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene
(To illustrate his last remark Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark What did they do Just when everything looked so dark)
Man, they said we better Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between No, do not mess with Mister In-Between Do you hear me, hmm?
(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear About the elininatin' of the negative And the accent on the positive) And gather 'round me children if you're willin' And sit tight while I start reviewin' The attitude of doin' right
(You've gotta accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between)
You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum) Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate (well illustrate) my last remark (you got the floor) Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark What did they say (what did they say) Say when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” published in 1944, features music by the famous Harold Arlen and lyrics by the celebrated Johnny Mercer. By 1945, this plucky song remained at the top of the charts for 13 weeks. With its positive lyrics and reminder to focus on the good in life, this was the song the world needed in the years following the Second World War. Now a beloved standard, the song has been recorded by some of the world’s most popular artists.
This 1945 recording by Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers was one of the first and most enjoyed recordings of the song and demonstrates Mercer’s desire to couch the song in terms of a sermon.
You've got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene
(To illustrate his last remark Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark What did they do Just when everything looked so dark)
Man, they said we better Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between No, do not mess with Mister In-Between Do you hear me, hmm?
(Oh, listen to me children and-a you will hear About the elininatin' of the negative And the accent on the positive) And gather 'round me children if you're willin' And sit tight while I start reviewin' The attitude of doin' right
(You've gotta accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between)
You've got to spread joy (up to the maximum) Bring gloom (down) down to the minimum Otherwise (otherwise) pandemonium Liable to walk upon the scene
To illustrate (well illustrate) my last remark (you got the floor) Jonah in the whale, Noah in the ark What did they say (what did they say) Say when everything looked so dark
Man, they said we better Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative Don't mess with Mister In-Between No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive,” published in 1944, features music by the famous Harold Arlen and lyrics by the celebrated Johnny Mercer. By 1945, this plucky song remained at the top of the charts for 13 weeks. With its positive lyrics and reminder to focus on the good in life, this was the song the world needed in the years following the Second World War. Now a beloved standard, the song has been recorded by some of the world’s most popular artists.
This 1945 recording by Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers was one of the first and most enjoyed recordings of the song and demonstrates Mercer’s desire to couch the song in terms of a sermon.
