AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE!

I found myself humming this song today, written by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen and sang by Bing Crosby (?) in the 1944 film Here Come the Waves.

Thanks to Luxuria Music for making it available to our generation.

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!