You've got to accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative,

Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.



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 arc,

What did they do

Just when everything looked so dark?



Man, they said we'd better

Accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative,

Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.

No, do not mess with Mr. Inbetween,

Do you hear me, hmm?



Oh, listen to me, chillen, and-a you will hear,

About the 'liminating of the negative,

And the accent on the positive!

Gather 'round me, chillen, if you're willin'

And sit tight, while I start reviewin'

The attitude of viewin' right.



You've got to accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative,

Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.



You've got to spread joy up to the maximum,

Bring gloom down down to the minimum,

Then, otherwise, otherwise, pandemonium's

Liable to walk upon the scene.



To illustrate

Well, illustrate!

My last remark:

You've got the floor;

Jonah, Jonah in the whale,

Noah in the arc,

What did they say

What did they say

Say when everything looked so dark?



Man, they said we'd better

Accentuate the positive,

Eliminate the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative,

Don't mess with Mr. Inbetween.

No, don't mess with Mr. Inbetween!