No! Don't mess with Mister In-Between

AC-CENT-TCHU-ATE THE POSITIVE

(Johnny Mercer / Harold Arlen)

 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