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. Inbetwee