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