Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive

Harold Arlen

About Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive

"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive" is a popular song which was published in 1944. The music was written by Harold Arlen and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song was nominated for the "Academy Award for Best Original Song" at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945 after being used in the film Here Come the Waves. It is sung in the style of a sermon, and explains that accentuating the positive is key to happiness. In describing his inspiration for the lyric, Mercer told the Pop Chronicles radio documentary "[my] publicity agent . .. went to hear Father Divine and he had a sermon and his subject was 'you got to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.' And I said 'Wow, that's a colorful phrase!'"Mercer recorded the song, with The Pied Pipers and Paul Weston's orchestra, on October 4, 1944, and it was released by Capitol Records as catalog number 180. The record first reached the Billboard magazine charts on January 4, 1945, and lasted 13 weeks on the chart, peaking at number 2. The song was number five on Billboard's Annual High School Survey in 1945. On March 25, 2015, it was announced that Mercer's version would be inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry for the song's "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation's audio legacy". 


Year:
1955
2:35
177 
#1

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Gather 'round me, everybody 
Gather 'round me, while I preach some 
Feel a sermon coming on here 
The topic will be sin 
And that's what I'm agin' 
If you wanna hear my story 
Then settle back and just sit tight 
While I start reviewing 
The attitude of doing right 

You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive 
E-lim-i-nate the negative 
And latch on to the affirmative 
Don't mess with mister in between 

You got to spread joy up to the maximum 
Bring gloom down to the minimum 
And have faith, or pandemonium 
Liable to walk upon the scene 

To illustrate my 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 

Ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive 
E-lim-i-nate the negative 
And latch on to the affirmative 
Don't mess with mister in between

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Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen (February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, "Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. "Over the Rainbow" was voted the twentieth century's No. 1 song by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). more »

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Written by: JOHNNY MERCER, HAROLD ARLEN

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


10 facts about this song

Composer and Lyricist
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" is a popular song which has its music composed by Harold Arlen and lyrics written by Johnny Mercer.
Date of Publication
The song was published in 1944, towards the end of World War II, and quickly became a hit during that era.
Collaboration with Paul Weston and The Pied Pipers
In the same year, a version of the song was recorded by Paul Weston and his orchestra, featuring the talented vocal group "The Pied Pipers."
Inspiration behind the Lyrics
The lyrics were reportedly inspired by a sermon delivered by Father Divine indicating, "you got to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative."
Chart Performance
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" reached number two on the Billboard charts in 1945.
Mercer's Singing Debut
This song marked one of the first instances where lyricist Johnny Mercer also lent his voice to his own song as a singer.
Use in Popular Culture
"Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" has appeared in numerous films and television series, including "L.A. Confidential", "The Majestic", "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", and "Bing Crosby: Swinging on a Star".
Cover Versions
The song's positive message and catchy melody have led to it being covered by a wide range of artists over the years, including Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, and Al Jarreau.
Recognition
In 1967, the song was honoured with the ASCAP Award for Most Performed Feature Film Standard.
Song's Theme
The theme of the song embodies an eternal optimist's view, encouraging listeners to focus on the positive, eliminate the negative, and not mess with 'Mr. In-Between,' metaphorically referring to maintaining an overall positive mindset.

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