Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive is a 1944 song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It was recorded as a Capitol Records single in 1944 by Johnny Mercer and The Pied Pipers with Paul Weston Orchestra and was featured in the film Here Come the Waves. The tune is delivered in a sermon-like style and argues that accentuating the positive is the key to happiness, a line Mercer says was inspired by a sermon he heard from Father Divine. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945. It charted well, reaching number 2 on Billboard and number 4 on the Harlem Hit Parade in 1945, and was later inducted into the Library of Congress National Recording Registry in 2015 for its cultural significance. The song has been recorded by many artists, including Bing Crosby with The Andrews Sisters and Artie Shaw, and remains a staple of jazz and traditional pop.
