Johnny Mercer - Accentuate the Positive Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar E7 chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
Guitar C7 chord diagram
Guitar F chord diagram
Guitar Fm7 chord diagram
Guitar A7 chord diagram
Guitar D7 chord diagram
Guitar G7 chord diagram
[Opening]
You’ve got to [C]ac[E7]centu[Am]ate the [C7]positive
[F]El[Fm7]imin[C]ate the negative
And [C]latch [E7]on to [Am]the aff[C7]irmative
Don’t [F]mess with [Fm7]Mister In be[C]tween
[verse 2]
You’ve got to [C]spread [E7]joy [Am]up to the [C7]maximum
[F]Bring [Fm7]gloom [C]down to the minimum
[C]Have [E7]faith [Am]or pande[C7]monium’s
[F]Liable to [Fm7]walk upon the [C]scene
[chorus]
To illustrate [F] [C]my last remark [F] [C]
[C]Jonah in the [F]whale, Noah in the [C]ark [F] [C]
What did they do [F] [C]
[C]Just when [A7]everything looked so [D7]dark? [G7]
[verse 3]
You’ve got to [C]ac[E7]centu [Am]ate the [C7]positive
[F]El [Fm7]imin[C]ate the negative
And [C]latch [E7]on to [Am]the aff[C7]irmative
Don’t [F]mess with [Fm7]Mister In be[C]tween
[chorus]
To illustrate [F] [C]my last remark [F] [C]
[C]Jonah in the [F]whale, Noah in the [C]ark [F] [C]
What did they do [F] [C]
[C]Just when [A7]everything looked so [D7]dark? [G7]
[verse 4]
You’ve got to [C]ac[E7]centu[Am]ate the [C7]positive
[F]Elimin[C]ate the negative
And [C]latch [E7]on to [Am]the aff[C7]irmative
Don’t [F]mess with [Fm7]Mister In be [C]tween
[Closing]
No, don’t you [F]mess with [Fm7]Mister In be[C]tween
No, don’t [F]mess with [Fm7]Mister In be[C]tween [Fm7] [C]
How to play Accentuate the Positive on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Johnny Mercer - Accentuate the Positive on guitar requires 9 chords and 11 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑-↓↑-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Accentuate the Positive uses these transitions most often: C → F (12), F → C (11), and Fm7 → C (10). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - E7 chord transition.
1. C → E7 chord transition
To move from C to E7;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on G string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to A string fret 2.
2. E7 → Am chord transition
To move from E7 to Am;
- Lift your index finger from G string fret 1 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from A string fret 2 to D string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on G string fret 2.
3. Am → C7 chord transition
To move from Am to C7;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on G string fret 3.
4. C7 → F chord transition
To move from C7 to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Lift your pinky from G string fret 3 and place it on D string fret 3.
5. F → Fm7 chord transition
To move from F to Fm7;
- While playing F, first lift your index finger and pinky.
- Lift your middle finger from G string fret 2 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your ring finger from A string fret 3 to D string fret 1.
6. Fm7 → C chord transition
To move from Fm7 to C;
- Lift your middle finger from E string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your ring finger from D string fret 1 to A string fret 3.
- Place index finger on B string fret 1.
7. C → F chord transition
To move from C to F;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on E string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Keep ring finger on A string fret 3.
- Place pinky on D string fret 3.
8. C → A7 chord transition
To move from C to A7;
- While playing C, lift your ring finger from A string fret 3.
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on D string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to B string fret 2.
9. A7 → D7 chord transition
To move from A7 to D7;
- Lift your index finger from D string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from B string fret 2 to G string fret 2.
- Place ring finger on E string fret 2.
10. D7 → G7 chord transition
To move from D7 to G7;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from G string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Slide your ring finger on E string from fret 2 to fret 1.
11. G7 → C chord transition
To move from G7 to C;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 3.
Accentuate the Positive chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Accentuate the Positive.
- Accentuate the Positive includes 83 chord transitions, 11 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.02% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Accentuate the Positive contains 1 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Accentuate the Positive connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
- C → F: 16%
- C → E7: 1%
After F, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (40%), G (21%), and Am (11%).- F → C: 40%
- F → Fm7: 0%