Dr. John began making his own idiosyncratic music in the 1960s. Along with Professor Longhair, Dr. John is heir to the rich New Orleans tradition. He is perhaps best known for "Right Place, Wrong Time", an international hit in 1973, reissued and used on soundtracks many times since.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, his professional musical career began as a session musician in New Orleans in the 1950s. Early on he also played guitar and was often known as Mac Rebennack. He switched to the bass ("the lowest time of my life"), and then the piano after his index finger was nearly shot off protecting his bandmate and longtime friend Ronnie Barron. He gained fame beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s, with music that combined New Orleans-style rhythm and blues with psychedelic rock and stage shows that bordered on voodoo religious ceremonies, including elaborate costumes and headdress. For a time he was billed as Dr. John, The Night Tripper. The name "Dr. John" came from a legendary Louisiana voodoo practitioner from the start of the 19th century.
Dr. John has also done vocals for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits' "Luv dat chicken..." jingle, as well as the theme song ("My Opinionation") for the early-1990s television sitcom Blossom. His movie credits include Martin Scorsese's documentary The Last Waltz (in which he joins The Band for a performance of his song "Such a Night") and Blues Brothers 2000 (in which he joins the fictional band The Louisiana Gator Boys to perform the song "New Orleans"). In the 2009 Disney film The Princess and the Frog, Dr. John sings the opening tune, "Down in New Orleans".
In January 2008 Mac Rebennack, Dr. John, was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame.
Accentuate the Positive
Dr. John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
While I testify, I feel the summer coming on me
And the topic will be same, that's what I'm against
If you wanna hear my story then just chill out
Don't be uptight while I review the attitude of doing right
You've got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Don't mess with mister in between
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to that minimum
Have faith, a pandemonium
Libel to walk up on the scene
To illustrate my last remark
Talking about Jonah in the Whale, Noah in the arc
What did they do
When everything looked so dark?
Then they said
"We better accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with mister in between, no
Don't mess with mister in between"
To illustrate my last remark
Talking about Jonah in the Whale, Noah in the arc
What did they do
When everything looked so dark?
Then they said
"We better accentuate the positive
Eliminate all the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don't mess with mister in between, oh
Don't mess with mister in between"
Don't you ever mess with mister inbetween
Don't you mess with mister inbetween
Don't you mess with mister inbetween
The song "Accentuate the Positive" by Dr. John is all about staying positive and embracing optimism even in the face of difficult situations. The opening lines call on listeners to gather around and hear the singer's message, that while the topic is the same as always (presumably the need to stay positive), he encourages everyone to relax and avoid being uptight about it. The lyrics urge people to accentuate the positive, eliminating negative thoughts and latching on to affirmative ones. This is the key to spreading joy and keeping gloom to a minimum. The singer believes in having faith and bringing about pandemonium, which according to the context, means creating an atmosphere of positivity and excitement.
The song then provides an illustration of how to stay positive by referencing two biblical stories. The tales of Jonah in the Whale and Noah in the Arc emphasizes that even in the most adverse situations, these figures chose to accentuate the positives and not the negative. By following their example, we can also stay optimistic in the face of adversity. The chorus is repeated twice, with the emphasis on not "messing with mister in between", which is a reference to the idea of choosing either the negatives or positives and not being indecisive.
Line by Line Meaning
Gather around me, everybody gather around me
Come close and listen to me, everyone
While I testify, I feel the summer coming on me
As I share my story, I feel the warmth and positivity of the summer season
And the topic will be same, that's what I'm against
I want to discuss something different from the norm and challenge the status quo
If you wanna hear my story then just chill out
If you're interested in my point of view, relax and listen attentively
Don't be uptight while I review the attitude of doing right
Don't be anxious or defensive while I discuss the importance of having a positive outlook and taking responsible actions
You've got to accentuate the positive
Focus on highlighting the good things in life
Eliminate the negative
Get rid of negative thoughts and attitudes
Latch on to the affirmative
Embrace positive beliefs and actions
Don't mess with mister in between
Don't settle for ambiguity or uncertainty, commit to positivity
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum
Increase the amount of happiness in the world as much as possible
Bring gloom down to that minimum
Minimize sadness and negativity in your life
Have faith, a pandemonium
Believe in yourself and positivity, even in the midst of chaos and disorder
Libel to walk up on the scene
You might suddenly come across a situation where you need to maintain a positive attitude
To illustrate my last remark
As an example of what I just talked about
Talking about Jonah in the Whale, Noah in the arc
Using two well-known Biblical stories to make my point
What did they do when everything looked so dark?
How did these people remain positive in a difficult situation?
Then they said: 'We better accentuate the positive'
Their response was to focus on the good things, rather than the bad
Eliminate all the negative
Completely remove negative thoughts and actions from your life
Don't mess with mister in between, oh
Don't allow uncertainty or indecisiveness to cloud your judgement
Don't you ever mess with mister inbetween
Never allow yourself to be unsure or undecided - always choose positivity and confidence
Don't you mess with mister inbetween
Don't let doubt or negativity creep in
Don't you mess with mister inbetween
Stay positive and confident, and don't allow ambiguity or uncertainty to take hold
Contributed by Lucy V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Steve
on Holdin' Pattern
Looking for the Lyrics "Holdin' Pattern" by Dr. John.
Perry
on I Been Hoodood (LP Version)
Not The Correct Lyrics Listed