'Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to work up in the woods of north Ontario
And the unemployment office said they'd put me through
To the little abi-tibi and the survey crew
And the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
Now the man, black Toby was the captain of the crew
And he says, "I'm gonna tell you boys, what we gotta do
Well we're gonna build a power dam and we must find a way
For to make the little ab run around the other way"
And the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
So we survey to the east and we survey to the west
Trying to make our minds up how to do it best
Little ab, little ab, what can I do?
I'm all but goin' crazy on the survey crew
With the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
Black flies, black was everywhere
They're crawlin' in your whiskers, and a-crawlin' in your hair
They're a-swimmin' in the soup, they're swimmin' in the tea
The devil take the black flies, let me be
There's black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
Black Toby fell to swearin' 'cause the work was getting slow
And the state of our morale was gettin' mighty low
And the flies swarmed heavy as he staggered up the trail
He was walkin' up and down the trail talkin' to himself
Those black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
Now the bull cook's name was Blind River Joe
And if it hadn't been for him we'd have never pulled through
Well he bounded up our bruises, and he kidded us for fun
And lathered us in bacon grease and balsam gum
'Cause the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
So at last the job was over, black Toby said we're through
With a little abitibi and the survey crew
'Twas a wonderful experience but this I know
Well, I'll never go again to north Ontario
With the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario
And the black flies, little black flies
Always the black flies, no matter where you go
Dying with the black flies picking on my bones
In north Ontario-io, in north Ontario