'Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to work up in the woods in north Ontar-i-o
And the unemployment office said they'd send me through
To the Little Abitibi with the survey crew

And the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always a blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

The man Black Toby was the captain of the crew
And he said "I'm going to tell you boys, what we're going to do
"They want to build a power dam, we must find a way
"For to make the Little Ab flow around the other way"

With the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always a blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

So we surveyed to the east, surveyed to the west
And we couldn't make our minds up how to do it best
Little Ab, Little Ab, what shall I do?
For I'm all but goin' crazy with the survey crew
And the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always a blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

'Twas blackfly, blackfly, everywhere
A-crawlin' in your whiskers, crawlin' in your hair
Swimmin' in the soup, swimmin' in the tea
The devil take the blackfly, let me be

And the blackfly, the little blackfly
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

Black Toby fell to swearin', the work went slow
The state of our morale was a-gettin' pretty low
The flies swarmed heavy, was hard to catch your breath
So you staggered up and down the trail, talkin' to yourself

With the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always a blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o
Well, now, the bull cook's name was Blind River Joe
If it hadn't been for him we'd've never pulled through
'Cause he bound up our bruises and he kidded us for fun
Then he lathered us in bacon grease and balsam gum

For the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

And at last the job was over, Black Toby said we're through
With the Little Abitibi and the survey crew
'Twas a wonderful experience and this I know:
I'll never go again to north Ontar-i-o

With the blackflies, the little blackflies
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o

The blackflies, the little blackflies
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
I'll die with a blackfly pickin' my bones
In north Ontar-i-o-i-o
In north Ontar-i-o