{t:The Black Fly Song}
{st:Wade Hemsworth (1949)}
{c:verse 1}
[C]↓ 'Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to [Am]↓ work up in the woods in north On-[Em]↓tar-i-o
And the [C]↓ unemployment office said they'd send me through
To the [Am]Little Abitibi with the [Em]survey crew
{soc}
And the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 2}
[C]
Now the [C]man Black Toby was the captain of the crew
And he [Am]said, "I'm gonna tell you boys [Em]what we’re gonna do
They [C]want to build a power dam, we must find a way
For to [Am]make the Little Ab flow a-[Em]round the other way"
{soc}
With the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 3}
[C]
So we [C]survey to the east, survey to the west
And we [Am]couldn't make our minds up [Em]how to do it best
Little [C]Ab, Little Ab, what shall I do
For I'm [Am]all but goin' crazy with the [Em]survey crew
{soc}
With the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 4}
[C]
It was black fly, black fly everywhere
A-[Am]crawlin' in your whiskers, a-[Em]crawlin' in your hair
[C]Swimmin' in the soup, swimmin’ in the tea
The [Am]devil take the black fly and [Em]let me be
{soc}
[Am]Black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 5}
[C]
Black Toby fell to swearin', the work went slow
And the [Am]state of our morale was a-[Em]gettin' pretty low
And the [C]flies swarmed heavy, it was hard to catch a breath
As you [Am]staggered up and down the trail [Em]talkin' to yourself
{soc}
With the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 6}
[C]
Well now the [C]bull cook's name was Blind River Joe
If it [Am]hadn't been for him we'd have [Em]never pulled through
Cuz he [C]bound up our bruises, and he kidded us for fun
And he [Am]lathered us with bacon grease and [Em]balsam gum
{soc}
For the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
{eoc}
{c:verse 7}
[C]↓
And at [C]↓ last the job was over,
Black [C]↓ Toby said we're through
With the [Am]↓ Little Abitibi and the [Em]↓ survey crew
'Twas a [C]↓ wonderful experience and [C]↓ this I know
I'll [Am]↓ never go again to north On-[Em]↓tar-i-o
{soc}
With the [Am]black flies, the little black flies
[C]Always the black fly, no matter where you go
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]o
I'll [Dm]die with the black fly a-picking my bones
In [Dm]north On-tar-i-[C]o-i-o,
In [C]↓ north On-[Em]↓tar-i-[Am]↓o
