BLACK FLIES 
Album : This Land is Your Land
(Wade Hemsworth) 
The Travellers


Black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario 

'Twas early in the spring when I decided to go 
for to work up in the woods in North Ontario 
The unemployment office said they'd send me through 
to the Little Abitibi with the survey crew 

And the black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario 

Now then Black Toby was the captain of the crew 
he said, "I'm gonna tell ya boys what we're gonna do. 
The wanna build a power dam, we must find a way 
for to make the Little Ab flow around the other way." 
So we survey'd to the east survey'd to the west 
Couldn't make our mind up how to do it best 
Little Ab, Little Ab, what shall I do? 
I'm all but going crazy with the survey crew. 

And the black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario 

Now the bull cook's name was Blind River Joe 
If it hadn'ta been for him we'da never pulled through 
He bound our bruises and he kidded us for fun 
He lathered us with bacon grease and balsam gum 

And the black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario 

Twas black fly black fly everywhere 
Crawlin' in your whiskers and a-crawlin' in your hair 
They're swimmin' in the soup, swimmin' in the tea 
Oh the devil take the black fly and let me be 

And the black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario 

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 Ontario 

Where the black fly, the little black fly 
always the black fly, no matter where you go 
I'll die with the black fly pickin' my bones 
in North Ontario 
in North Ontario