The Black Fly Song

Tabbed by: Wil-man-101 on Ultimate-Guitar
Capo five

Verse 1

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

Chorus

        Am
And the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Verse 2

    C
The man Black Toby was the captain of the crew
       Am                             Em
And he said, "I'm gonna tell you boys what we're gonna do.”
      C
“They want to build a power dam and we must find a way
        Am                        Em
“For to make the little Ab flow around the other way"

Chorus

         Am
With the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Verse 3

      C
So we surveyed to the east and we surveyed to the west
       Am                         Em
And we couldn't make our minds up how to do it best
       C
Little Ab, little Ab, what shall I do?
        Am                           Em
For I'm all but goin' crazy with the survey crew

Chorus

        Am
And the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Verse 4

      C
'Twas blackfly, blackfly everywhere
  Am                           Em
A-crawlin' in your whiskers, a-crawlin' in your hair
C
Swimmin' in the soup, and swimmin in the tea
    Am                       Em
The Devil take the blackfly, let me be

Chorus

 Am
(Blackfly, little blackfly)
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Interlude

C  C  Am Em
C  C  Am Em
 Am
(Blackfly, little blackfly)
C/B  C

Verse 5

      C
Black Toby fell to swearin', the work went slow
        Am                        Em
And the state of our morale was a-gettin' pretty low
        C
And the flies swarmed heavy, it was hard to catch a breath
       Am                              Em
As you staggered up and down the trail talkin' to yourself

Chorus

         Am
With the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Verse 6

              C
Well, now the bull cook's name was Blind River Joe
      Am                            Em
If it hadn't been for him we'd have never pulled through
       C
For he bound up our bruises, and he kidded us for fun
       Am                                Em
And he lathered us with bacon grease and balsam gum

Chorus

        Am
For the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o
C/B  C

Verse 7

   C
At last the job was over, Black Toby said “We're through
          Am                     Em
“With the Little Abitibi and the survey crew.”
        C
'Twas a wonderful experience and this I know
     Am                        Em
I'll never go again to North Ontar-i-o

Chorus

         Am
With the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o

Chorus

        Am
And the blackflies, the little blackflies
C
Always the blackfly, no matter where you go
     Dm
I'll die with the blackfly picking my bones
                 C
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o
           Em    Am
In North Ontar-i-o