The smelt are a running the fever's in the air
The smelters are coming with their waders and beer
There's toivo and eino in their pickup truck
They got alma and martha in case they get stuck
And the boys from the college they all come by here
They're eating their raw smelt and drinking their beer
They all go so crazy they got nothing to lose
They fall in the river and throw up on their shoes

Chorus:
Everybody's going smelting
Everybody's going smelting
Everybody's going smelting
Smelting u.s.a.

And those downstate boys in their winnebago's
Are fishing for big smelt with their fishing poles
They love us yoopers and they don't give a damn
If we drink all their beers and eat all their spam

(repeat chorus)

Yah the smelt are a running the fever's everywhere
So patch up your waders its that time of year
Pick up a six-pack and dust off the net
And head for the river its fun ya you betcha