Bearwolf (Spadeflax) Johnson - Folk singing legend

     Too bittle my pretty Spotted Spadeflax

      Too bittle, too bittle

      Spade up for battle

      Undo your plots nettles

      Pull up ladies mantles

      And sew - the Spotted Spadeflax.

      Too bittle, too bittle

      Your salad’s too subtle

      Fettle your lentils

      Fill up your yottle

     And serve at the table

     A Bindle

     Too bittle, too bittle

     Empty tins rattle

     But I hear my spleen chortle

     Now bulgar’s for rental

     Spread lovely petals

     Through flowery portals

     Too bittle, too bittle my pretty.

Hey ho, Boris here, I'm thrilled to say that there's news here at Planet Strange Bird,  and a mid-century, knicker pink tinge of excitement has filled the office. 

Some time ago while I was researching for our Strange Bloom range I came across a reference  to an ancient folk song all about the Spadeflax bloom in a 16th Century cook book called
'Mable Muddlewaters Country Kitchen' which mentions the Spotted Spadeflax as being widely used in
a farm workers favourite sandwich filler - Bindle Salad.
The song was 'Too bittle my pretty spotted spadeflax"

The Bindle Salad was so delicious that a song was written in its honour and my Granny, Constance Clearwater says she can remember being lulled to sleep by it. 

Now if you think that's exciting, wait,  there's more. 

In the late 1950's the songs revival spread amongst the British beatnik poets, and it was adopted by the groovy folk singing legend -  Bearwolf Johnson who brought it back to life and his tune hit the pop charts at number 115! 

So here for the first time in ages we have the songs lyrics and a picture of  Bearwolf (Spadeflax) Johnson - as he was later known.
 love from Boris Beardy Snodgrass