I too heard this song last week, it was during the Saturday afternoon session in the Dolphin sung by a chap named Simon, very well sung it was too, cracking song, however there's just one line I'm puzzled about and thats

"he looked around, no ferns, no telly blaring from the bar"

What is the reference to ferns, is it just the plant or does it refer to something deeper?

Raggytash