When the War Is Over, We Shall Have Some Jam

DESCRIPTION: "When the War is over, We shall have some jam (x3), When the war is over, We shall have some jam (x2). For you, for me, A pot of Tickler's Jam, A pot of Tickler's Jam"
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1983 (Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood)
KEYWORDS: war food | Tickler's jam
FOUND IN: Ireland
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Kane-SongsAndSayingsOfAnUlsterChildhood, p. 190, "When the War is over, we shall have some jam" (1 text)
Roud #25457
NOTES [279 words]: Presumably sung to the tune of "When This Bloody War Is Over," but Alice Kane did not say so.
An interesting reflection on how war rationing affected the children at home: there were few sweets to spare, so the end of the war finally meant more enjoyable food. For some reason, I find this song particularly affecting: The kids don't want big expensive presents; they just want something nice to eat.
Tickler's Jam was perhaps unusually hard to find, because (according to Max Arthur, When This Bloody War Is Over, p. xviii), the Tickler Company was responsible for supplying jam to the entire British Army. Apparently the standard flavor was plum-and-apple.
For another example of the side effects of economic mass production and control in World War I, see "Lloyd George's Beer." - RBW
Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame: "T.G. Tickler Ltd. had the army contract for jam during the First World War, and, unscathed by calumny, has gone on producing its excellent preserves ever since." Belton and Odell: "[After the battle of Festubert in 1915, the Highland Brigade] realized that there was little good in the jam issued to the troops in the field, so they joined in with the soldiers of the Imperial Army when those cheery fellows sang: [text]." An Opie/Opie-TheSingingGame text is updated for the Second World War: "Every night as I lie dreaming ... Hittler's [sic] Tittler's little moustache ...." - BS
Tickler's Jam is mentioned surprisingly often in other songs. See, among others,
- Plum and Apple (doesn't actually mention Tickler's Jam, but it's a reference to their leading flavor)
- Ode to Tickler
- Tittler's Jam
I rather suspect "Our Jam" is also about Tickler's Jam. - RBW
Last updated in version 6.8
File: KSUC190A

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