Lyrics

[Verse 1] When first the boys in khaki went away to win the war The food out there was great, I'm very glad to say They'd every kind of luxury, there's mutton, beef and lamb They'd also twenty million tins of plum and apple jam They all ate plum and apple 'til they got it on the brain And every Tommy in the trenches now sings this refrain He's singing [Chorus] Plum and Apple, Plum and Apple Jam for breakfast, Jam for tea, but we never get a bit of strawberry Plum and apple, 'til the boys begin to say If we'd used these tins of jam, you see As shells for our artillery We'd've won this war quite easily And been in Berlin today [Verse 2] When Sergeant Binks came home on leave He found to his surprise His wife, Matilda Binks, had presented him with twins He gazed upon the youngsters, and his heart was filled with joy A darling little girl, and such a funny bouncing boy "What shall we call them?" says the wife "I'll leave the names to you I don't like fancy names," said Binks "I'll tell you what we'll do We'll call them" [Chorus] Plum and Apple, Plum and Apple Jam for breakfast, Jam for tea, but we never get a bit of strawberry Plum and apple, 'til the boys begin to say If we'd used these tins of jam, you see As shells for our artillery We'd've won this war quite easily And been in Berlin today [Verse 3] Now, Private Mick Maloney of the Dublin Fusiliers Got wounded out in France, in the British big advance They brought him home to hospital, and while in bed he lay A lady who liked asking silly questions called one day "What brought you here, Maloney, was it poison gas?" she cried "Or was it shells?" But with a wink, Maloney then replied No, it was [Chorus] Plum and Apple, Plum and Apple Jam for breakfast, Jam for tea, but we never get a bit of strawberry Plum and apple, 'til the boys begin to say If we'd used these tins of jam, you see As shells for our artillery We'd've won this war quite easily And been in Berlin today