The hearty harmonies of Cockersdale are the accompaniment to war, hard labor, precarious journeys, and the struggle to survive. Even when the subject matter is potentially grim, the settings can be hopeful; "Left, Left, Right, Steady" is about a "rear gunnerŠin the Spring of forty-four," but the melody is anything but sad. Temporary pain relief can be found in "Three Cheers For Booze," before the mood turns melancholy ­ "Hills of Mullaghbawn," an Irish traditional, is a thinly veiled protest against occupation, and "Raglan Road" is about love not meant to be. "Cholera Camp" and "Follow Me Home" are based on the poems of Rudyard Kipling, set to original music.