Dumb Ways to Die asks people to be safe around trains by using black humour to make the point that there are many dumb ways to die, but perhaps the dumbest of is doing silly things around trains.

The campaign was brought to life with a song about 21 of the most gruesome of deaths sung in the most charming and endearing of ways.

Dumb Ways to Die is an original score, composed for this campaign. The lyrics were written by the advertising agency, and the original music was composed by Ollie McGill of the The Cat Empire. Vocals were provided by Emily Lubitz, the lead singer of Tinpan Orange, with backing vocals by Ollie McGill. Members of the The Cat Empire, plus session musicans, performed the track. Together they were called Tangerine Kitty.