Flicker flicker fire and smoke
My flame it burns my smoke it chokes
I can be friend I can be foe
But will you learn? The answer’s no

In your house I bide my time
Small and flickering working fine
But if you don’t protect your home
I’ll make it mine and all you own

Silent first you’ll hear me not
Licking round your baby’s cot
Up the bunk of sleeping kids
As what I do you can’t forbid

And if you wake to hear my roar
then it’s too late I’m at your door
Suffocating, burning eyes
Another family sleeps and dies

But there is one that warns of me
A friend to you so easily
A smoke detector is its name
It warns you of my deadly game

But as they need new batteries
Or checking on a Saturday
You can’t be bothered, you’ll be all right
Thanks to you I’ll kill tonight

And when I visit kill and maim
I hear those words each time again
“I wish to God I’d checked them out”
Regret will eat you up no doubt

To your family please be good
Check detectors when you should
Don’t be lazy don’t cut cost
Or all your loved ones may be lost

So when you give that goodnight kiss
please think of me and think of this
If you don’t check them I’ll be round
to burn your house down to the ground