Great Vessel

by Greg Crowther

This song covers some of the majors arteries and veins of the systemic circulation. It is meant to be performed in the style of Bruce Springsteen.

Well, you shot right out of the heart, now, baby,
Past the brachiocephalic and then
The common carotid and the left subclavian
And on to the abdomen,
The celiac trunk, superior mesenteric,
The renal and gonadal and inferior mesenteric...

Iliac! Iliac!
Go left or right,
Because you can't go back!
Iliac! Iliac!
For here the aorta ends!
Iliac! Iliac!
For here the aorta ends!

All the tissues getting blood, now, baby,
Are tissues that must be drained.
The superior vena cava collects
From the brachiocephalic veins.
Inferior vena cava drains hepatic and renal
And one more familiar name....

Iliac! Iliac!
You went to the leg,
And now you're back!
Iliac! Iliac!
And back to the heart again!
Iliac! Iliac!
And back to the heart again!

• sheet music (with melody play-back)