YOUR BEATIN’ HEART WILL GO ON
by Arthur W. Siebens, Ph.D., Copyright 2001
to the tunes of “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” by Hank Williams and
“My Heart Will Go On,” performed by Celine Dion in the sound track of Titanic,
music by James Horner, lyrics by Will Jennings

(To the tune of “Your Cheatin’ Heart”)
Your beatin’ heart’s no mystery, it uses bioelectricity
Starts in the SA (sinoatrial) node the atria contract (atrial systole),
The AV (atrioventricular) node delays, so blood won’t flow back
Now special fibers (bundle branch and Purkinje) spread the signal quickly
And both ventricles squeeze – it’s called systole
When the blood’s pumped out, there’s rest in diastole
No beatin’ heart? You’ve got an emergency!
(To the tune of “My Heart Will Go On”)
The blood flow in your heart, starts in the right atrium
Through the tricuspid (right AV valve) – it goes on
Through the right ventricle, through the pulmonary semilunar valve
Through the pulmonary arteries to the lungs – it goes on.
Back to the heart through the pulmonary vein to the left atrium – it goes on
Through the mitral (bicuspid, left AV) valve, now the left ventricle pounds
And you hear your heart* — lub-dub, lub-dub — and your heart will go on and on
Through the aortic semilunar valve to the aorta
Through the arteries to the arterioles – it goes on
Through the capillaries, it’s collected in the venules,
Then through veins to the vena cava – it goes on.

Near, far the blood’s pumped out of your heart
Hydrostatic pressure makes arterial blood flow on
But venous return is a major concern,
Muscles squeeze, one-way valves ease blood back, so your heart can go on and on.
(To the tune of “Your Cheatin’ Heart”)
Your beatin’ heart’s no mystery
So treat it right — lub-dub, lub-dub — or you’re history — lub-dub, lub-du…