The Larynx

[Intro] You talk all day and never think about it There's one spot in your neck deciding whether air goes in or food goes down [Verse 1] Sits between the pharynx and the trachea Thyroid cartilage up front, that's the Adam's apple Cricoid underneath, a full ring all the way around Two arytenoids in the back, and they pivot Epiglottis on top, shaped like a leaf Nine cartilages total, three of them single [Pre-Chorus] Vocal folds sit lower, and those make sound Vestibular folds sit above, those only protect False folds don't vibrate, true folds do Don't swap those two, it shows up every time [Chorus] Thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid Epiglottis drops when you swallow Glottis is the folds plus the space between Vocal folds vibrate, that's your voice Breathing, speaking, protecting the airway One larynx doing all three [Verse 2] Cricoid's the only complete ring in the airway Three hundred sixty degrees, closed all the way Arytenoids pivot and swing the folds Open to breathe, drawn tight to speak Epiglottis doesn't close because you decided It drops on its own every time you swallow [Bridge] When that timing slips, food takes the wrong path Airway instead of the esophagus That's what choking actually is And the whole thing hangs from one floating bone [Chorus] Thyroid, cricoid, arytenoid Epiglottis drops when you swallow Glottis is the folds plus the space between Vocal folds vibrate, that's your voice Breathing, speaking, protecting the airway One larynx doing all three [Outro] Vestibular protects, vocal makes the sound Glottis is the opening, not the fold itself Cricoid is the only complete ring Three jobs, one larynx [End]