Days after cracking Forbes 400, Michael Jordan is seen fist pumping over Chicago Bulls theme music over bottle service
More than 20 years after he retired for the last time in the NBA, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ entrance theme remains as popular.
The six-time NBA champ recently arrived at an unnamed location to enjoy a bottle of wine. To honor Jordan’s arrival, someone from the restaurant’s staff played “Sirius,” which had nearly everyone standing on their feet. “His Airness” relished and appreciated the gesture and raised his fist in gratitude.
The five-time NBA MVP has long retired from basketball but remains incredibly popular. He has become one of the savviest businessmen around. Jordan recently sold majority ownership of the Charlotte Hornets, which fattened his bank account by $3 billion.
The deal made him crack Forbes’ enviable top 400 list, which is annually released in September.
For many fans, particularly those who watched Michael Jordan in his prime, the “Eye in the Sky” of “The Alan Parsons Project” is just as iconic as the “MJ.” Announcer and DJ Tommy Edwards was the brain behind the idea of using the song to introduce Chicago Bulls players.
It was Edwards who started the trend of turning off arena lights to introduce players, especially the home team. The Bulls hoped that would hype up even more the NBA’s biggest emerging star in 1984. Edwards delivered, and “Sirius” became synonymous with Jordan and his dynastic Bulls teams.
In a 2019 interview with NBC News, Edwards explained how he got the idea of playing the song for introductory Chicago Bulls games. He was in a movie theater when a light bulb flashed:
“I told (my wife) Mary Lou, ‘I know this song. It’s Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project. The more I listened to it, I’m thinking, ‘Wait a minute, this could be the Bulls’ song.”
The next day, he bought Alan Parsons Project’s sixth album and practiced his planned pre-game piece for Bulls players. Edwards’ idea was a huge hit. The song stuck and became one of the most played themes in the biggest NBA games.
Alan Parsons only later knew Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls made “Sirius” part of their pre-game ritual
Alan Parsons had no idea how Tommy Edwards would make his song part of the Chicago Bulls’ introduction. He never fantasized that it would one day become part of an NBA team’s pre-game ritual.
It had been years that the Bulls had been using the song when Parsons was made aware of its incredible popularity in the team’s home games. The songwriter admitted that he wasn’t a basketball fan so he had no idea “Sirius” had become synonymous with Michael Jordan.
It wasn’t until some of his friends told him that he knew about Edwards’ introductory spectacle.
Alan Parsons admitted frustration that the Chicago Bulls didn’t reach out to him. Nevertheless, he was proud his song became an iconic part of one of the NBA’s most incredible dynasties that was led by Michael Jordan.