You know that feeling. The lights in the United Center start to dim. A low, pulsing synthesizer riff begins to swell, vibrating through the floorboards. It’s a sound that feels like a heavy fog rolling off Lake Michigan, carrying something legendary with it. Before a single name is called, before "Aaaaand now!" echoes through the rafters, you’re already standing.
Most people just call it the chicago bulls opening song. To music nerds, it’s "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project. But for anyone who grew up in the 90s, it’s the sound of inevitable victory.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild that a progressive rock instrumental from a British studio wizard became the ultimate anthem of American basketball. There was no marketing focus group. No million-dollar music consultant. It was just a guy at the movies who heard a cool beat and thought, "Yeah, this'll work."
The Movie Theater Moment That Changed Everything
In 1984, the Bulls were basically a struggling franchise. They’d just drafted a kid named Michael Jordan, but the "spectacle" of a home game was pretty low-key. Tommy Edwards, the team's PA announcer at the time, was the guy tasked with making things feel bigger.
He’d been experimenting with different tracks for a while. He tried "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. He tried the theme from Miami Vice. Nothing quite fit the vibe.
Then, Edwards went to see a movie.
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While sitting in a local theater, "Sirius" started playing over the house speakers. Most people would have just finished their popcorn. Edwards, though, sat there mesmerized. He realized the song had these perfect "crescendo" points—moments where a new guitar part or a synth swell would kick in. It was built-in drama.
The next day, he went out and bought the vinyl for Eye in the Sky. He took it home, sat in his living room, and practiced announcing the starting lineup over the track. It clicked.
Why "Sirius" Isn't Just Background Music
The genius of "Sirius" isn't just the melody. It’s the structure.
See, Alan Parsons didn't write it to be a sports anthem. He actually wrote it as a lead-in to the radio hit "Eye in the Sky" because he felt the album needed a proper introduction. He was just messing around with a clavinet sample and a digital delay unit called a Fairlight CMI.
But for a basketball intro, it's perfect because:
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- The Build-Up: It starts quiet and eerie, letting the crowd's anticipation grow while the lights are dark.
- The Riff: That signature cycling riff creates a sense of momentum that never stops.
- The Length: At nearly two minutes long, it gives the announcer plenty of time to work through the entire roster before reaching the climax.
When you pair that with the booming voice of Ray Clay (who took over the mic in the 90s), you get the "goosebump factor." Jordan himself once said he never heard a single word after "From North Carolina..." because the roar of the crowd, fueled by that music, was so deafening.
The Creator Was the Last to Know
You’d think Alan Parsons was raking in millions from this. Nope.
Because of blanket licensing agreements that stadiums have with performance rights organizations, musicians usually don't get a massive direct payout every time their song plays at a game. In fact, Parsons didn't even know the Bulls were using it for years.
He’s a Brit. He wasn't exactly watching NBA games in the mid-80s.
It wasn't until the song became a global phenomenon that he realized his "little riff" was the soundtrack to a dynasty. It eventually trickled back to him that some team in Chicago was using his music. He finally got his proper flowers (and a better paycheck) when the ESPN documentary The Last Dance used the track extensively in 2020.
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The Lasting Legacy of the Intro
Today, teams all over the world use "Sirius." You’ll hear it at Nebraska Cornhuskers football games, wrestling matches, and even weddings. But it never feels quite the same as it does in Chicago.
Other teams like the Jazz or the Spurs tried to "borrow" the mojo in the 90s, hoping it would bring them some of Jordan's luck. It didn't work. The song is too tied to that specific red-and-black imagery—the inflatable bulls, the laser shows, and the sight of number 23 jogging onto the court.
It's a "memory bridge," as some fans call it. Even when the team is struggling or in a rebuilding phase, those first few notes of the chicago bulls opening song remind everyone that greatness happened here once, and it can happen again.
How to Recreate the Vibe
If you're a die-hard fan or just want to feel like a champion during your morning workout, here’s how to do it right:
- Don't skip the intro: Listen to "Sirius" and let it bleed directly into "Eye in the Sky." That was the original intent.
- Watch the 1996 Finals Intro: Go find the clip on YouTube from Game 6 of the 1996 Finals. The energy in that building is the peak version of what this song represents.
- Appreciate the Gear: If you're a musician, look up the Fairlight CMI. It was a $20,000 piece of tech back in the day that helped create that "robotic" but soulful sound.
The next time you hear that synth start to climb, remember Tommy Edwards in that movie theater. One simple observation turned a rock song into a piece of sports history that will probably be played as long as the game of basketball exists.