Magic Johnson by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Album: Mother's Milk (1989)

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The Peppers wrote this song about Los Angeles Lakers star basketball player Magic Johnson. The band - especially Flea and Anthony Kiedis - were huge Lakers fans and loved basketball - Flea could often be found playing pickup games around the city.

Kiedis had a particular affinity for Johnson since both were raised in Michigan before settling in Los Angeles. Flea would often be mentioned in polls of the top Lakers fans, and even wrote a blog about the team on the NBA's website during the basketball season. He has claimed to bleed purple and gold.
Two years after this song was released, Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV-positive and was quitting basketball. This stunning news hit Kiedis hard, and the RHCP lead singer gained a new respect for Johnson when he returned to the team. "The fact that he came back and showed the entire world that somebody could compete at that level with HIV, I think pretty much changed the entire world outlook on the disease," he said in a Goldmine interview. "I don't think you could do something more honorable than that in a lifetime."

Comments: 2

Willie from Scottsdale, AzFlea has said the line "Sits in a throne" about Kareem is partly from the unfinished Bruce Lee film, "The Game of Death." Kareem is the toughest opponent of Lee in the pagoda, and Lee finds him sitting in a large chair when he gets to the top of the building.
Willie from Scottsdale, Az"Buck" was the nickname given to him by his Lakers teammates, they didn't call him "Magic." His Mom called him "Junebug." :-)

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