Maybe Michael Jordan can be serenaded back

If you haven't seen it yet, this is Nike's newest, magical, goose-pimply installment of inspirational Michael Jordan commercials:

Yes, all these years after his various retirements, MJ is still the surest, most popular pitchman the NBA has to offer.

Flashback to MJ's mind-boggling first retirement in 1993. It sent shock waves through the culture to the point that "SNL" devoted its cold opening to the idea that rock stars should put together a benefit song to woo MJ back.

The "Rock for Michael" lineup included Kevin Nealon as James Taylor ... David Spade as Soul Asylum's David Pirner ... Mike Myers and Norm MacDonald as The Proclaimers ... Tim Meadows as Snoop Dogg and Ellen Cleghorne as Dr. Dre ... Adam Sandler as Eddie Vedder ... Rob Schneider, Julia Sweeney and Melanie Hutsell as The B-52s ... Chris Farley as Meat Loaf ... and Steve Tyler and Joe Perry as themselves (Aersosmith was the musical guest that night).

(I should have warned you this would be a embarrassingly '90s pop music lineup.)

Click here for the full lyric parodies ... my faves include:

JAMES TAYLOR: [ to "Fire And Rain" ]
"I've seen Magic, and I've seen Bird
I saw Kareem retire, but I never said a word.
But I always thought I'd see you play one more time again."

THE PROCLAIMERS: [to "500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)"]
"I've seen you score 500 points
I want to see you score 500 more.
Just to be the man who could say he saw a man
Score 1,000 points on the basketball floor."

MEAT LOAF: [to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light"]
"Michael, sleep on it!
Michael, baby, won't you sleep on it?
Won't you sleep on it?
Give us an answer in the morning!"

Original airdate: Oct. 9, 1993
SNL Sportsplex entry No. 33