a name i recognise that name it was at the center of some ticker tape parade the lead story, a fine example a name, a name a name i recognise that name it was at the center of some magnifying glass the lead story, a fine example a name, a name he used to pretend he was fighting some war somewhere now everything depends on fighting some war he never thought he'd be an exclamation point a demonstration of his disease a punctuation mark a household name with hiv still, it's just still sound



Lyrics submitted by PLANES

Track duration: 06:43


23 Beats Off song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment:It's not about Magic Johnson. It's about gays in the military.
    Flag kyeoon June 13, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about Jesus, the "household name".

    From the psalm 41, supposed to be about the messiah-

    Psa 41:7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.
    Psa 41:8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more.
    Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

    Mat 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.

    Luk 4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

    Christ will return as a warrior king, the Lion of Judah to make war against Satan's armies-

    Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
    Flag Daniel6460on February 22, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:When I first heard this song, I made the Magic Johnson connection, but not the Michael Jordan connection. Beating off didn't even occur to me. I knew they had a song called "Two Beats Off", which I figured had to with something being not right, out of sync. So, I thought "23 beats off" was something that was really messed up, and finding out Magic had AIDS was quite a shock.
    Flag Mad Slanted Powerson July 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:THAT NAME!!!! i rEcOgNiZe that name.
    Flag blahblah123123on September 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about Magic, but only as a backdrop to their message. He is suppossed to be a role model and instead got HIV from promiscuous, adulterous sex. They see the hiprocracy of him telling children not to do those things he did, after the fact. What I love is how they incorporate their message into the scathing instrumental at the end of the lyrical portion of the song. The drumbeat is loud and monotonous with the dual, scraching guitars in the backround. This is the man making his statement and delivering his message, but the drums are eventually drowned out by the guitars and they become more violent. I perceive this transition to be the critics and backlash against Magic and his message from the public.
    Flag rer09on January 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The song is about Magic, but only as a backdrop to their message. He is suppossed to be a role model and instead got HIV from promiscuous, adulterous sex. They see the hiprocracy of him telling children not to do those things he did, after the fact. What I love is how they incorporate their message into the scathing instrumental at the end of the lyrical portion of the song. The drumbeat is loud and monotonous with the dual, scraching guitars in the backround. This is the man making his statement and delivering his message, but the drums are eventually drowned out by the guitars and they become more violent. I perceive this transition to be the critics and backlash against Magic and his message from the public.
    Flag rer09on January 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:wouldnt make sense cuz they are a DC band but they could have been in LA when the lakers won a title in '88 or seen it on the news and seen the story of magic and his HIV on the news, drew that connection ...(a name i recognise that name)...
    people take their basketball way seriously in LA so that could be (he used to pretend...he was fighting some war some where) over all i'm gonna agree with that theory, even if it mangles what fugazi actually meant lol
    Flag malleyon May 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm gonna agree with Szorko here, more specifically though, Magic Johnson's HIV+ status.
    Flag Jawshon February 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's magic johnson / michael jordan. well less specifically, about celebrities and human life as novelty and conversation pieces, i guess.
    Flag szorkoon December 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:All I know about this song is that it's another anti-war Fugazi song.
    Flag doosuon June 07, 2004   Link

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