THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

843-Gary Byrd and the GB Experience-The Crown.

1983-Number 6 single.

Best Bit-At 5.30. The musical royalty, that is his highness, Stevie Wonder, who will forever wear the Crown.

Gary Byrd was born on March 14, 1949, in Buffalo, New York, United States. he is a radio talk show host, poet, songwriter, music producer, and a Rapper. He began his broadcasting career on ‘WUFO’ radio, in Buffalo, in 1964, at the age of 15, where he was described as a ‘radio prodigy.’ In the 1980’s Byrd worked as a DJ in the UK, presenting a ‘Gospel’ music programme, on the countries national ‘BBC Radio 1,’ called ‘Sweet Inspirations.’ Prior to ‘The Crown,’ Gary Byrd had issued the Album, ‘The Gary Byrd Experience,’ in 1972, the Album featured Byrd delivering spoken word ‘Raps’ over music, in a similar style to that of his contemporary Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) (see also best songs 181.) Byrd is also remembered for his other release, the single,’Every Brother Ain’t A Brother,’ from 1970. ‘The Crown’ was not the only time that Gary Byrd, and Stevie Wonder have collaborated, as Byrd wrote the lyrics to two of the tracks on Wonder’s 1976 Album ‘Songs in the Key of Life,’ those tracks being ‘Village Ghetto Land,’ and ‘Black Man.’ Byrd also co-wrote three other songs with Wonder, ‘Dark N’ Lovely,’ (1987) which is a tribute to the ‘anti-apartheid’ movement in South Africa, the song ‘Front Line,’ from the 1982 ‘Stevie Wonder’s Original Musiquarium I’ Album, and ‘Misrepresented People,’ in 2000, for the soundtrack of Spike Lee’s movie ‘Bamboozled,’ in which Byrd appears, playing himself as a radio talk show host.

At 10.35 seconds ‘The Crown’ is one of the longest tracks to reach the UK top 10 singles chart, having been released on 12 inch vinyl in July 1982. ‘The Crown’ was co-written by Gary Byrd, and Stevie Wonder, (see also best songs 920-834-682-570-366-205-152 and 65) with Byrd providing the ‘Rap,’ and Wonder singing one verse, and also providing backing vocals, along with the unaccredited female vocalist ‘Crystal Blake.’ ‘The Crown’ was accredited to ‘Gary Byrd and the GB Experience,’ and remains their only release to date, with the songs production being by Stevie Wonder. In America ‘The Crown’ has the dubious honour of being the only song ever to be released on Stevie Wonder’s short lived ‘Wondirection’ record label, which was set up as a subsidiary of the ‘Motown’ record label. ‘The Crown’ only reached Number 69 on the ‘Billboard R&B’ chart, due to lack of promotion, as at the same time ‘Motown’ records were in takeover negotiations with ‘MCA Records,’ and the small ‘Wondirection’ label received very little promotion.

‘The Crown’ tells the story of of the historical narrative of human progress, beginning with the ancient Egyptians, and continuing to the present day, (1983) with an emphasis on African heritage. Gary Byrd has said about the song,’The idea is not that black, white or anyone is better, but that we all have our place. We’ve all made contributions, and mistakes too. Wearing the crown is reaching the top of your potential. You could be a writer, or you could be a mechanic, but you can still wear the crown.’

The style in which Gary Byrd ‘Raps’ is very much in style of the era, but the subject matter is very different. ‘The Crown’ came hot on the heels of ‘The Message,’ by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five’ from 1982, (see also best songs 290) and whereas the majority of ‘Rap’ music up until that time had been about self bravado, and having a good time,’ The Message,’ and now ‘The Crown,’ were tackling social issues, and conveying a serious message, through music and Rap. It is also worth pointing out that Stevie Wonder’s vocals on the track, were reminiscent of his heyday in the 1970’s, with his original written music, and also the songs length, bringing to mind the dance-floor filler ‘Rappers Delight,’ by the ‘Sugarhill Gang,’ from some three years earlier (see also best songs 17.)

People of the world wherever you be, welcome to Cosmic YOUniversity. Where life is the journey and love is the trip, and the study of them will make you hip. I’m professor of the Rap and when I speak, I guarantee that my lines will not be weak. They say a mind is a terrible thing to waste, that’s why I’m here and on the case.’