The Scarlet Tops

The Scarlet Tops were a groundbreaking but barely recorded rock and Rhythm and blues group from the 1960s, characterized by their simple lyrics and distinctive piano work.

Fronted by piano player and vocalist Joe Mamosa, the Tops featured Chip Kidd on the drums, Barbara deWilde on the guitar, and Dan Wakefield on the bass. Known almost exclusively for their live performances in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina, they made their few studio recordings in May of 1967. These recordings included "When I'm Down, I Hire a Clown" (written by Joe Mamosa himself), "To Do Her, You Have to Woo Her," and "I Go to School in my Pool" (both written by Chip Kidd). These three singles, produced during the bankruptcy auction of their independent record label, Music for the People, were traded as bootlegs for most of the 1970s and 80s.

The Scarlet Tops were also known for their ongoing battle with Motown music executives. These executives were dedicated to shutting down their music label, Music for the People. Music for the People was explicitly designed to compete with the larger, better-known label. Some Motown apologists believe to this day that Music for the People directly stole elements of Motown's most popular music.