Nuggets II: I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

The success of Rhino’s 1998 Nuggets boxset justified a follow-up. The sequel covers the rest of the world since the first volume only chronicled the USA.

Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969 emerged in 2001. It features music from countries such as Iceland, Uruguay, and Japan. I’m profiling and rating each of the 109 tracks, working backwards.

Track 80 – I Wish I Was Five by Scrugg

From: London, England

8

Credits

3/26. I WISH I WAS FIVE – Scrugg (U.K.)
(John Kongos)

Personnel/JOHN KONGOS: vocals, guitar * PETE CLIFFORD: guitar, vocals * CHRIS: organ * DOC WATSON: drums
Produced by JOHN SCHROEDER
Recorded in London, England
Pye single #7N-17492 (1968)

Scrugg

John Kongos was already a successful recording artist in South Africa when he moved to the UK to further his career. In the UK, he formed Floribunda Rose, which later became Scrugg. Scrugg released three singles in the UK.

Scrugg were made up primarily of immigrants from South Africa. John Kongos had led Johannesburg beat group Johnny Kongos & the G-Men and scored many hits there from 1962 until his departure for London in 1966. In England Kongos formed Floribunda Rose, along with several other transplanted South Africans, and the group released one single for Piccadilly in 1967. They evolved into Scrugg in 1968, releasing “I Wish I Was Five” as a Pye B-side in April. 

Mike Stax, Nuggets II liner notes

I Wish I Was Five

Released in April 1968, ‘I Wish I Was Five’ mines the same territory as early Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett. There’s a wistful, childlike quality, backed by psychedelic organ.

Scrugg also recorded ‘Will The Real Geraldine Please Stand Up And Be Counted’. It was a favourite of legendary DJ John Peel, who included it in his box of 142 singles, and expressed surprise that it wasn’t a hit. I agree with Peel – it’s excellent. But its detailed horn arrangement was out of place in 1969, as popular music swung back to rootsiness.

The Aftermath

John Kongos became a successful solo artist in the early 1970s. ‘He’s Gonna Step on You Again’ and ‘Tokoloshe Man’ both reached #4 on the UK charts.

His four sons formed the band Kongos in 2003. Kongos has enjoyed success with songs like ‘Come Here With Me Now’ and ‘I’m Only Joking’.

Read More

• Nuggets II Song by Song
• 1960s Album Reviews

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