The rationalist in me tells me that collecting is all about collecting tracks that an artist has officially or unofficially released. When I read the excesses of Record Collector (£1200 for a red label Please Please Me £3k for some obscure Dylan album) I know I’m not that type of collector. I’m not going to go playing record Sellers games , I’m going to keep my sense of proportion by only being a software collector; interested in the tracks not the packaging or repeat tracks, unless a variation or an increase in quality.

Record collecting is partly being in the know, and when our editor tells me that he has finally collected CD singles of Dimucci singing "Sea Cruise" and "Dream Lover" it inspired me to take up the search once again. Of course his claims seemed a bit preposterous (where’s the evidence I say ) - at one fair north of the Border he’d picked up both these singles AND the rare Bitter End Years compilation containing another ultra-rare Dion Track - about as much chance as seeing Scotland score in the oppositions net before the end of a world cup final match !.

While I was pleased for his fortune, I was inwardly grieving - what about all my unanswered adverts for these singles , what about my hours of routing through record shops and fairs . I had come to the conclusion that these discs just did not exist( outside the limited promo area) and that I would have to continue rely on my low quality tape copies. But now armed with this information I decided to make an assault on the annual Wembley record Fair, with more stalls than any other fair claims, to put the odds in my favour for once.

I probably don’t need to describe to you the hunt for that one elusive record - there always has to be at least one I go in looking for. On this occasion there was the usual dearth of Dion material, not even more than one copy of the Wanderer, although I did manage to Fondle a number of RGM rarities before putting them back in the rack to await for the CD release. Several hours into turning over every CD single stall had given no substantial return, so it was time to turn my attention to the old crackly vinyl - what chances of finding Richer than a Rich man the US 1974 single that no one seems to own .

Into about 2 foot of "1950’s Rock and Roll" I suddenly got the first sighting - a US Columbia demo of Spoonful/Kick’in Child - something I needed because I’d only got the alternate version on the Bronx Blues - and then right in front of me - staring at me from the rest of the pile was "Donna La Prima Donna" - yes a second take - "Donna LA prima Donna" - not the Italian demo disc I already owned, but a picture cover disc, it must be the official release.

Dilema time

Let the rationalist take over - you don’t need it , you’ve collected the track on vinyl and you’ve got an alternate version on CD and it’s planned for US CD release next year, save your money, put it back. Put it at the front and go to the end of the rack something else might be there and then you can walk away and tell Gordon what you’ve seen.

So what did I do , I used the copy of Spoonful to drive down Donna’s price and walked away with both. So what happened to my principles - who knows, I purchased an object of desire and after a few weeks of secret delight I’m now prepared to share it to the readers of YF. The front cover has a look of mystery to it - no doubt some some local model rather than the subject of the song, but the back has a Dion pic plus an advert for his latest album at that stage - Ruby Baby.

It’s good to hear an alternate take of "Kick’in child" but my excitment is for the picture cover because the tracks are just the same.

So come on Gordon, what can you do to top that !