Just when we thought we had reached the end of the Osmonds with ‘Little’ Jimmy, along came the ghastly realisation that we had only exhausted the male line.

The toothsome, wholesome and fragrant Marie looked exactly the same as her brother Donny, but was a girl. She was also 14.

I can’t say I liked Paper Roses when it came out but it was hard to escape the syrupy string-drenched country ballad because it’s one heck of an earworm.

Of course, not knowing anything about country music back in 1973, I had no idea this was an old tune. I probably didn’t even recognise it as what was then only ever referred to as “country-and-western”.

Apparently it was first a US hit for someone called Anita Bryant (me neither) who included it on her rather marvellously titled album Hear Anita Bryant In Your Home Tonight! – recorded in “Provocative Stereo” back in 1960. It was also a hit here for both The Kaye Sisters and Maureen Evans (me neitherer).

Marie had been appearing with The Osmonds since their rise to fame, without ever being given official membership of the band. This was the first song she recorded – aged 13 – and when it went to no.1 on the country charts she had only just celebrated her 14th birthday.

It would be her only solo hit (no.2) in the UK, though she was back in the charts a year later with a duet with brother Donny, the easily resistible I’m Leaving It (All) Up To You. Here she is appearing on the Bob Hope show. Nothing creepy about that.