Puttin' On the Style
Puttin' On the Style was a 1957 hit for skiffle artist Lonnie Donegan. It was recorded live at the London Palladium and released as a double A side along with Gamblin' Man and reached #1 in the UK charts in June and July 1957, where it spent two weeks in this position. This was the last record to reach the top of the charts that was only released in 78 format,the original Pye Nixa does not exist in 7" format although was re-released on a 7". The song was collected in the Catskills by Norman Cazden from Ernie Sagar in 1945 but it is probably quite a bit older. ("Abelard Songbook" p.120) Another version has also been collected from oral tradition in West Virginia. (John Cox, "Folksongs of the South")
"Puttin' On the Style" was a hit for Vernon Dalhart in the 1920s. A low quality recording of the song performed by the Quarrymen, John Lennon's group live on July 6, 1957 exists although it has never been released officially. It was recorded the same day that Lennon met his songwriting partner Paul McCartney, and is the earliest Beatles related recording that exists.