Written by: Lennon-McCartney
Recorded: 6 June, 26 November 1962
Producer: George Martin
Engineer: Norman Smith
Released: 11 January 1963 (UK), 25 February 1963 (US)
John Lennon: vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, bass
George Harrison: lead guitar, backing vocals
Ringo Starr: drums
Available on:
Please Please Me
Ask Me Why was first released as the b-side of The Beatles' second single Please Please Me in 1963. Later that year it appeared on the album of the same name.
The song was written in the spring of 1962. As Paul McCartney recounted in Many Years From Now:
It was John's original idea and we both sat down and wrote it together, just did a job on it. It was mostly John's.
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
Ask Me Why was greatly influenced by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - the guitar motif that introduces the song is derived from their 1961 song What's So Good About Goodbye.
In the studio
The Beatles recorded an unknown number of takes of Ask Me Why during their 6 June 1962 debut session at Abbey Road. Unfortunately EMI considered the songs to be of little consequence, and later destroyed the master tapes.
They remade the song in November 1962, getting it right in six takes. Much of the day was spent perfecting Please Please Me; Ask Me Why took comparatively little time to record.
Well, do you know of any place where we can hear the June 1962 version of 'Ask Me Why'? Any old acetate living somewhere? I don't recall reading about this before. Thanks.
I believe the tape was destroyed/erased by EMI before The Beatles became successful. The Beatles definitely recorded it though, according to the studio paperwork. See Mark Lewisohn's Chronicle or Sessions books for more info.
George is also singing backing vocals. Listen to it for example at 0:18 where you can hear two voices (George's is the lower one) behind John's lead vocal.
Thanks for that - I've updated the page now.
The Beatles also had a later song called "Tell me Why". Ask then tell, just brilliant.
Who is playing lead? The guitar sounds like John's Capri.
Lead sounds like George's style. Too jazzy for John.
John plays acoustic guitar, and George his Gretsch electric.
I'm pretty sure that George plays his Gibson acoustic aswell