Ask Me Why

Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“Ask Me Why” is a song by English rock group the Beatles originally released in the United Kingdom as the B-side of their hit single “Please Please Me“. It was also included on their first UK album, Please Please Me.

Composition

Written in early 1962, “Ask Me Why” is principally a John Lennon composition, but was credited to Paul McCartney and John Lennon, as were all other Lennon–McCartney originals on the first pressings of Please Please Me album. Paul McCartney: “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.” (Barry Miles. Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now). It was part of their live act prior to their recording contract, and was one of the songs performed at their first Parlophone recording session in EMI’s Abbey Road studio two on 6 June 1962. The song emulates in style that of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, by whom Lennon was influenced, and draws its opening guitar phrase from the Miracles’ “What’s So Good About Goodbye” (1961).

The song is in the key of E major, with some leaning to its relative minor of C#, and is in 4/4 time. Structurally, the song is complex and, as Alan Pollack states, contains three different variants of the verse. The song also contains “jazzy parallel sevenths” in most of the chords, and has a live ending.

Recording

“Ask Me Why” was originally recorded at Abbey Road studios on 6 June 1962 with drummer Pete Best. None of the performances recorded that day were deemed suitable for release, and the two quarter-inch tape reels from that session were later destroyed by EMI.

It was recorded again, along with “Please Please Me“, on 26 November 1962 with Ringo Starr on drums. The Beatles also rehearsed “Tip of My Tongue“, another Lennon and McCartney song which was also being considered for the B-side of the “Please Please Me” single. However, George Martin felt that “Tip of My Tongue” still needed some work, and it was eventually given to Tommy Quickly to record.

From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:

• [a] mono 26 Nov 1962.
  UK: Parlophone R4983 single 1963.
  US: Vee Jay VJ 498 single 1963.
• [b] mono 25 Feb 1963.
  UK: Parlophone PMC 1202 Please Please Me 1963.
  US: Vee Jay VJLP 1062 Introducing second issue 1963, Vee Jay VJ 581 single 1964.
  CD: EMI CDP 7 46435 2 Please Please Me 1987, EMI single 1988.
• [c] stereo 25 Feb 1963.
  UK: Parlophone PCS 3042 Please Please Me 1963.
  US: Vee Jay VJSR 1062 Introducing second issue 1963.
• [c1] stereo remixed from [b] 1965, by Capitol.
  US: Capitol ST 2309 The Early 1965.
• [c2] mono made from [c] 1965, by Capitol.
  US: Capitol T 2309 The Early 1965.

There is no known difference between the two mono mixes. The Vee Jay single is early enough that it must be the older mix. I assume blindly that the later mix is the one used for all subsequent appearances including the CD single, but possibly the CD single uses the older mix.

Last updated on February 7, 2016

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