Ask Me Why
Written by: John Lennon (70%) and Paul McCartney (30%) (credited as Lennon-McCartney)Recorded: November 26th, 1962 (Studio 2, Abbey Road Studios, London, England)
Mixed: November 30th, 1962; February 25th, 1963
Length: 2:24
Takes: 6
Musicians: John Lennon: lead vocal, rhythm guitar (1958 Rickenbacker 325)
Paul McCartney: bass guitar (1961 Hofner 500/1), backing vocals
George Harrison: lead guitar (Gibson J160E), backing vocals
Ringo Starr: drums (Premier)
First released: January 11, 1963 (UK: Parlophone 45-R 4983) (b-side to "Please Please Me"), February 25th, 1963 (US: Vee-Jay VJ-498) (b-side to "Please Please Me")
Available on: (CDs in bold)
- Please Please Me, (UK: Parlophone PMC 1202, PCS 3042, Parlophone CDP7 46435-2p, US: Capitol CLJ 46435)
- Introducing The Beatles, (US: VeeJay VJLP 1062)
- All My Loving (EP), (UK: Parlophone GEP 8891)
- The Beatles & Frank Ifield On Stage, (US: Vee Jay VJ1085)
- Souvenir Of Their Visit To America (EP), (US: Vee-Jay VJEP 1-903)
- The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons, (US: Vee Jay VJDX-30)
- Songs, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous Beatles, (US: Vee Jay VJLP 1092)
- The Early Beatles, (US: Capitol (S)T 2309, CDP 0946 3 57498 2 3}
- A formula song, as the band has itself admitted, but important for one aspect: it's the first appearance on record of a song truly written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney together at the same time.
- This was recorded at the June 6, 1962 audition featuring Pete Best as the group's drummer, but that recording has been lost to history.
BBC versions: Two (for the BBC radio programs Here We Go and Pop Go The Beatles
Trivia:
- There's an ultra-rare Vee-Jay 45 of this song listed as being by the "Beattles" with an extra T. Needless to say, this sort of mistake never happened again.
- Also issued as one of the rarest Beatles DJ promo singles in existence, now valued at over $5000.
