Released October 20, 1986, 'Ask' was the Smiths' 15th single. 'Ask' peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles chart. The song features backing vocals from the late English singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl.
It is no accident that 'Ask' is a buoyant and downright cheerful song as compared to the Smiths preceding single ('Panic'). Morrissey has said of the song: "If the next single had been a slight protest, regardless of the merits of the actual song, people would say, 'Here we go again'".
Craig Gannon, who briefly played rhythm guitar with the Smiths, participated in the recording of 'Ask' in June 1986. Gannon has claimed that he wrote the song's opening chord structure:
"Me and Johnny were sat in the library playing acoustic guitars and they must have been miked up as we were probably putting down the acoustic tracks for 'Panic'. I just started playing the chord sequence which would later become 'Ask' in exactly the way it appears on the record. [...] The only section of the chord structure that I didn't come up with for 'Ask' was the middle eight section with the chords E-minor, D and C. That was actually what Johnny came up with. [...] Up until the release of 'Ask' I still thought I'd be given a writing credit."
According to Simon Goddard in Mozipedia:
"...As a common ascending chord configuration, it's not beyond reason that Gannon may have stumbled across something very close to it. However, without necessarily disputing Gannon's claim [...] Marr had used the exact same chord sequence within a home demo of what later became 'Is It Really So Strange?' several months earlier and was subconsciously predisposed to those specific chords to use them again as the basis of 'I Won't Share You'."
As for Johnny Marr, he has disputed Gannon's claim. Craig Gannon was never given a writing credit for the song.
According to producer John Porter, the task of mixing 'Ask' to meet the requirements of Morrissey and Marr was too difficult for him to accomplish:
"Originally "Ask" was a bit of a tour de force and it was pretty complicated. ... Then there was this bit in the middle where they wanted the sound of a waterfall crashing, all with guitars. [...] It was a jigsaw puzzle. You needed six hands to mix it properly and we didn't have automation at Jam Studios,"
Notwithstanding John Porter's admission that mixing 'Ask' was beyond the technical capabilities of the studio (or, perhaps, beyond his ability to achieve what Morrissey and Marr wanted), author Simon Goddard has alleged that Morrissey sought the involvement of Steve Lillywhite (Kirstie MacColl's husband) to mix the song as he felt "threatened" by Porter and Marr's camaraderie in the studio! As it stands, Johnny Marr was unhappy with the song's final mix, commenting, "I couldn't understand why it was being tampered with because it all came together very simply and with a definite sense of purpose. [The final version] wasn't dramatically different, but it felt kind of a little bit muted. Less spirited, absolutely". It seems that only the fans were pleased with the mixing of the song!
There are two versions of 'Ask':
1. The version that appears on all of the single releases ('Ask' was re-released in 1995) as well as The Very Best of The Smiths compilation album fades out slightly sooner, and has the vocal track lasting until the end of the song. The backing vocals in this version are also mixed differently and are louder.
2. The version that appears on all albums (excluding the aforementioned The Very Best of The Smiths) fades out later. While the end of this version of the song is audible, it is at a very low level. The second version also has the vocal track ending before the fade begins.
Filmmaker Derek Jarman directed the promotional video for 'Ask'.
Watch the official promotional video for the song here: