Ask (song)

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"Ask"
Single by The Smiths
Released	October, 1986
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:10
Label	Rough Trade
Writer(s)	Johnny Marr Morrissey
Chart positions
UK: #14 (1986)
The Smiths singles chronology
"Panic" (1986)	"Ask" (1986)	"Shoplifters of the World Unite" (1987)

"Ask" is a song by The Smiths. It was released as a single in 1986, reaching #14 in the UK Singles Chart. As with most of The Smiths' singles, it was not included on an original album. It can be found on the compilations The World Won't Listen and Louder Than Bombs as well as the live album Rank, where it is introduced as the band's new single. The UK cover contains Yootha Joyce who starred in the UK television series George & Mildred. The song featured Kirsty MacColl on backing vocals, who also originally supplied the backing vocals for "Bigmouth Strikes Again" though in the final cut she was replaced by the fictional Ann Coates.

There are two versions of this song. The version that appears on the single releases and the album The Very Best of The Smiths fades out slightly sooner and has the vocal track lasting until the end of the song. The version that appears on all albums (save for the one listed above) fades out later (though the end of the track is audible albeit at very low level if one turns up their speakers loud enough) and has the vocal track ending before the fade begins.

[edit] Track listing

[edit] 7": Rough Trade / RT194 (UK)

1. "Ask [Single Version]"
2. "Cemetry Gates"

[edit] 12": Rough Trade / RTT194 (UK)

1. "Ask [Single Version]"
2. "Cemetry Gates"
3. "Golden Lights"

• also released on CD Rough Trade RTT194CD

The Smiths
Morrissey - Johnny Marr - Andy Rourke - Mike Joyce
Craig Gannon - Dale Hibbert
Discography
Albums: The Smiths | Meat Is Murder | The Queen Is Dead | Strangeways, Here We Come | Rank (live)
Singles: Hand in Glove | This Charming Man | What Difference Does It Make? | Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now | William, It Was Really Nothing | How Soon Is Now? | Shakespeare's Sister | That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore | The Boy with the Thorn in His Side | Bigmouth Strikes Again | Panic | Ask | Shoplifters of the World Unite | Sheila Take a Bow | Girlfriend in a Coma | I Started Something I Couldn't Finish | Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me | There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Band-assembled compilations: Hatful of Hollow | The World Won't Listen | Louder Than Bombs
Other compilations: Stop Me | Best...I | ...Best II | Singles | The Very Best of The Smiths
Related
Rough Trade Records