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 Parlophone audition in EMI's Abbey Road studio three 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.[6] The song also contains "jazzy parallel sevenths" in most of the chords, and has a live ending.
PersonnelJohn Lennon – vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney – bass, backing vocals
George Harrison – lead guitar, backing vocals
Ringo Starr – drums