The Beatles ASK ME WHY John, Paul & George Vocal Separations Reveals Beauty That's Always Been There

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'Ask Me Why' wasn't an automatic choice for the B-side of The Beatles' first number-one hit, 'Please Please Me.' During their third official recording session at EMI on November 26, 1962, they also recorded 'Tip Of My Tongue' as a potential B-side. However, after several recording attempts, the song was dropped and never revisited.

This new 2025 remix focuses on revealing the sheer beauty of 'Ask Me Why' — a song that could have easily been an A-side hit for The Beatles. The original two-track recording concealed some of its hidden treasures, and this remix aims to bring those elements into the spotlight.

One of the most prominent changes in this remix is the vocal placement. Previously confined to the right channel, the vocals now take center stage with added separation, giving the track new depth and excitement. John's lead vocal now sits in the center, with Paul's vocal on the right and George's on the left. The bass and drums have been moved from the left to the center, providing a stable foundation for the recording.

Listeners familiar with the song will also notice improved separation in the guitars. Originally concentrated in the left channel, some of George's lead guitar has been moved to the right to create better balance. Additionally, the original mix featured a guitar part buried behind the right-channel vocals. By moving the vocals to the center, that guitar part now comes through more clearly, complementing the rhythm guitar in the left channel.

This new mix aligns more closely with The Beatles' later 4-track recordings, which they didn't begin using until 1963. I approached this remix as I believe a sound engineer might have done had this track been recorded during the 'A Hard Day's Night' sessions, their first album fully utilizing 4-track recording.

As a fun side note, if you purchased the 'Please Please Me' single upon its initial U.S. release by Vee-Jay Records in 1963, you received 'Ask Me Why' as the B-side — and also encountered a misspelling of 'The Beattles.' By the time Vee-Jay reissued the single in 1964, 'From Me To You' had replaced 'Ask Me Why' as the B-side, with 'The Beatles' now spelled correctly.

Nothing new has been added to this remix that was not part of the original. It is strictly a de-mixing of the original stereo recording and a remixing of those components.

As always, thanks so much for listening!