UK 7" [Rough Trade RT194]
Australia 7" [CBS RTANZ019]
Germany 7" [Teldec/Zensor 6.14721]
Holland 7" [Megadisc MD5282]
Italy 7" [CGD RGH10707]
Sweden 7" [MNW RT194]

Ask (single version)
Cemetry Gates
Golden Lights

UK 12" [Rough Trade RTT194]
UK CD5 [Rough Trade RTT194CD]
UK CMS [Rough Trade RTT194C]
Australia CD5 [Festival D1077]
Canada 12" [Sire 92 05910]
Germany 12" [Teldec/Zensor 6.20676 (in black or clear vinyl)]
Germany 12" [Teldec/Zensor 16.20502 (in clear vinyl)]
Greece 12" [Virgin VG2076Z]
Holland 12" [Megadisc MD125282]
Italy 12" [RT/Virgin RGH15272]
Portugal 12" [Transmedia RTT 12194 (T/12194)]
Spain 12" [Nuevos Medios 41-229M]
USA 12" [Sire 9 20591-0]

Ask
Shoplifters Of The World Unite
Cemetry Gates

Australia 12" [CBS RTANZ12019]

Additional information:
"Ask" was first released on 7" only in late 1986 in Australia, without artwork (it was slipped inside a generic record company sleeve). After becoming the second major hit for the Smiths in that country (the first being "This Charming Man"), it was re-released in early 1987 on 7" and 12", with artwork, as a single from "The World Won't Listen" compilation album.

"Ask" was re-released by Warner in 1995 as a single from the "Singles" album.

Artwork information:
Yootha Joyce on the set of the 1965 film "Catch Us If You Can" which is known in North America under the title "Having A Wild Weekend". She appears on the front of this single in all countries except in Germany and Australia. The tint of the photo and the colour of the band's name varies from one country to another. For example, the Spanish single has the photo in black while the Dutch one has it in brownish red.

In Germany the cover star is Colin Campbell from "The Leather Boys" [1963]. The photo was taken from the January 1964 issue of "Films And Filmmaking". This photo was used again in 1988 for the "Headmaster Ritual" cd-single.

The cover artwork in Australia shows Morrissey in front of a 1986 tour poster of a boy eating an ice lollie. 7" and 12" have minor layout differences. The original release of this single was slipped inside a generic label sleeve. Only 1987 reissues were sold inside the picture sleeve displayed in the left frame.

Etchings on vinyl:
UK 7" and 12":
ARE YOU LOATHESOME TONIGHT? / TOMB IT MAY CONCERN

German 12":
"NATUR FEEDS THE ZENSOR GROUP" / none

The UK a-side etching is a pun on the Elvis song "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" while the b-side etching is likely a pun on this single's b-side song "Cemetry Gates".

Additional release date information:
UK 7"/12": 20 October 1986
UK cassette: December 1986
USA/Canada: late October 1986
Australia 7" and 12": early 1987
UK and Australia cd-singles: late 1988

Chart peak information:
UK: 14
USA: didn't chart

Promotion:
UK: White label 12"s and a one-track Vanderquest promo video were dispatched to the relevant media for promotion.

Australia: The stock edition of the 7" was sent to radio in a generic record company sleeve while the 12"s were stamped on the back of the sleeve.

Germany: Copies of the stock 7" were sent to media with a press release. Some of them also had a plugger sticker on the sleeve.

Italy: The sleeve of stock copies of this 7" were pin-stamped with the words CAMPIONE GRATUITO. A 4-track various artists sampler 12" (CGD INT15276) featured the title track of this single. A jukebox 7" featured "Ask" on one side and a song by Sergio Caputo on the other.

USA: Gold-stamped copies of the 12" were used for promotion.