While The Four Tops had hits that were larger than “Ask The Lonely,” few were considered better. The composition, created by Ivy Jo Hunter and William “Mickey” Stevenson, was the group’s third single for Motown. It featured an elegantly heartbroken sentiment, brought to life by the Tops’ signature harmonies, additional vocals from the Andantes, remarkable instrumentation by the Funk Brothers and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and the passionate lead vocals of the iconic Levi Stubbs.
Speaking in the notes for the collection The Complete Motown Singles Volume 5, Hunter shared that this soulful classic was created very quickly. “A lot of people could identify with it, even though it wasn’t a chart-burner,” he said. Recalling the recording session, he added, “I hadn’t finished the lyrics, and everyone was downstairs in the studio. I wrote it in about 15 minutes, ’cause I had to get downstairs for the dub-in.”
The single was released on January 5, 1965, following the modestly successful “Without The One You Love (Life’s Not Worth While).” It quickly gained airplay from influential R&B DJs such as Paul (Fat Daddy) Johnson in Baltimore and Chatty Hatty in Charlotte. A trade advertisement from the era boldly proclaimed “Tamla/Motown, “Hot With Singles,” highlighting the new release from The Four Tops alongside the Temptations’ “My Girl” and Jr. Walker and the All Stars’ “Shotgun.” The same ad announced new albums from Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, and the self-titled debut from The Four Tops, which included the new single, concluding with the confident slogan, “Hits Are Our Business.”
“Ask The Lonely” entered both the Hot 100 and the R&B chart in the Billboard issue dated February 6, at No. 75 and No. 33, respectively. It eventually peaked at No. 24 on the pop chart and became the group’s second Top 10 soul hit, reaching No. 9, following their initial success with “Baby I Need Your Loving.” Although the future smash “I Can’t Help Myself” was just on the horizon, this graceful depiction of the lovelorn remains one of the finest moments in The Four Tops‘ legacy.