"If You Have to Ask" is a song by the American funk rock

Funk rock

Funk rock is a music genre that fuses funk and rock elements. Its earliest incarnation was heard in the late 1960s through the mid-1970s by acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience , Eric Burdon and War, Trapeze, Parliament-Funkadelic, Betty Davis and Mother's Finest. The 1990s were known for acts...

 band Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...

, released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Blood Sugar Sex Magik is the fifth studio album by American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, released on September 24, 1991. Produced by Rick Rubin, it was the band's first record released on Warner Bros. Records...

in 1993. A music video was made, but merely consists of live footage of the band from their 1992/1993 tour overdubbed with the original album track. The video is notable because it is one of only two videos to feature guitarist, Arik Marshall

Arik Marshall

Arik Marshall is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, poet, and author, best known as a one-time member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has earned the respect and praise of artists as diverse as Joe Strummer, Prince, Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, Annabella Lwin of Bow Wow Wow, and Carlos...

 (Breaking The Girl

Breaking the Girl

"Breaking the Girl" is a song by the American funk rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers that was released in 1992 as the fourth single from their studio album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. It is a melodic ballad that refers to a turbulent relationship between frontman Anthony Kiedis and his former girlfriend,...

 being the other). The video was rarely aired on music television and the song along with the video were not featured on the band's Greatest Hits album.

At the end of the song, after guitarist John Frusciante

John Frusciante

John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...

plays his solo, the production crew and band can be heard applauding him. No attempts were made to re-record the song without the applause or edit it out; as with all of the unintended sounds on Blood Sugar Sex Magik, it was decided that they added to the music.

Track list

CD single (1993)

1. "If You Have to Ask (Edit)"
2. "If You Have to Ask (Disco Krisco Mix)"
3. "If You Have to Ask (Scott And Garth Mix)"
4. "Give It Away (In Progress From Funky Monks Video)"

12" single (1993)

1. "If You Have to Ask (Disco Krisco Mix)"
2. "If You Have to Ask (Album)"
3. "If You Have to Ask (Friday Night Fever Blister Mix)"
4. "Give It Away (In Progress From Funky Monks Video)"