Which Black Album track has the longest running time on Metallica’s original 1991 edition?

“My Friend of Misery” is the longest track on Metallica’s original 1991 Black Album, running about 6 minutes 49 seconds.

The song grew from a bass-oriented instrumental idea written by Jason Newsted. Instead of remaining an instrumental, it became a vocal track after James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich developed lyrics and arrangement ideas around Newsted’s musical concept. That history makes it an important example of Newsted’s songwriting contribution.

Several other Black Album songs last more than six minutes, including “Wherever I May Roam,” “The Unforgiven,” and “Nothing Else Matters.” Their durations are close enough that listeners sometimes identify one of them as the longest, but the original album timing places “My Friend of Misery” first.

The track appears near the end of the record, immediately before “The Struggle Within.” Its brooding melody and layered arrangement provide a darker contrast to the album’s better-known singles.