“My Friend of Misery” was originally intended to be an instrumental on Metallica's 1991 album Metallica.
The song grew from a main riff written by bassist Jason Newsted. An instrumental had appeared on each of Metallica's previous studio albums, and Newsted initially developed this piece in that tradition. The group eventually added lyrics and vocals, turning it into the eleventh track on The Black Album.
Its final arrangement gives the song a darker, more reflective character than the album's most direct radio hits. The bass-led foundation and sustained guitar textures help explain why listeners often identify it as one of the record's more atmospheric deep cuts.
A related misconception is that every song on the album was written from scratch by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. They handled much of the songwriting, but Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted also contributed important musical ideas. Newsted's role in “My Friend of Misery” is the clearest example on this record.