Jason Newsted wrote the original instrumental idea for “My Friend of Misery.”
Newsted developed the song’s main bass idea and initially intended it to become an instrumental. That plan would have continued a Metallica tradition in which each earlier album included a prominent instrumental, such as “Anesthesia—Pulling Teeth,” “The Call of Ktulu,” “Orion,” and “To Live Is to Die.”
During the Black Album sessions, producer Bob Rock encouraged the band to add lyrics so the song would connect more readily with the album’s broader audience. James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich subsequently received writing credit alongside Newsted, and the finished track became the album’s eleventh song.
The song’s origin is often discussed because Newsted contributed ideas to Metallica while receiving fewer songwriting opportunities than Hetfield and Ulrich. Its bass-led opening remains one of the clearest examples of his creative role on the album.