Which song on Metallica's The Black Album began as an intended instrumental?

“My Friend of Misery” began as an intended instrumental for Metallica's The Black Album. Bassist Jason Newsted wrote its main riff and brought the idea into the band's songwriting process.

Instrumentals had appeared on each of Metallica's previous studio albums, so Newsted's idea could have continued that pattern. Instead, the band developed the piece into a vocal song, with James Hetfield writing lyrics and singing the finished version.

The song closes the album's penultimate position and has a more reflective, atmospheric character than many of the record's driving singles. Its title and lyrics center on alienation, resentment, and the difficulty of finding understanding.

A common mix-up is assigning the song's origin entirely to Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, who wrote much of the album together. Newsted's riff is specifically identified as the starting point for “My Friend of Misery,” making it an important example of his creative contribution.