My Friend Of Misery by Metallica

Album: Metallica (1991)

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Bob Rock was chosen in 1990 to produce The Black Album due largely to the band's admiration of his production of Mötley Crüe's 1989 long player Dr. Feelgood. He would subsequently produce all of the band's material until their 2008 Rick Rubin helmed Death Magnetic. Rock told Music Radar about the recording of this song in a 2011 interview: "The song is all about a mood, which is very cinematic in feel. Metallica know how to play to their strengths, dishing out raw power, but on this song we went for more of an atmosphere. It's ominous, and it works."
The origins of this song lay in a riff that bassist Jason Newsted bought to the rest of the band. Producer Bob Rock explained: "It started out with his intro, so a big part of working on this track was spent developing a great riff into a song that would take flight and really go places. Which it does – it builds and builds quite nicely."

Newsted got a writing credit on the song along with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich. It was one his three Metallica co-writes; the others were "Blackened" and "Where the Wild Things Are."
Newsted told Billboard magazine he was particularly pleased with his contribution to this song. "That was a moment where those guys kind of bowed and said, 'Here you go, man, put your song on there,' being the guy who came up with that," he said. "As opposed to being part of the team, I got to be myself for a minute there, which was a real accomplishment."

Comments: 13

Darlingnikki from Wichita KansasMy friend of Misery is my all time fav!
Atakan from Antalya TurkiyeOne of the best rock metal intros ever.
Einn from IdA great song by Jason Newsted ...and Metalica
Vk from MeI know it's not true but you can imagine that This song is about Hitler's last days in World War 2
George from Allendale I remember this song good too. I was feeling around and grabbed a hold to something and it made me feel weird. Crazy how things happen!
AnonymousI love the first solo that James Hetfield plays. It's my favorite Metallica solo.
Felix from SwedenOne of my personal favorite Metallica songs.
Liam from Beyond The GraveI thought it was about my cousin finding a leech on his leg
Fred from SwedenThere are probably not many of us who rates this the best song ever made by Metallica
Luis Gomes from UsaThis song has a simple,yet funny meaning: It's about type of people who insist on helping other people while they in reality never fully understand their own problems. That's why misery loves company.
Papa Het was a lonesome teenager... he knows what he is talking about ;)
Zachary from Bristol, CtBut listen to the song and you will see
Zachary from Bristol, CtI thought it was about rumors and spreading them and trying to be the attention to everyone, as in you insit the weight of the world should be on your shoulders. And you stand there screaming hoping someone will listen to you.
Zero from Nowhere, NjThe best thing Jason did for Metallica (besides helping the band continue by replacing cliff). They should have let him contribute more.

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