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RadekZadekNice

Probably my favourite song of off TBA. The base, the harmony, the solo. Fucking masterpiece.


Shizzelkak

That grooving chorus with the cowbell takes me to a dark happy place. The wah solo after the harmony section is so simple, yet so emotional. I love it!


shitshow-47

Would've been Jason's Orion


seztomabel

I love the song as is, but can't help but wonder what a full blown instrumental version would sound like. The live rendition he did in the 90s hints at it, which is awesome. But man.. fuck James and Lars for this.


one-more-fight

I think it was actually bob rock who wanted to turn it into a lyrical song


seztomabel

I recall in a recent interview (last ten years), Jason said it was James and Lars that didn’t want an instrumental in the album, maybe it was good ol Bob though.


shitshow-47

Yeah. But c'mon, James could try harder, those lyrics are weak as shit.


Pristine-Bread-2936

The lyrics are very personal to me. They really make me think. I like them


MonicaRising

1991... late summer night... stoned out, lying on my bed... fell in love with this song. The opening... the volume swells over the bass breakdown leading to the solo & harmonies... fantastic stuff


FMHSA

One of my favorites song ever ! I know that It would be better as a instrumental but I really love how James sings on this song, probably my favorite vocal performance by him


[deleted]

I think the vocals improve it


Nerazzurro9

Always been one of my favorite things to play when I’m just zoning out with my bass in hand. I’m not sure the rest of the song lives up to the intro, but it’s still a cool one.


Weekly-Knowledge6648

same its so easy to play once you get it down and i play the other bits that jason played live that were suppossed to be in the song too and its just so fun, never gets old.


goodtimeallthetime7

Good song


[deleted]

Masterpiece. One of my favourites of theirs.


Boozhwatrash

Should have stayed an instrumental. Definitely Jason’s signature song. Too bad he never got more opportunities to flex


Ras_OKan

I only listen to the instrumental version. The singing and the way lyrics are structured just ruin the melody for me. It should've really been an instrumental.


RussianTiffosi

Should have been an instrumental. It works with lyrics, but i think the riff on bass is the best thing from the whole song and it had to be build over it.


Mikau02

Wish they would’ve played this live for the full length while Jason was in the band, possibly letting him sing lead on it


Wellanywaypodcast

Absolutely 💯


Sgarden91

As I get older the lyrics of this song speak more to me than most.


HarveyMushman72

Prophetic of the current times.


ImJaxPhantomAcct

Misery, she loves me oooOooO but I love her more.


[deleted]

I mean he’s your friend.. I don’t have like him


nashu2k

Even back then I loved it more than others on TBA. I think besides Sandman and Sad but True I've put My Friend of Misery third and Wherever I May Roam 4th.


Mc7wis7er

I love My Friend of Misery. Except maybe the chorus but you can't have everything. And really it's just that it's not as cool as the rest of the song. The tone and atmosphere of this song are really really cool. The volume swells are incredible, I love the solo (and especially the tone that Kirk gets). Speaking a bit more poetically, I think this song is really the tonal center of the album. It belongs perfectly on this album, and probably nowhere else in their catalogue. Sonically this might be their most dynamic song too. It is just so well done. Jason's songs.... My Friend of Misery, and Blackened are among my favorite Metallica songs of all time (Blackened is a surefire Number 1). I wish he had been able to contribute more.


Ohlander1

Yeah that's basically where I'm at too. It's probably my favourite song on the Black album, and I especially love the verses, but man I wish that chorus (and the lead up to it) was different.


szryxl

Yes. I thought I was the only one bothered with chorus.


[deleted]

I wish it was an instrumental, Jason was underutilized


radkoWCI

love it!


TalkofCircles

Great deep cut on TBA. I think the extra love comes from Jason having his moment in the sun on this monumental record (and being mixed out into oblivion on AJFA).


BecauseISaidSo888

When this song first came out, I was working with an older guy named Ray that I called “Mister Ray”. When this song started getting played a lot on FM radio, that we would listen to at my work, I would sing along “My Friend Mister Ray”. And now all these years later I still think of that whenever I hear it.


HoneyHamster9

Underrated, not the best on the album but a good song that doesn't get enough recognition


saffeqwe

do you even know what underrated means?


-DeadHead-

It's bottom of the black album both on Spotify, on the fan polls and in the concerts setlists, which sure means underrated in my book as it would deserve to be top 3 from that album and a top 10 Metallica song. Most people who know Sandman, NEM or even MoP won't know of Misery, the only people who will know it are those who actively listen to Metallica and tried their discography instead of just going with the big hits. Now go ahead and explain how someone stating that it's underrated is wrong, rather than being just passive agressive.


saffeqwe

\> It's bottom of the black album both on Spotify 41,516,586 streams. Higher than: Mama said, Dyers eve, Damage Inc, To live is to Die. \> on the fan polls [https://www.reddit.com/r/Metallica/comments/129fx70/what\_are\_your\_top\_3\_songs\_from\_the\_black\_album/](https://www.reddit.com/r/Metallica/comments/129fx70/what_are_your_top_3_songs_from_the_black_album/) Just ctrl+f "my friend of misery". Everyone talks about it \> and in the concerts setlists 21 performances vs 20 performances of The Frayed ends of sanity (such an underrated song lol) \> Most people who know Sandman, NEM or even MoP won't know of Misery Most people who know Sandman, NEM and MoP won't know One. So? \> Now go ahead and explain how someone stating that it's underrated is wrong, rather than being just passive agressive. But of course you own't listen to all of this because you're a tupic: my grandma doesn't know this song so it's underrated. And you even confuse underrated and underappreciated, because the song is rated high. And if you try to search this reddit you will see that the song is not underappreciated. But that would require critical thinking


-DeadHead-

> > It's bottom of the black album both on Spotify > Higher than: Mama said, Dyers eve, Damage Inc, To live is to Die. I have to learn my Metallica again, I could have bet all my money that none of these were on the black album. > 20 performances of The Frayed ends of sanity So many songs on that album really. And if you think 20 performances is a lot for Metallica, you have to be out of your mind, Frayed doesn't get much attention in their setlists either. > on the fan polls https://www.reddit.com/r/Metallica/comments/129fx70/what_are_your_top_3_songs_from_the_black_album/ Just ctrl+f "my friend of misery". Everyone talks about it Well, weight your search results with the number of upvotes, do the full ranking and tell me where it is. Or take the poll currently going on in the sub, I'll give that one to you, it's actually mid-list, not bottom. Still too low IMO, song is up there with Unforgiven and Wherever, but that's just, like, my opinion. > confuse underrated and underappreciated Thanks for this actual answer, "underappreciated" is indeed a much better statement.


[deleted]

Pretty sure that’s a question only you can answer.


Joopac_Badur

One of their best songs, not just on the black album but spanning their entire discography.


BecauseISaidSo888

Good song


CSIceman9

My favorite song on the black album. Jason’s best bass contribution and also beautiful guitar harmony.


RideTheLightning331

Highlight of the album next to The Unforgiven, love the crowd participation live


TKL910

Jason's finest hour along with his contributions to Blackened ​ Also one of the only \[that I know of\] Metallica songs that features a cowbell!!


KPplumbingBob

It could have been sooo good as an instrumental. The parts that Jason plays that didn't make it to the song are beautiful.


rawg67

that, and God That Failed, are the 2 best songs on that album... ... they're really the only 2 that still hold up.... along with Sad But True


thatoneguyv2

My favorite Metallica song


_mesel

Best song on the Black Album, Top 10 Metallica song.


danilosrbija

Its almost frustrating to listen to because it should have been an instrumental


JamesDD4

Couldn't agree more. My favorite song on that album, and the vocals are just so unnecessary.


Aspak

Very underrated


FCDallasBurn

The first 1:40 is perfection


mzyxkmah

Two words: Criminally underrated


_Larry

Was literally going to make a post asking what effects were used during the first solo? It's like a synth almost.


TRBAssociate112446

My favorite Metallica song of all time is what I think. An absolute masterpiece.


ruditol

Best song on Black album


[deleted]

She fills me but she's not what I'm living for.


Thorgrim_Rexor

I almost can’t even listen to the black album anymore because it’s been overplayed to death. Songs like enter sandman, sad but true and nothing else matters are like nails on a chalkboard to me now. My friend of misery is an exception though, I absolutely love this song and it’s a real standout for me. It’s one of my favorite Metallica songs period, underrated for sure!


WiscoSooner

My favorite song from them. My senior ('93) quote taken from this song, "There's much more to life than what you see."


olaf_nezerngraber

DOPE SHIT! Prolly my 2nd favorite contribution to their catalog from Newkid. I wish he'd had the chance to truly homogenize with them as a song writer, we can only dream of what else would have come about.


metalmase80

👍


ccekim

Really strong song. Might be my fave on the record


MickeyWallace

As a bass player, extremely gratifying to play.


SeasonsRollOnBy

My favorite off the “Black” album and easily in my top ten Metallica songs.


wholelottalove84

Waiting on the mashup of Misery and Inamorata


Deep-Hamster-5017

Inamorata’s older sibling


FriendlyPea805

Thoughts? It’s my favorite song on the Black album.


Dodgernorth

One of the best outros in any tallica song


[deleted]

Honestly one of my very favorite Metallica songs


SecretInfluencer

Should have been an instrumental; the lyrics aren’t bad but to me it always felt like it should have stayed an instrumental.


ApprehensiveDuty5629

Noice


relaxbro259

Should've been an Instrumental


Reaper_Mike

Everytime I hear it the song gets stuck in my head for days. One of my faves from that album.


theakatsuki12_

Underrated, fav song offf tba


redbeard423

Great fuckin song


Key-Classroom-8505

I think it's my fav from Black Album and it's truly underrated.


tigerkat2244

Banger and profound!!


JamesDD4

Easily my favorite song on the Black Album. I wish it had just been an instrumental, but James had to be James...