In the first episode of this show, Andrew Eshman & Sy Shackleford discuss the music and soundtrack behind the critically acclaimed HBO series, The Sopranos. The series was created by David Chase and ran for six seasons from 1999 to 2007. The show also had an all-star cast including James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano, Lorraine Bracco as Dr. Melfi, Robert Iler as Aj Soprano, Jamie Lynn-Sigler as Meadow Soprano, Nancy Marchand as Olivia Soprano, Dominic Chianese as Junior Soprano, Steven Van Zandt as Silvio Dante, and Michael Imperioli as Christopher Moltasanti. The full cast is listed on IMDb here.
Opening Title & Credits Sequence
Scene Description: In the opening title sequence, Tony is leaving New York city and is driving through the Lincoln tunnel back to his home in the suburbs of Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Alabama 3 - "Woke Up This Morning"
The song is composed by the British band; Alabama 3. The song works perfectly with the imagery and the lyrics exhibit the common themes of violence, patriarchy, and three dimensional characters in the show.
Season 1
Episode 1 - The Sopranos: Link Wray - "Rumble"Scene Description: The scene takes place at a pork store where Tony meets with his crew to discuss how to handle to an issue with a waste management competitor; Kola Sanitation.
The music sets the tone and implications of the scene. The song is also an ode to the crime drama genre and an alternate version was used in Quentin Tarrantino's Pulp Fiction as well.
Episode 11 - Nobody Knows Anything: R.L. Burnside - "It's Bad You Know"
Scene Description: Following the botched hit by Junior on his nephew, Tony decides to strike back by taking out Chucky Signore.
The music and lyrics illustrate the severity of Tony's actions and the inner conflict between him and Junior Soprano.
Season 2
Episode 1 - Guy Walks Into a Psychiatrist's Office: Frank Sinatra - "It's Been a Very Good Year"Scene Description: In this montage, we hear Frank Sinatra's "It's Been a Very Good Year"and are presented with updates for each character in season 2 of the show.
The music works very well with the imagery. Also, Frank Sinatra was a famous Italian singer who was rumored to have ties to the mafia.
Episode 11 - House Arrest: The Pretenders - "Space Invaders"
Scene Description: A garbage truck dumps all of its trash on the parking lot of a store owner. The angry store owner calls Richie Aprile to complain.
Season 3
Scene Description: Tony walks down from his house to get the newspaper.
The intro to this song by Alabama 3 fit the disturbing atmosphere of the scene perfectly. Tony is disturbed about the headline in the newspaper regarding Mob violence. The lyrics also match Tony's persona and character as well.
Episode 6 - University: The Kinks - "Living on a Thin Line"
Scene Description: The episode starts with several tracking camera shots in the Bada Bing strip club where Tony is talking to Tracie.
The lyrics of the song illustrate the tension and quarrel seen in the episode between Tony and Ralph Cifarreto over the murder of Tracee.
Season 4
Episode 11 - Whitecaps: Eric Clapton - "Layla"
Scene Description: Tony is pulling up the driveway of his house in his Suburban listening to Eric Clapton's "Layla" and he runs over his golf clubs. Carmela is throwing Tony's belongings out of the window because she has found out that he has been having an affair with the Russian assistant that took care of his elderly mother.
The song and lyrics clearly exhibit the nature of Tony's rocky relationship with Carmela.
Scene Description: Tony is pulling up the driveway of his house in his Suburban listening to Eric Clapton's "Layla" and he runs over his golf clubs. Carmela is throwing Tony's belongings out of the window because she has found out that he has been having an affair with the Russian assistant that took care of his elderly mother.
The song and lyrics clearly exhibit the nature of Tony's rocky relationship with Carmela.
Season 5
Episode 7 - In Camelot: Linkin Park - "Session"
Scene Description: Tony is sitting in the Bada Bing strip club and talking with his crew about his father's mistress who apparently had a relationship with President John F. Kennedy.
The song was composed by Joseph Hahn, the DJ for Linkin Park. The song has no vocals but the tone really captures the atmosphere of the scene. Tony is in his element and is embellishing the story about his father's mistress almost breaking up the marriage between John and Jackie Kennedy.
Episode 13 - With All Due Respect: Van Morrison - "Glad Tidings"
Scene Description: In order to prevent him from being tortured by Phil Leotardo, Tony executes his cousin; Tony Blundetto.
The lyrics exhibit the precarious situation that Tony is in as a result of his cousin taking out Billy Leotardo. He is forced to take out his cousin in order to compromise and maintain peaceful relations with the New York crime family.
Season 6
Episode 11 - Cold Stones: AC/DC - "Back in Black"
Scene Description: Tony is hooking up with a stripper in his Escalade.
The song title and lyrics for "Back in Black" work well with this scene. Tony has survived being shot and is back to his old ways as a philanderer.
Episode 14 - Stage 5: John Cooper Clarke - "Evidently Chickentown"
Scene Description: Phil Leotardo speaks with Butchie about his discontent with the leadership of the New York family and the strained relations with the Sopranos in New Jersey. The scene transitions to a church where Christopher Moltasanti's daughter is being baptized. Tony is present at the altar with Chris as the godfather for Chris's daughter.
The tone and lyrics for the song exhibit the feeling of potential conflict and violence between the New York and New Jersey crime families.
Episode 18 - Kennedy and Heidi: Roger Waters & Van Morrison & The Band - "Comfortably Numb" (Live in Berlin)
Scene Description: Tony and Chris are driving home after a meeting with Phil Leotardo and they experience a car accident. Instead of rescuing Chris from the wreckage, Tony kills Chris.
The music and lyrics match up with the scene perfectly. Tony realizes Chris is not clean and actually high on drugs while he is driving.
The Pretenders - "The Adultress"
Scene Description: Tony hooks up with Chris's mistress.
The song title and lyrics align with the action in the scene. Chris's mistress is essentially the adulteress.
Episode 21 - Made in America: Journey - "Don't Stop Believing"
Scene Description: The final scene of the series.
The song and lyrics are a commentary on Tony and Carmela's relationship and life as a whole.
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