David Chase’s Use Of Music Helped Make The Sopranos A Classic

When it comes to television theme songs, few feel as iconic as The Sopranos opening with “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3. Visually, the intro is fairly simple. Tony Soprano is seen driving along the New Jersey Turnpike with a cigar in his mouth while the skyline fades behind him.

What truly makes the sequence stand out is the choice of music. The 1997 track from the London group blends a gritty Howlin’ Wolf sample with powerful gospel vocals, telling a revenge driven story layered over a hypnotic blues groove. It sets the tone perfectly for the HBO drama, which balanced crime, family life, and deeper reflections on existence. In a series known for its sharp writing, few lines capture Tony’s destiny better than: “Woke up this morning. You got yourself a gun. Your mama always said you’d be the chosen one.”

“We could never get The Beatles. We only tried once because we knew it was impossible”

According to creator David Chase, the now famous theme almost did not exist. “Originally what I wanted to do was have no theme song,” he explained. “The idea was that we would start the show every week with a different song but HBO wouldn’t go for that. [Head of original programming] Carolyn Strauss said it has to be something that, when people hear that song from another room, they know their favourite show is on. That made sense to me.”

While visiting London to promote the UK debut of HBO Max, Chase revealed he had considered tracks from Elvis Costello and The Kinks before settling on Alabama 3. He was drawn to the song, which tells the story of a woman killing her abusive partner, because as he put it, “it just felt like Tony.” For Chase, the original narrative behind the song was less important than the overall mood. He described the lyrics as “kind of” straightforward. “‘Woke up this morning, got yourself a gun.’ That was obviously the world for Tony. And ‘Your mama said you’d be the chosen one.’ Well, his mother didn’t think he was chosen for anything.”

Unlike many television creators, Chase took an active role in shaping the musical identity of The Sopranos. Working closely with music supervisor Martin Bruestle and editor Kathryn Dayak, he personally selected many of the songs that became closely associated with the show. Special care was given to the diverse mix of music used during the closing credits, which ranged from experimental artists like Aphex Twin and Radiohead to classic rock names such as The Rolling Stones and timeless crooners like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

“When we were putting the budget for the show together, I asked for an extra $50,000 dollars per episode for music,” Chase remembers. He believed the soundtrack would be essential to the show’s overall impact and wanted the resources to do it right. His determination came partly from a previous experience working on the late 1980s series Almost Grown. “We made it for Universal and these fucking morons didn’t licence the music in perpetuity.”

“Tony never listened to Bruce Springsteen, you know”

Although the budget helped, Chase says choosing the right music was never just about money. He explained that the process was more about instinct and experimentation. “There’s no recipe, you just have to try things,” he said about selecting the perfect needle drop. “Having the picture, throwing things against it and seeing what works.” Even with funding, some artists remained out of reach. “We could never get The Beatles. We only tried once because we knew it was impossible.”

Several characters in The Sopranos are partly defined by their musical preferences. Adriana’s love of rock is reflected in her management of a nightclub featuring grunge acts. Tony’s son AJ represents the era with his interest in nu metal groups like Slipknot and Mudvayne. Tony himself showed little passion for music. When choosing songs for him, Chase said he focused on what Tony might realistically enjoy. Tony appreciated Sinatra and liked the famous riff from “Smoke On The Water” but had only a basic awareness of broader pop culture. As Chase put it: “He never listened to Bruce Springsteen, you know.”

Another memorable figure connected to music on the show is Steven Van Zandt, who portrayed Bada Bing owner Silvio Dante. Chase first noticed him performing as a guitarist with The E Street Band and originally invited him to audition for Tony. “He looked a little bit like Pacino to me, he had to be in the show,” Chase recalled. Although Van Zandt impressed, even wearing a suit made by John Gotti’s tailor, he felt the lead role should go to a seasoned actor. Instead he suggested playing a nightclub owner from the 1950s. Chase joked about the compromise. “I said, we can’t do that but we do have a strip club.”

James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of Tony remains one of television’s most memorable performances, kept his musical tastes largely private. In 2020, Michael Imperioli, who played Christopher Moltisanti, mentioned Gandolfini’s fondness for Green Day and said the actor would sometimes rewrite their lyrics to express his own frustrations during production. Chase acknowledged Gandolfini could be difficult near the end of filming, recalling: “He called us vampires, because we stole from people’s personal lives and put things into the character,” though he said he never heard the Green Day interpretations himself. The only band he clearly remembers Gandolfini liking was Maroon 5. “He was exhausted, but I guess he liked them,” Chase said, noting their song “She Will Be Loved” appeared in the season five episode Rat Pack.

James Gandolfini and Stevie Van Zandt in ‘The Sopranos’. CREDIT: HBO

One of the most talked about musical choices in the series also delivered its most unforgettable ending. In the final episode, Tony and Carmela sit together in a diner as Tony selects Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” from the jukebox. The song plays as the tension builds before the screen abruptly cuts to black. No explanation. Just silence. A legendary series ended in an instant.

Viewers and critics have spent years trying to interpret that final scene, and Chase admits that even his decision to use Journey was debated internally. Still, he trusted his instincts. “By that time, I’d done the show for long enough that I finally had confidence in my decision making,” he said. He also considered Al Green’s “Love And Happiness” and mentioned that several major artists offered their songs for the finale, though he declined to reveal who. So why Journey? “It wasn’t just to be bullheaded,” he explained. “But when I told people [that it was in the scene] they had such a reaction that I knew it was the one. It’s what Tony would have put on.”

Asked about his personal favourite musical moment from the show, Chase highlighted the use of Otis Redding’s “My Lover’s Prayer” in season two and also mentioned including a track by The Pretenders after having dinner with singer Chrissie Hynde the evening before this interview. Ultimately, he says having creative control over the soundtrack was what he valued most. “Truly, it’s the biggest pleasure in filmmaking.”

All episodes of The Sopranos are available exclusively on HBO Max in the UK and Ireland now.