"Little" Steven Van Zandt as The Sopranos' Silvio Dante
Photo: HBO

Since its very first episode, music has played as integral a role in "The Sopranos" as Tony Soprano's right-hand man Silvio Dante (who just happens to be played by Bruce Springsteen's guitarist "Little" Steven Van Zandt.)

From the by-now-iconic opening credits, featuring Alabama 3's thumping "Woke Up This Morning," to the tunes that blare at the Bada Bing! strip club, music and pop references are never far from the tongues and minds of the New Jersey crime family on the HBO series.

Tossed-off shout-outs to the Dave Clark Five and crooner Duncan Sheik are woven directly into the fabric of the show's plots, and it's not unusual to see Frank Sinatra Jr. sitting in for a round of cards.

And who could forget the lowbrow dash and grab for the proceeds at a Jewel benefit concert from last season aimed at helping Christopher get out from under a growing mountain of debt?

Even the show's cast members can't help but slip their musical taste into the frame. Anthony Jr. (Robert Iler) loves metal, which is why you'll often see him wearing T-shirts for bands like Slipknot, Pantera and Fear Factory on the show.

"I don't get to watch many of the shows because we're on the road so much, but when I get home I watch them," Slipknot guitarist Jim Root said. "It tripped me out when I saw [Anthony Jr. wearing our shirt]. I think it's really cool."

The masked band got another plug when Anthony Jr. blasted "Eyeless" while trying to do some math problems last season. "Him and a group of friends have come to a bunch of our shows and hung out," Root added. "He's definitely into the music. I think it's cool that they let him work a part of his real life into that character."

Root said the exposure certainly can't hurt the band. "There are millions of people out there who have no idea who Slipknot is. I don't care about being elite and underground, I want as many people as possible to hear my music."

The show's principal actors also couldn't help getting whacked by the music bug. Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler stepped out of her role of mob princess Meadow Soprano last year to release her debut pop album, Here to Heaven (see "Young 'Sopranos' Star Wrapping Up Latin-Flavored Pop Album"), while Uncle Junior (Dominic Chianese) provided a dramatic ending to last year's season finale by crooning the opera song "Core 'Ngrato" ("Ungrateful Heart"). Chianese followed with an album of standards entitled Hits (see "'The Sopranos' Uncle Junior Gets Musical Revenge"). Then there's Tony's scheming sister, Janice Soprano (Aida Turturro). She's still dreaming of a career as a religious folk music icon, even if, as she said in this week's episode, Sony boss Tommy Mottola isn't interested in her album.

Over the course of its 40-episode run, the show's producers have always shown a flair for choosing diverse, dramatic music. Among the artists whose songs have appeared on the show are Morcheeba, Jefferson Airplane, Dio, Damon & Naomi, Perry Como, Tipsy, Rocket From the Crypt, Dropkick Murphys, Xzibit, the Hollies, Garbage, Frankie Valli, R.L. Burnside, Skeleton Key, Ja Rule, Ella Fitzgerald, Andrea Bocelli, STP, Arling & Cameron, Metallica, Shania Twain, Led Zeppelin, Britney Spears, Black Rob and Aphex Twin.

Indie rock soul singer Shawn Smith (Brad) has had two of his songs used during integral dramatic moments on "The Sopranos," and he can't believe his luck. His electronic soul song "Battle Flag" (as Pigeonhed) was used in season one, and his solo song "Shake It (Like You Just Made Bail)" was in last season's opener. "I don't know what to say about it except that I love the show so much, I can't believe I'm involved with it," he said.

The show's producers love picking music so much they've released two soundtracks. The first, in 1999, featured A3's signature song, as well as tracks by Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Wyclef Jean. A two-CD sequel was released in 2001, with songs from Pigeonhed, Otis Redding, Cake, the Rolling Stones, Tindersticks and Van Morrison. It also featured a remix created for season three's premiere episode, which was one of the series' all-time musical highlights. As feds planted a bug in Tony's house, a seamless mix of the Police's "Every Breath You Take" and Henry Mancini's "Theme From Peter Gunn" throbbed in the background.

And the hits keep coming. Last season, Adriana, Christopher's girlfriend, ran a rock club, Crazy Horse, which featured a set from New York band Scout on opening night. In the interest of keeping it in the family, last week's episode saw Trenton, New Jersey's Swingin' Neckbreakers rocking the stage with a song called "You" from their 1993 debut album. Drummer John Jorgenson said he's sure the band's name didn't hurt, but he thinks they ended up on the show because of their, um, "family" connections.

"I never really found out how we got on there," said Jorgensen, who started the band with his brother, singer/bassist Tom, in 1992. "I'm sure being from Jersey played a part in it, but we've played a couple of garage rock shows promoted by Little Steven [Van Zandt]." Jorgensen said his favorite part of the whole experience was being invited to the premiere of the season's first two episodes at New York's Radio City Music Hall. "I don't know how we can capitalize on it, or if it will give us more recognition, but I'll never forget it," he said.

One of last season's most memorable musical moments occurred when Meadow gave Tony the musical Christmas gift that kept on giving. Dredging up his former nightmares about talking fish, the agita-inducing singing Big Mouth Billy Bass tormented the mob boss with a constant reminder of Big Pussy, a former confidant he had whacked.

Just like playing the Crazy Horse was like a dream for Jorgensen, the placement of Billy was a dream come true for the "100% Italian" creator of the novelty item, Gemmy Industry's vice president of products, Joe Pellettieri. "When they opened their Christmas presents and Billy popped out ..." Pellettieri said wistfully. "We knew it would be in the show, but we didn't know which show and how they wanted to use it. It was funny to see a singing fish up there in this heavy drama." Pellettieri, who also invented the equally hot Kung Fu Hamster novelty item, said he sent the show's producers a version of the new standup Billy for use in this season's episodes, but has not yet heard back from them.

Given the ominous tone of the first few shows, Billy's new song, a cover of the disco anthem "I Will Survive," might prove prescient.

• Slipknot
• Ja Rule
• Pantera
• Fear Factory
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Photo: Appio

When Jamie-Lynn Sigler auditioned for the role of Meadow, the feisty daughter of mob boss Tony Soprano, in HBO's "The Sopranos," she thought the show would lean more toward pop music than guys who pop guns.

"I'm actually a singer-turned-actress, which a lot of people don't know," the Long Island, New York, native explained recently. "I sang and danced and did musical theater my whole life before 'The Sopranos.' I actually went out for the show because I thought it was about singing. When you hear 'sopranos,' you naturally think singing, not the Mafia. Obviously, I've been pleasantly surprised."

When Sigler set out to record her debut album, Here to Heaven, which was released October 16, she expected flak from fans who couldn't imagine her outside the show.

"Absolutely," said Sigler, who also voices the singing bellybutton in the ubiquitous Levi commercials. "A lot of people are skeptical because they don't want to see Meadow as a pop singer."

Sigler's recording opportunity knocked when a talent scout for Edel Entertainment heard Meadow singing TLC's "No Scrubs" during the show's second season.

"He asked me to come in and work on a demo," she recalled. "I didn't even put much energy or thought toward it because I was filming at the same time. I literally got a call one day and they said, 'You've got a record deal.'"

Sigler sings of her job juggling on "Pressure," one of three tracks she wrote for the album.

The album's first single is the spry "Cry Baby," which concerns a guy not scoring with Sigler. "I know what you got in mind/ All good things come in time," she sings.

"What appealed to me about the song is how funky it is," she said. "I pictured myself dancing. I'm always the girl on the dancefloor in the club."

The video was shot a couple of weeks ago and should hit the airwaves before the end of the month. "The video's very light and girlie," Sigler explained. "It kind of has a 'Grease' feel to it. It's about a guy dropping me off and trying to get into the house. We play pranks on him."

Sigler sounds ready to give in to her passion on "Ole Ole," in which she yearns for a Latin lover. The track is one of three she cut both in English and Spanish versions. "I was raised by my grandmother, and she only speaks Spanish," said Sigler, the daughter of a Cuban mother and Greek-Romanian father.

The other Sopranos don't necessarily share Sigler's taste in contemporary artists such as Janet Jackson and Jay-Z. "I don't have many people I can listen to my music with on the set," she bemoaned. "All the guys listen to Frank Sinatra. Robert [Iler], who plays my brother, listens to Slipknot and Pantera."

Production for the fourth season of "The Sopranos" begins November 8 and ends in April. Although she doesn't yet know what will happen to Meadow when the show airs again in September 2002, Sigler hopes her character takes off where she ended last season: hitting the bottle.

"I hope she's gonna be a raging alcoholic," Sigler said with a smile. "Something juicy I can sink my teeth into."

• Jamie-Lynn Sigler

Jamie Lynn Sigler
Photo: Fidel

NEW YORK — Unfortunately for Jamie-Lynn Sigler, the name Junior M.A.F.I.A. is already taken.

But Sigler, who plays Mob offspring Meadow Soprano on "The Sopranos," is nevertheless forging ahead with a music career.

The 20-year-old actress is nearly done recording her debut album, she said Thursday. The disc, which mixes pop and R&B with Latin touches, should be in stores by October or November, according to her label.

"I'm half-Cuban, so it's got a Latin flavor," she said. "I'm working with all kinds of producers." Among those contributing to the album are veteran song doctor Desmond Child (Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin) and the production team of Jimmy Greco and Ray Contreras, who worked on Jennifer Lopez's J.Lo. According to Sigler's label, Edel, the as-yet-untitled album is scheduled to include the songs "Cry Baby" and "Bada Bing" — a nod to the strip club in Sigler's show.

"They were talking about calling the album 'Bada Bing,' but I don't think so," Sigler laughed. Instead, the album is likely to be self-titled.

Those wondering what Sigler's singing voice sounds like need look no farther than that low-cut Levi's commercial with the singing belly buttons — that's her belting out Diana Ross' "I'm Coming Out." Sigler was in New York's Central Park on Thursday night to help judge a singer/songwriter competition that included special performances by Willa Ford and Jewel.

The judges — who also included singer/songwriter Tracy Bonham, performance artist Laurie Anderson and Russell Simmons' wife, Kimora Lee Simmons — crowned Portland, Oregon's Libbie Schrader the winner.

Sigler is not the only musical Soprano. E Street Band guitarist and Asbury soul mastermind Little Steven Van Zandt plays Bada Bing manager Silvio Dante, and Dominic Chianese, who portrays Uncle Junior, released his first album, Hits, last month (see "'The Sopranos' ' Uncle Junior Gets Musical Revenge").

"It's a coincidence," Chianese said of the profusion of musical talent on the show.

• Jamie-Lynn Sigler

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• Jamie-Lynn Sigler