ALWAYS IN TUNE

Sunday's episode of The Sopranos not only marked the finale of the HBO drama, but it also ended a great run of music usage in a TV series.

And just like the twist and turn of the story lines, you never knew what tune was coming next.

The series wasted no time setting the musical bar high. When Tony Soprano and his crew are seen outside Satriale's pork store in the first episode, the scene is paired with the Link Wray instrumental "Rumble." Wray's bristling guitar helped make it clear: These guys were not members of a social club.

The Sopranos featured familiar and obscure music, and not just rock 'n' roll. One episode closed with Corrado "Junior" Soprano (played by Dominic Chianese) singing an Italian opera.

From time to time, the Jersey-based show would work in a Garden State group, whether it be a legend (The Four Seasons) or a relative unknown (The Churchills).

Early in the finale, Tony and Paulie Walnuts are waiting to meet with someone when Paulie complains about how long they've been sitting in their vehicle.

Over the strains of "Denise," a 1963 hit by Randy and the Rainbows you'd be hard pressed to find these days on regular radio in the New York area, Tony says, "Enjoy the music."

Sopranos viewers did just that for the entire run of the show.