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Baker's Dozen

Mob Deep: Michael Imperioli's Favourite Music
Simon Price , August 5th, 2020 09:21

Actor, writer, producer and musician Michael Imperioli – best known for playing Christopher Moltisanti in The Sopranos – chooses his 13 favourite tracks, and discusses the use of music in the series. Simon Price listens in an unmarked van across the street.

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Rosie And The Originals - 'Angel Baby'
This is something I heard when I was really young. It just stuck in my head, and actually on the first episode of The Sopranos that I wrote [From Where To Eternity, season two], I originally wanted to use this song. In the beginning there's a montage when Christopher's in the hospital, and it kind of continues over several scenes, but they chose not to use that song, and picked Otis Redding's 'A Lover's Prayer', which is a really good choice and works. Maybe it works even better.

But Rosie And The Originals, I don't even know much about the band, but the song, there's just an innocence to it. I think she was only 15 when it was recorded, which is amazing. It just defines that kind of doo-wop era, and it's a very special song to me. It always takes me back to my childhood and I turn people on to that song a lot, because a lot of people don't know it but I think it's a classic. It's very lo-fi. It's very simple. It almost feels like this lost gem that's been unearthed somehow, but it's great rock & roll.