Steve Perry Says He Insisted On Knowing End Of 'Sopranos' Before Allowing Song To Be Used

By: Howie Edelson

Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain says he was thrilled with the inclusion of the band 1981 hit "Don't Stop Believin'" in the final moments of The Sopranos finale. He told The Associated Press that he kept the song's inclusion a secret from his family: "Even my wife didn't know. She looked at me and said, 'You knew that and you didn't tell me? 'It was better than anything I would have ever hoped for."

MTV News quoted Journey's former lead singer Steve Perry as saying that he had actually known the Sopranos ending in advance. As late as last week, he still had not given his permission for the song to be used in the finale, and insisted that the show's producers tell him what the song would be used for. "I was not excited about (the possibility of) the Soprano family being whacked to 'Don't Stop Believin'," Perry said. "I told them, 'Unless I know what happens -- and I will swear to secrecy -- I can't in good conscience feel good about its use.'"

Perry eventually was very pleased with how the song was used.

"Don't Stop Believin'" was written by Neal Schon, Steve Perry and Jonathan Cain, and was first released on the Journey album Escape in 1981. It reached Number Nine on the pop charts.

I can imagine listening to that song and thinking "please, someone kill me now . . . "