Hymn for the Dudes

I have been re-watching “The Sopranos” in its entirety on Amazon Prime. I cringe at the violence and language, but admire the writing and relish the music, if that makes sense.

The music that David Chase used on this show has been justly praised, and I am reminded again just how brilliantly it was woven in the fabric of the show.

It’s also a reminder how one song, and one performance, can encapsulate so many emotions that surround “the hardest truths (that) don’t have a why.”

There were countless great musical moments throughout the series, but none greater than how this gem from Nils Lofgren ends the “Second Opinion” episode in season three. In this instance, the song frames and aurally contextualizes Carmela’s desires in the face of her husband’s infidelity and criminal activities.

And, of course, it could be the soundtrack for many.

“Black Books” is a hymn, a dream, a nightmare, and more ethereal than anything this side of “Astral Weeks.”

And that guitar solo: joy and heartbreak. And utterly breathtaking.