The Sopranos may have looked like a simple crime drama when it first premiered on HBO in 1999, but the series quickly established itself as one of the smartest shows on TV, and still remains a classic today. Celebrated for its use of mob-story tropes to explore philosophy, politics, religion, and other deep and complex subjects, it featured brilliant writing and phenomenal performances, full of subtlety and symbolism. Nearly two decades after The Sopranos ended, fans still enjoy going back to find hidden meanings and covert messages buried in various episodes. One of the greatest examples of an episode with easily missed subtext is “Whoever Did This,” which came in the middle of Season 4.
On the surface, the episode deals primarily with Tony’s captain, Ralph Cifaretto, and portrays him in a relatively sympathetic fashion. Careful examination and a knowledge of classic rock, however, reveals an added layer to the story that emphasizes Ralph’s fundamentally evil nature. Through repeated references to the Rolling Stones’ song “Sympathy for the Devil,” the episode tells viewers that, whatever he may be going through at the time, Ralph was always a terrible person and one of The Sopranos’ villains.
“Whoever Did This” Features Several Lines From the Classic Song
It may not be obvious when casually watching through Season 4 of The Sopranos, but Rolling Stones fans will likely find random lines standing out to them immediately during “Whoever Did This.” In all, there are four different instances of characters reciting lyrics from the song “Sympathy for the Devil,” and all somehow relate to Ralph Cifaretto. Two are spoken by Ralph, himself, one to Ralph, and the final line is about him. Some seem awkward or almost contrived but when viewed as a whole, they form a larger pattern which hints at a deeper meaning.
The first line comes while Ralph is in the hospital after his son has been tragically injured while playing with a bow and arrow set. As the surgeon enters the waiting room, Ralph rises and shakes the doctor’s hand, saying, “Please allow me to introduce myself.” In a later scene, Ralph meets with Father Intintola out of grief for his son and, after introductions, says, “Pleased to meet you.” Both lines, showing notable politeness, are out of character for the notoriously classless gangster and the first, in particular, is such a formal phrase and out of place given the context. Both, however, are lines spoken by the Devil in the Rolling Stones song, with the first opening the tune and the second being part of the chorus.
During the same conversation with Father Intintola, Ralph suggests that even God does not understand the pain he feels for his son’s condition. To this, the priest responds with the question, “Were you there when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain?” This question is meant to remind Ralph of Jesus’s fear and suffering before being crucified and also references “Sympathy for the Devil,” in which Satan claims that he, in fact, “was there when Jesus Christ had his moment of doubt and pain.” As with the previous lines, this one is somewhat strangely worded but plainly meant to fit into the larger pattern of the song.
Finally, while discussing Ralph and his plight, Tony becomes frustrated with Paulie’s lack of compassion. The boss yells at his friend, noting that Ralph is continuing to make money for the family despite his son being in the hospital, and asks Paulie for some “sympathy” for the man. The least obvious of all the references, it still fits the pattern, making it clear that the writers were trying to send a larger message through the classic Rolling Stones song.
The Musically-Inspired Quotes Are There for a Reason
When looked at collectively, it’s plain that all of these lines are meant to stand out and draw the attention of fans to a larger message. The Sopranos’ writers were using song lyrics to hint at something much deeper about Ralph as he was facing his greatest crisis on the show and shortly before his death. To understand the meaning, it’s important to note that the episode features events that are meant to evoke sympathy for the character. Further, Ralph speaks lines that are spoken by the devil in the song and others say lines that specifically apply to him.
Ralph, in the way he introduces himself to others, sounds exactly like the devil as presented by the Rolling Stones and other characters use lines that equate the two. It’s plain that, in the episode, the writers are indicating that Ralph is the devil. This may not be literal, but it’s plain that fans are being reminded that the character is a terrible person, responsible for causing suffering and tempting others, just like the biblical figure. Interestingly, these reminders come when Ralph is at his lowest, displaying hints of humanity, and shortly before he’s murdered by Tony, another monstrous individual.
From his introduction in Season 3 to his demise in Season 4, Ralph Cifaretto was one of the cruelest and most callous characters in The Sopranos. Never seeming to show compassion for others and casually engaging in violence, he often showed sadistic tendencies. Where others, like Tony and Chris, at least occasionally exhibited hints of guilt about their criminal behavior and liked to claim that what they did was only business, Ralph regularly took pleasure in hurting others. His brutal murder of Tracy shocked even other hardened gangsters and revealed the true depths of his evil. Yet, “Whoever Did This” showed Ralph’s caring for someone other than himself and seemingly invited audiences to feel for him.
It’s during these moments, when Ralph is grieving for his son, that The Sopranos seems to remind fans that, for all the love he’s showing for his son now, the man is still a villain. He may be sympathetic at this moment, but he has never shown anything but contempt for others and is responsible for considerable suffering in the world. His appeals for compassion because of his current plight are like the devil asking for sympathy from those he plagues.
The Sopranos Never Lets Fans Forget the Nature of the Characters
A primary theme of The Sopranos was that gangsters aren’t as exciting or glamorous as often presented in fiction. Where movies like The Godfather and Goodfellas often portrayed the mafia as classy and its members savvy criminals, the HBO series featured characters that were boorish, unintelligent, and vicious. It commented on the genre itself and challenged nearly a decade of tropes. In doing so, it reminded fans that gangsters are not tragic or relatable, but are violent criminals. Much of Dr. Melfi’s character arc involves her coming to terms with the fact that Tony can’t be redeemed and that, however he became the way he is, he has no desire to change. “Whoever Did This” fits perfectly into this theme while briefly shifting the focus to a different character.
At his most sympathetic, when Ralph is displaying a shred of humanity and facing a crisis that easily elicits compassion, fans are asked, through song lyrics, to reevaluate their new feelings for the character. The episode acknowledges his pain and the tragedy of his situation while forcing viewers to keep in mind all that has come before. It’s telling that, at the moment of his demise, he reverts to his true self, showing no empathy for an innocent animal that died a painful death that he may have been responsible for. Even after all that he’s been through, he cannot extend his sense of care or concern beyond himself and a single family member.
The Sopranos was always more than a crime drama. It featured stories that spoke to the human condition and writing that always held several layers of meaning. “Whoever Did This,” with its use of a Rolling Stones song to communicate greater depth and reinforce the themes of the series, is one of the great examples of the show’s excellent writing. In a few lines in a single episode, the writers told fans everything they needed to know about an established character during his darkest moments.
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