Tony Soprano will go down as one of the most memorable characters in television history. James Gandolfini gave us a performance for the ages that will be talked about for generations to come. The lead character of the iconic HBO show The Sopranos gave us a lot of memorable one-liners and monologues. Some are funny, some are cutthroat, and some have a fatherly feel to them. Although Tony didn’t have the makings of a varsity athlete, he sure as hell became a leader for his family and his crew of gangsters. And in being a leader, one must have great one-liners that instill different kinds of reactions in the people around him that remind people of whom the boss is.
10 “Under the boardwalk…”
One of the funniest scenes in the history of the show. Tony always clashed with his sister, Janice. But he attempts to keep his mouth shut, as she and his friend Bobby are in a relationship together. In the season premiere of the show’s second part of its final season, Tony and Carmella go out to a lake house upstate to get some quiet time with Bobby and Janice. While over an innocent game of monopoly, Tony cracks a joke at his sister that Bobby doesn’t take a liking to. Tony apologizes and then begins to hum along to the song “Under the Boardwalk”, adding his own version to it by saying, “Under the Boardwalk, with a schlong in Jan’s mouth”. This sparks a comedic fight between Bobby and Tony.
9 “Those who want, give respect.”
In a serious conversation about business, Tony always knew how to take care of someone who was trying to dig at his heels and put him in their place. Respect is a word that gets thrown around in mob life. Which is funny because there is always a lot of disrespectful talk and actions that get thrown around in that world. In episode 12 of season two, Tony drops this line on Richie Aprile (David Proval) and Jackie Jr., who come off as brash and greedy during a negotiation of contracts for the garbage truck fronts. Jackie Jr. throws the word respect around a lot, and Tony is forced to put the kid and Richie in check.
8 “If you can quote the rules, you can obey them.”
Tony has no issue putting his own crew in their place. Paulie has a lot of disdain for Ralph Cifaretto in season four, and it shows even in Ralph’s darkest time of having a child be near death in the hospital. His rants to Tony about Ralph reach a climax one night as he threatens to have Ralph killed. But because Ralph is a top earner, Tony won’t budge, and the boss needs to put him in his place by telling him that if he makes a move on Ralph, he has to answer to him.
7 “What kind of person can I be, where his own mother wants him dead?”
In the finale of the first season of the show, Tony’s own mother, Livia, makes Junior aware of some of Tony’s business. It ignites an attempt on her son’s life. When Tony catches on to this news, he vents about it in his own self-deprecating fashion. Livia’s issues trickle down to her children; she’s a snake in the grass who wouldn’t mind having her own son killed. She viewed Tony as more of an asset later in life than family. She’s manipulative and brilliantly played by Nancy Marchand. A mother trying to have her own son killed is the type of plot point that would make up the best mafia drama of all time.
6 “Sacrebleu, where is me mama?”
Back again for another Tony and Janice dispute. One of their most vicious arguments happens in season five. It starts funny and then turns dramatic. The reasoning for the argument is due to Janice’s commitment to not being as spiteful as the rest of her family. Tony plans to test her on this by utilizing the knowledge that she has an estranged French Canadian son, Harpo. Across dinner one night, Tony brings Harpo up in conversation and drops the line, “I wonder what’s French Canadian for “I grew up without a mother?” He takes a beat and then sarcastically says, “Sacrebleu, where is me mama?”
5 “In the end, your friends are gonna let down.”
Trust is another major theme in mafia life. And another great theme in the show is the father-son dynamic between Tony and AJ. Never has there ever been such a brilliant portrayal of a troubled teenager and how he views his mob boss father. AJ questions his dad and also observes him. In questioning his dark outlook on life, Tony states to him one time, “In the end, your friends are gonna let you down.” The second part of that line is about how family is the only one you can depend on. And that, too, is a theme in the show that may not be near and dear to most of the characters.
4 “I’m in waste management”
Multiple times throughout the show’s run, Tony mentions that he works in the waste management business, which, in theory, is true; some of his fronts are in that industry. But it is a saying that comes with comedic timing once delivered. None is better than in season one, when his daughter Meadow asks him if he’s in the mafia, and it catches him off guard, and he assures her that he’s in the waste management business.
3 “You got no f***ing idea what it’s like to be number one.”
Approaching Tony to give your two cents on how he’s handling things takes a lot of guts. In a scene that has Silvio doing just that, it ends with one of the most alpha statements of the whole show. Silvio begins by saying, “With all due respect, but you got a problem with authority,” and that his major sin in life is pride. Tony’s rebuttal reminds him of the weight of his position in the crew and in life. Every decision he makes and how it affects everything around him, and what does that do to him? It slightly shows you a bit of empathy towards Tony while making you never wish to be in his position.
2 “I went ahead and ordered some food for the table.”
Tony’s final line in the show isn’t much to dwell on, or is it? The infamous final scene in the rewatchable final episode that takes place in a restaurant left us all hanging. Tony says his final line in the whole show: “I went ahead and ordered some food for the table”. Now, what to make of that? Who knows? There is an intense buildup in the scene to see if Tony gets killed, and yet this line is so laid-back and carefree; it’s about food, something Tony had indulged in for most of his life. It makes this list because some fans of the show want to dive into its simplicity and ambiguity.
1 “Lately, I’m getting the feeling that I came at the end. The best is over.”
In the first episode of the show, a line from one of Tony’s therapy sessions holds true for the internal conflict he deals with throughout the whole show. It’s a feeling most people seem to feel; the dread of this is it, like you missed the whole party and are just left behind. James Gandolfini is brilliant in the role, but credit also must go to the show’s writing, as it is at times a work of art. There is nothing better than when Tony has an existential moment about his surroundings. It’s strange relating to a murderer, but The Sopranos pulled it off so well.
