Rocker STEVE PERRY refused to let THE SOPRANOS creator DAVID CHASE use his classic song DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' in the mob show's final scene until he knew the fate of the drama's leading characters.
The ex-Journey frontman kept Chase waiting until three days before the long-awaited finale aired in America on Sunday (10Jun07).
Perry is a huge Sopranos fan and feared his 1981 rock anthem would be remembered as the soundtrack to the death of James Gandolfini's character Tony Soprano - until Chase assured him that wouldn't be the case.
Perry says, "The request came in a few weeks ago and it wasn't until Thursday that it got approval, because I was concerned.
"I was not excited about (the possibility of) the Soprano family being whacked to Don't Stop Believin'. Unless I know what happens - and I will swear to secrecy - I can't in good conscience feel good about its use." And Perry was so true to his word, he didn't even tell his family the song featured in the finale.
He adds, "I didn't want to blow it. Even my wife didn't know. She looked at me and said, 'You knew that and you didn't tell me?'"