Hey, Ricky here.  And I gotta say, Beagle Man’s really left you guys hanging.  First he promises you a report card for Kemba back during the duck dog’s birthday week (“Coming soon” he says — on August 17th!).  Then he goes off on his “Favorite 300 Songs Ever” tangent for four posts.  Seriously, is he the Beagle Man, or The Music Man?  And when he finally finishes up with that, he and the missus go gallivanting around Europe for 10 days!  Yeah,...

Yes, I know it’s not Monday.  Thanks. All right:  Time to wrap up and break down My Favorite 300 Songs Ever . . . By Decade: 1970’s:   62 1980’s:   58 2000’s:   57 1960’s & 2010’s:   52 1990’s:   15 1950’s:    4 Year with Most Songs on the List: 2011:   18 By Artist A word or two of clarification here:  Determining whether to attribute certain songs to a band’s frontman, or to the actual band, was a tricky business.  So I...

Coming Wednesday: The Top 100!   Yup, that’s what I promised on Monday! (Wait?  It’s Friday?  Hey, c’mon.  This is a blog.  It’s not like . . . science.) * Each song’s previous rank is listed in parenthesis 100.The Last Worthless Evening / Don Henley / 1989  (85) 99.  Texas On My Mind / Pat Green / 2001  (96) 98.  Free Money / Patti Smith / 1975  (212) 97.  Sunshine Of Your Love / Cream / 1967  (41) 96.  Even The Losers / Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers /...

* Each song’s previous rank is listed in parenthesis Maybe Fogerty? 200.  Ain’t Dead Yet / Sonia Leigh / 2011  (55) 199.  Hit Me With Your Best Shot / Pat Benatar / 1980  (200) 198.  Gimme Shelter / Rolling Stones / 1969  (123) 197.  It’s Only Love / Tina Turner & Bryan Adams / 1984  (114) 196.  Ball and Chain / Connie Britton & Will Chase / 2013  (232) 195.  Raise the Barn / Keith Urban / 2006  (196) 194.  Girls In Their Summer Clothes / Bruce Springsteen / 2007...

Does Neil make it to Rushmore??? Love my selections or hate ’em, I wanna hear from you!  Just go down to the “Leave a Reply” blue bar at the bottom of this post, then type your remarks in the “Submit Comment” box.  Come on, @ahouseofpayne, @hairspray86, @mmleckie, @pmgau and all you other music wiseguys out there — have at it! * Each song’s previous rank is listed in parenthesis 300.  Jet Airliner / Steve Miller Band / 1978  (unranked) 299....

[Note from the Beagle Man:  Once a year we move doggie matters to the back burner and turn to my other obsession, rock-and-roll.  (Oh, yeah, there’s sports, too, of course.  That’s pretty much it . . . that’s my life.  A bit narrow, maybe . . . but works for me.)  What follows is the “pre-read” for the new-and-improved Top 300 that was distributed Labor Day weekend to the live audience at Herman Beach in Amagansett — our old friends Leslie and Mike...

I couldn’t believe it when I saw the Marine Patrol four-wheel drive stop in the sand right behind our chairs.  What the heck???!!!  We just got our case dismissed on Monday, and here we were on Thursday, getting hassled again??  The officer got out and walked toward us with this arrogant, fake-cheery “How’s your day?” — but the Beagle Man wasn’t buying.  He just stood his ground, legs apart, Clint Eastwood-style.  He doesn’t get mad that often,...

Kemba romps on the beach with pal Dublin (that’s Pumbaa in his mouth) days before he’s officially declared “free” Let’s hear it for Officer Mike! Quick review:  Officer Mike was the one who gave Kemba/Kelly the off-leash ticket back on July 12.  When he and I walked to the sign at the public entrance, he saw that Kemba had every right to be on that beach at that time.  He said, “You’re absolutely right.  I made a mistake.  I can’t rip...

Birthday boy No, I didn’t forget to post on Kemba’s birthday Thursday.  My laptop got sunstroke or something out here at the beach, and has The Guest Book (clockwise from middle): Jelena, Jon, Maureen, Danny — and of course Beagle Man, left . . . been spending the last few days at The Computer Shop on Main Street in Amagansett.  Since then, I’ve learned from Suzanne, my social media guru, that I could have actually posted from someone else’s computer (duh) —...

Two weeks ago, in his Roof Rack Report, Ricky exhorted everyone to stand up for Kemba’s Free Kemba! “Freedom of Beach.”  Two weeks from now, Kemba has his day in court (see photo, bottom).  While I vowed in my last post that I’d fight this $100 ticket to the end, even if it cost me $1,000 in court fees, I’m no longer feeling quite so bullish about the outcome.  Sure, even though I boasted about my recent string of Perry Mason-esque successes (old-school...