We’ve presented songs about comic book characters… songs about comic strip characters… songs about animated cartoon characters… songs by comic book artists… songs by comic strip artists… and even a song by an animator. Today, we outdo ourselves! Write down December 6, 2025 in your diary, because this is the day we present a song by a letterer. Possibly the greatest letterer you never heard of! Let’s have a round of applause for… Abe Kanegson.

Who he?

Abe Kanegson is the great unsung artist (who sings, ironically) responsible for that evocative lettering on The Spirit comic book/strip. (You can read more about Abe and see samples of his work here.)

Kanegson didn’t just letter captions and word balloons. He also did all those wild sound effects and lush alphabets that make Will Eisner’s work so wonderfully distinctive. Not only was Abe one of the masters of the medium but he also released a record album of folk songs. Top that, Artie Simek!

This week’s record comes to us courtesy of Michael T. Gilbert of Mr. Monster and Disney Ducks fame. Yes, that Michael T. Gilbert.

Click the image to see the back cover of the album big enough to read it.

Mr. Gilbert has done a terrific job of unearthing Abe’s rare LP (not sold in stores!) and solving the decades-old mystery of what became of this lettering legend. Thanks, Michael! All is revealed in his exhaustive six-part series which runs in the seminal Roy Thomas zine Alter Ego. (If you’re not reading Alter Ego, you should be! You can catch up on the issues you missed by visiting the TwoMorrows website here.)

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Here we have Abe singing TWO songs, the classic “Big Rock Candy Mountain” and a duet with his wife on the French-Canadian folk song “Ah Si Mon Moine.”

There’s nothing left to say except click the link below to listen!

Abe Kanegson - Rock Candy Mountain