It’s New Year’s Day and almost everybody has the day off. Except me. I’m here slaving away at official I.T.C.H. Headquarters to bring you my usual Tuesday installment of this blog, where I regularly present comics-related music for your listening and dancing enjoyment. No thanks are necessary, it’s my pleasure.

Which is not to say I don’t plan to knock off a little early! After all, it’s a holiday and I’d like to relax a little. Even though it may appear that I am some kind of superior being, with my vast collection of comics and music, and my near-infinite knowledge of all things comical and musical, I am human after all.

So, since I’m basically phoning it in today, I’ll give you an easy one. In fact it’s so obvious, I’m surprised I haven’t thought of it until now! Here I’ve been digging in my archives looking for hidden treasure while this one was hiding in plain sight. Sometimes you need help to see the forest for the trees.

Today’s low-hanging fruit mentions not one, but two comic book characters. When I tell you which ones you’ll guess the song immediately: Superman and the Lone Ranger. Even though these two timeless characters never met (as far as I know) or appeared in the same comic together, they did appear in the same song together.

You know he’s a hero with a hat size of 132!

Wear it in good health, just don’t tug on it.

Have you guessed yet? Well hurry up, I don’t have all day.

Yes, it’s Jim Croce’s mega-hit, “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim.” Back when this record was in the charts, radio listeners heard the names of Superman and the Lone Ranger at least once an hour. It’s a Comics Tunes smash hit record!

Since you’ve all heard Jim’s (autobiographical?) version I thought I’d play this excellent cover by Josh Turner.

Start off 2013 right and click the link below to listen. And don’t mess around with Jim, Slim, The Lone Ranger, Tonto, or Superman. You’ll thank me later.

Josh Turner - You Don’t Mess Around With Jim