Toronto, ON JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter and award-winning composer (Toronto International Women’s Festival) Amanda Walther has been incredibly busy these last few years – writing/recording an entire soundtrack for the critically acclaimed movie “Walk With Me,” recording/performing music as one half of popular jazz duo Dizzy & Fay (with Mark Lalama), and of course, touring/performing around her home province and beyond as one half of DALA (with good friend Sheila Carabine). So, should we be at all surprised that Amanda has just released her first solo single of the year?
If you have been fortunate to see DALA in concert, you likely know that although Amanda and Sheila perform the majority of their shows together as a duo, both will often offer a solo segment and take an opportunity to share one of two of their personal choices. Our last encounter with DALA occurred here in PA, just before the world came to an abrupt halt – and with those solo spots, Amanda road-tested some of the unreleased compositions written for the upcoming “Walk With Me” soundtrack.
Long-time DALA fans may recall Amanda’s eternal love affair with “You Belong To Me,” the timeless 1952 romantic ballad penned by Chilton Price, Pee Wee King, and Redd Stewart – a song recorded numerous times over the decades – from Ella Fitzgerald to Dean Martin, and from Bob Dylan to Tori Amos. “See the pyramids along the Nile / Watch the sun rise on a tropic isle / Just remember darling all the while / You belong to me.”
My earliest recollection of this song outside of the mainstream music market harks back to the mid 90s, covered by the late Amy Comeaux (an emerging country artist who died tragically in a car accident in Alabama). And more recently, we made a reference here at GDW to a version recorded by The Rough & Tumble, a US Americana duo who recorded the tune for their 2022 “Love is Gross…but it looks good on you” Valentine’s Day-themed EP.
“See the marketplace in Old Algiers / Send me photographs and souvenirs / But just remember when a dream appears / You belong to me.” Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Dizzy himself (Mark Lalama) during “The Sumbler Sessions” in Fenwick, ON, Amanda also captured this live-off-the-floor version on video – which provides some stunning intimate visuals that complement the audio perfectly. Be sure to check out the link below. “Fly the ocean in a silver plane / See the jungle when it’s wet with rain / But just remember til you’re home again / You belong to me / But just remember til you’re home again / You belong to me.”
The British guy that crossed the ocean and crash landed in central Pennsylvania (to quote Greg Keelor, “And I wonder what am I doing here?”). As the youngest of four siblings, exposure to music from a very early age nurtured my passion and appreciation for many musical genres. Continuing to discover some amazingly diverse and talented musicians based in Canada, I gravitate to live music experiences and remain devoted to spreading the word about such a vibrant music scene.
