Here’s an homage to my women friends. Thanks to everyone who sent photos to use for the video!

This is a song about abortion. I went to a Moth Slam at Freight & Salvage in Berkeley and heard a story that was a lot like the first verse. My brother went to school with someone who had been raised by his grandmother after his mother died from a botched abortion. That is the story of the second verse. The third verse is too true for too many young girls, even though I didn’t specifically hear about Betty.

I got to perform it at a reading of the play “Roe” put on by the Actors Ensemble of Berkeley June 12 at the David Brower Center, and at a concert put on by Great Labor Arts Exchange at the Labor Notes Conference in Chicago on the 18th. Several people are using it on radio stations and podcasts. I feel obligated to express what is in this piece.

I can’t say enjoy, but if you think this is an important song about an important issue, please do share it.

Here’s a video about the way the news is presented these days.

I hope you enjoy this funny video. Too many of us can relate!!

The e-book is $4.99 and the paperback is $9.99. If you order it and enjoy it, please do write a brief review.

If you are one of the people who absolutely hate Amazon to the point where you won’t order anything from them, I will have a limited amount of books which I will sell for $11 each (includes tax) if you want to pick one up at my house. Or I can send you one for $14.50 (includes tax and postage). You won’t be able to write a review unless you buy the book from Amazon, but at least you can read it and let people know if you like it.

Here’s my new song – it should boost your spirits, that’s what it’s for! Enjoy.

And here are the lyrics:

COMING OUT OF STAGNATION (Hali Hammer)

C   G  C     2020, what a year

F    C         Worries and tribulation

F C G C    But now the coast is almost clear

F   G   C    We’re coming out of stagnation

C   G  C     Time to breathe more easily

F     C        I got my vaccination

F C G C    Now I’m close to feeling free

F  G   C     I’m coming out of stagnation

E    Am     I can hug my family

E    Am     See my friends at last

D    G        Leave the house so gratefully

D    G        But I still need to wear my mask

C   G  C     When the world is back on track

F     C        There will be jubilation

F C G C    We’ll be thrilled and that’s a fact

F   G   C    Coming out of stagnation   (Instrumental)

E    Am     Right now we are feeling shock

E    Am     Like we’re crawling out from beneath a rock

D    G        Looking round and taking stock

D    G        But in time it will be over

C   G  C     One day this will all be past

F     C        Time for celebration

F C G C    Life will normalize at last

F   G   C    When we’re out of stagnation

Whistled verse – F  G  C   Coming out of stagnation

Hi All,
My new CD, “Days of My Life”, has finally arrived!

You can listen to a sample of each song on the HearNow site and get digital downloads from several sources at: https://halihammer.hearnow.com/

If you’d like a physical copy, you can do one of the following:

1) If you’re local, call me at (510) 649-1423 or email me at [email protected] If you pick it up, it will be $10. Or for $15 I can either deliver it to your house or mail it to your address. Cash, check or PayPal.

2) If you’re not local, send a check made out to Hali Hammer for $15. Include your address and I’ll mail it out to you. Mail your check to: Hali Hammer, 1609 Woolsey Street, Berkeley CA 94703

3) If you prefer to order through PayPal, send the $15 payment to [email protected] Drop me an email with your snail mail address so I know where to send the CD. – Thanks and Love, Hali

Here’s my Get Out the Vote Video. I’ve attached the words – sing along and VOTE!!!

VOTING USA
from Brian Wilson’s “Surfin’ USA”/Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen”
new words by Hali Hammer

If everybody was voting – across the USA
Then everybody’d be using – their voice to have a say
You’ll see us casting our ballots – in person or by mail
We’re fighting voter suppression – we can’t afford to fail

All kinds of organizations (All across the USA)
– With one goal in mind (All across the USA)
To have a fair election (All across the USA)
No Voter Left Behind (All across the USA)
We’ve got a plan for November (All across the USA)
The choice is oh so clear (All along the way)
Make sure everyone’s voting – Election crunch is here

Some are writing postcards – while others check the rolls
To make sure all are registered – before they hit the polls
Fighting polling place closures – each vote must be ensured
Against foreign tampering – and Trumped-up postal fraud

Swing Left/Vote Forward (All across the USA)
N double A CP (All across the USA)
Election Protection (All across the USA)
And the DNC (All across the USA)
Poll Heroes are helping (All across the USA)
And Indivisible groups (All across the USA)
The Reclaim Our Vote Campaign (ooh)
We’re sending out the troops!

Break
Everybody is voting – Voting USA

We’re heading for High Noon – it’s coming up real soon
Walking precincts, phone banking – the moment’s opportune
All over the country – our message spreads today
Everybody is voting – Voting USA

We’re working 24/7 (All across the USA)
We’re gonna turn things blue (All across the USA)
Stacey Abrams with Fair Fight (All across the USA)
The cast of Hamilton too! (All across the USA)
All states in the union (All across the USA)
All ages have their say (All along the way)

Everybody is voting – Voting USA
Everybody is voting – Voting USA

I don’t consider myself a techie, but after countless Zoom meetings, I have it down! The first manual is for general Zoom information and the second, how to set up a meeting. Hope this helps you!

TIPS FOR JOINING A ZOOM MEETING AND OPTIMIZING RESULTS

HOW TO HOST A ZOOM MEETING

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, people started asking me to write a song about it. I really didn’t want to go there, and there were so many good parodies coming out, I didn’t feel the need to write one. But then when I was going to sleep one night, I thought about writing a song about when it was over. Here it is:

Lyrics:
WHEN THIS IS OVER (Hali Hammer)

When this is over – We’ll take the masks off of our faces
And we’ll go to favorite places like we did before
When this is over – We’ll see friends that we’ve missed so much
And fill the need for human touch once more

When this is over – The skies will be much clearer
Sacred life will seem much dearer
And Mother Earth – at long last – has had a chance to breathe
When this is over – No Covid-19 news to start our day
No more wonderin’ how long will it be this way
It will be – a most welcome relief
(Instrumental verse)
When this is over – Will we appreciate the little things
In our lives and live for the joys they bring
And treasure what good people do
When this is over – we will recover from the strife
We will cherish precious life, and mourn for those who didn’t make it through

When this is over –
Our houses will be much cleaner
Our gardens will be much greener
With time to do – things we had no time to do

When this is over – Will we still make time to slow it down
And to meditate on what we have found
In the end, that’s up to you

When this is over –
We’ll see friends that we’ve missed so much
And fill the need for human touch one more