Singer/songwriter Lea Jones, of Sparks, will dedicate his song "We Can Do Better" to President-elect Barack Obama when Jones performs Jan. 16 at a pre-inauguration concert at Breathe Books in Hampden.

Although he didn't have Obama in mind when he wrote the song two years ago, Jones now sees the hope-filled song as being in tune with Obama's attitude.

"I'm really proud and reassured our country managed to elect Barack Obama," said Jones, 54, a special education teacher at the Lab School in Baltimore who underwent a successful kidney transplant in November. "The best get-well present I could ever get was the election result."

Jones said he was tired of the divisive rhetoric coming out of Washington when he wrote "We Can Do Better."

"I admire Obama's philosophy of wanting to bring people of different points of view together for discussion. The current White House occupant surrounded himself with people who agreed with him. It's time to get over the 'us versus them' attitude."

Jones is definitely singing a different tune these days. Before the 2004 presidential election, he campaigned against the Bush administration and the war in Iraq by producing a CD, "The Swing States Road Show." He and his Swing States Road Show band appeared at Democratic political rallies for John Kerry at no cost, playing songs filled with biting sarcasm, humor and social commentary.

Jones' song "Four More Years," hit President Bush hard with lyrics like this:

"Four more years of sweet compassion. Conservatism feels so right.

I know I'll be well cared for, so long as I am rich and white."

He donated some proceeds from the sale of that CD to MoveOn.org and TrueMajority.org., two Web sites that encourage political activism.

After Bush's victory in 2004, the Swing States Road Show band played at a counter-inaugural ball in Washington.

The group put out a second CD in 2006 to coincide with that year's mid-term elections. Called "Housecleaning," it also featured anti-conservative, anti-Republican lyrics.

But once the mid-term elections were over, Jones made a conscious decision to put his efforts into positive messages and music.

"We Can Do Better" includes lyrics such as, "The big wheel turns. It's comin' around. We're gonna find our feet on common ground."

And, "It takes more courage to make peace than it does to fight."

That new tone will be evident Jan. 16 when the Swing States Road Show hosts an evening of music to celebrate a new day in American politics.

"This evening represents the closing of the book on the original band and what we were up to. I've moved into doing much more positive, inclusive music since 2006," Jones said. "The new band's slogan -- songs of peace, love and understanding from Bob Wills to Bob Marley -- pretty much tells the whole story. We're big fans of president-elect Obama's big tent philosophy, and we're not into bashing those who see things differently."

Performers at the concert also include guitarists John Seay and Dave Ziebarth; banjo-player, Bob Pyle; Vattel Cherry on bass; and vocalists Judith Geller and Stuart Rodes.

Breathe Books' owner, Susan Weis, said she has known Jones for years and he and his band have played several concerts at her store.

"His philosophy matches mine and the store's, and the concerts are real family-friendly," she said. "A lot of people know Lea and they come and sing along to his songs."

The pre-inauguration, nonpartisan concert is Friday, Jan. 16, from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $10. Breathe Books is at 810 W. 36th St. For details, call 410-235-7323.

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