I Found a Way
{{Short description|Television theme song}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox song
| name = I Found a Way
| cover =
| alt =
| border =
| type =
| artist = Drake Bell
| album = Drake & Josh {{Noitalic|and}} Telegraph
| released =
| recorded = 2003
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 2:59
| label =
| writer =
- Drake Bell
- Michael Corcoran
}}
"I Found a Way" (also known as "Found a Way") is a song by American actor and singer Drake Bell, from the Nickelodeon show Drake & Josh{{'}}s soundtrack album of the same name (2005), and Bell's debut studio album Telegraph (2005). The song was written by Bell and Michael Corcoran, one of Bell's band members. It served as the theme song for the show after the show's producer Dan Schneider lauded the track. Bell performed "I Found a Way" at various events throughout his career.
Background and production
American actor and singer Drake Bell told American animator Butch Hartman during an interview in September 2018 that the theme song for Drake & Josh was originally going to be a Lenny Kravitz song. American producer Dan Schneider asked Bell how much of his music he wanted to put on the show. Bell was very eager to make music for the show and told Schneider he wanted to be a "rock star". The actor told his friend Michael Corcoran, one of his band members,{{Cite web |last=Caruso |first=Nick |last2=Webb Mitovich |first2=Matt |date=July 18, 2020 |title=The Top TV Theme Songs of All Time: 2000-2009 Edition |url=https://tvline.com/lists/top-tv-theme-songs-all-time-2000s/best-tv-theme-songs-2000s-curb-your-enthusiasm/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901004232/https://tvline.com/lists/top-tv-theme-songs-all-time-2000s/best-tv-theme-songs-2000s-curb-your-enthusiasm |archive-date=September 1, 2020 |access-date=July 21, 2020 |website=TVLine}}{{Cite web |last=J. Moser |first=John |date=August 21, 2020 |title=Former Nickelodeon TV star Drake Bell to bring his rock band to Easton's OneCentreSquare |url=https://www.mcall.com/entertainment/lehigh-valley-music/mc-ent-drake-bell-onecentersquare-easton-20180821-story.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814152703/https://www.mcall.com/entertainment/lehigh-valley-music/mc-ent-drake-bell-onecentersquare-easton-20180821-story.html |archive-date=August 14, 2020 |access-date=July 21, 2020 |website=The Morning Call}} that they should write a theme song for Drake & Josh because everyone was listening to Kravitz at the time and wanted to have a track that could be identified with the show.{{Cite web |last=Hartman |first=Butch |author-link=Butch Hartman |date=September 3, 2018 |title=Making of the Drake and Josh Theme Song (ft. Drake Bell) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdJgK1vGLpQ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515231123/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdJgK1vGLpQ |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |access-date=February 1, 2021 |publisher=Speech Bubble w/Butch Hartman |via=YouTube}}
Bell and Corcoran were faced with writer's block for hours because of wanting to "make a theme song" and decided to just "write a song". Bell told Hartman the track they wrote was similar to the works of Elvis Costello and is about helping out your brother when they are feeling down. The two musicians made a one-minute demo of the song in 2003.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/catchiest-sitcom-theme-songs-we-still-sing-along-to/|title=10 Catchiest Sitcom Theme Songs We Still Sing Along To|work=Collider|last=Barnes|first=Chloe|date=May 4, 2022|access-date=April 17, 2024|archive-date=September 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230913082725/https://collider.com/catchiest-sitcom-theme-songs-we-still-sing-along-to/|url-status=live}} Bell brought the record to Warner Bros Studios to show Schneider the demo. The producer was reluctant at first, not wanting to hurt Bell's feelings if he did not like the track. Bell insisted and played the track to him. Schneider ended up loving the track and made it the theme song for Drake & Josh.{{Cite web |last=Rubin |first=Elana |date=April 19, 2020 |title=Then And Now: The cast of 'Drake and Josh' 16 years later |url=https://www.insider.com/drake-and-josh-cast-then-and-now-2020-4 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Insider}}{{Cite web |last=Guglielmi |first=Jodi |date=June 20, 2018 |title=Drake Bell Talks 'Constantly Evolving' Music and Racy New Photos: 'I'm Finding More Ways Than Ever to Express Myself' |url=https://people.com/music/drake-bell-releases-new-music-racy-photos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515231123/https://people.com/music/drake-bell-releases-new-music-racy-photos/ |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=People}}
Release and music
"I Found a Way" was originally released as the first track from the Nickelodeon show Drake & Josh{{'}}s soundtrack album of the same name on February 22, 2005.{{Cite web |title=Original Soundtrack Drake & Josh: Songs from and Inspired by Hit TV Show |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/drake-josh-songs-from-and-inspired-by-hit-tv-show-mw0000260053 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515231121/https://www.allmusic.com/album/drake-josh-songs-from-and-inspired-by-hit-tv-show-mw0000260053 |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |publisher=AllMusic}} It was later released as the second track under the title "Found a Way" on Bell's debut studio album Telegraph on August 23, 2005.{{Cite web |title=Drake Bell Telegraph |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/telegraph-mw0000215559 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920165906/https://www.allmusic.com/album/telegraph-mw0000215559 |archive-date=September 20, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |publisher=AllMusic}} It received a music video directed by Joey Boukadakis.{{Cite AV media |url=https://vimeo.com/25527103 |title=Drake and Josh - "I Found A Way" |access-date=2021-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102055804/https://vimeo.com/25527103 |archive-date=2022-01-02 |url-status=live}}
According to Chloe Barns of Collider, "Found a Way" is a pop and alternative rock track. The song is about the relationship between the two main characters of the show. According to Bell, his fans have usually sung the song's chorus as: "If you open up your mind/See what's inside/It's gonna take some time to realize." Bell stated that the correct lyric was, "It's gonna take some time to re-align."{{refn|{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2928476/drake-josh-theme-song-misheard-lyrics-drake-bell/|title=You've Been Singing the Drake & Josh Theme Song Wrong for Years|publisher=MTV|last=Grant|first=Stacy|date=September 6, 2016|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=October 30, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030020856/http://www.mtv.com/news/2928476/drake-josh-theme-song-misheard-lyrics-drake-bell/|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/farrahpenn/everyone-has-been-singing-the-drake-and-josh-theme-song|title=This 'Drake And Josh' Viral TikTok Explains That We've Been Singing The Theme Song Wrong And Drake Bell Set Us Straight|publisher=BuzzFeed|last=Penn|first=Farrah|date=March 27, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=December 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212000736/https://www.buzzfeed.com/farrahpenn/everyone-has-been-singing-the-drake-and-josh-theme-song|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.altpress.com/news/drake-josh-theme-song-wrong-lyrics/|title=We've Been Singing The 'Drake and Josh' Theme Song Wrong for Years|work=Alternative Press|last=Serra|first=Maria|date=September 19, 2018|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=September 7, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907093541/https://www.altpress.com/news/drake-josh-theme-song-wrong-lyrics/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a23336613/drake-and-josh-theme-song-lyrics/|title=We've Been Singing The 'Drake and Josh' Theme Song Wrong All These Years|work=Seventeen (American magazine)|last=Fuentes|first=Tamara|date=September 20, 2018|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=August 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821063934/https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a23336613/drake-and-josh-theme-song-lyrics/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2020-03-29-weve-been-singing-the-drake-josh-theme-song-wrong-the-entire-time/|title=We've Been Singing The 'Drake & Josh' Theme Song Wrong The Entire Time!|publisher=iHeartRadio|last=Hoody|first=Andrew|date=March 27, 2020|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=December 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212000736/https://www.iheart.com/content/2020-03-29-weve-been-singing-the-drake-josh-theme-song-wrong-the-entire-time/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/music-drake-bell-tells-instagram-followers-the-right-lyrics-for-found-a-way-20210518|title=Drake Bell Reveals We Were All Singing Wrong Lyrics To Drake and Josh Song|work=LADbible|last=Catling|first=Simon|date=May 18, 2021|access-date=December 11, 2022|archive-date=December 12, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221212000726/https://www.ladbible.com/entertainment/music-drake-bell-tells-instagram-followers-the-right-lyrics-for-found-a-way-20210518|url-status=live}}}}
Critical reception
Writing for Bustle, Taylor Ferber said the theme song is "catchy AF" and opined it is "totally a perfect fit to get audiences in the upbeat mood of the show, and it's also unique in that one of its stars performed it".{{Cite web |last=Ferber |first=Taylor |date=July 5, 2017 |title=12 Reasons 'Drake & Josh' Will Always Be Iconic |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/12-reasons-drake-josh-is-such-iconic-show-67971 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128024003/https://www.bustle.com/p/12-reasons-drake-josh-is-such-iconic-show-67971 |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Bustle}} Lauren Hazlewood of Fashion described it as a "catchy theme song"{{Cite web |last=Hazlewood |first=Lauren |date=August 28, 2018 |title=We Spoke to Drake Bell About His Growing Music Career and the Possibility of a Drake and Josh Reboot |url=https://fashionmagazine.com/culture/drake-bell-music/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515231124/https://fashionmagazine.com/culture/drake-bell-music/ |archive-date=May 15, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Fashion}} while the staff of Iowa City Press-Citizen labeled the song as a "signature tune".{{Cite web |date=January 16, 2019 |title=Drake Bell of Nickelodeon's 'Drake & Josh' fame playing Blue Moose |url=https://www.press-citizen.com/story/entertainment/2019/01/16/drake-bell-isnt-just-child-star-who-sings-he-serious-musician/2571158002/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715022712/https://www.press-citizen.com/story/entertainment/2019/01/16/drake-bell-isnt-just-child-star-who-sings-he-serious-musician/2571158002/ |archive-date=July 15, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Iowa City Press-Citizen}}
Maria Serra of Alternative Press praised the track, calling it a "banger". MTV News editor Crystal Bell ranked "I Found a Way" at number 4 on her The 17 Best Nickelodeon Theme Songs, Ranked list, calling it "a hella catchy tune".{{Cite web |last=Bell |first=Crystal |date=February 18, 2015 |title=The 17 Best Nickelodeon Theme Songs, Ranked |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2082672/best-nickelodeon-theme-songs-ranked/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723133107/http://www.mtv.com/news/2082672/best-nickelodeon-theme-songs-ranked/ |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |publisher=MTV News}} Bustle{{'s}} Tobi Gbile ranked "I Found a Way" at number four on his These Childhood Theme Songs Will Give You Feels list, saying the theme song is one of his favorites and that it became "one of Nickelodeon's staple tracks in the mid 2000s".{{Cite web |last=Gbile |first=Tobi |date=September 10, 2015 |title=These Childhood Theme Songs Will Give You Feels |url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/109653-best-disney-nickelodeon-theme-songs-from-your-childhood-that-will-still-get-stuck-in-your |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516010141/https://www.bustle.com/articles/109653-best-disney-nickelodeon-theme-songs-from-your-childhood-that-will-still-get-stuck-in-your |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Bustle}} Nick Caruso and Matt Webb Mitovich for TVLine included the theme song on their The Top TV Theme Songs of All Time: 2000-2009 Edition list.
Live performances
In August 2016, American actor Josh Peck posted a video on his Instagram account of fellow American actor John Stamos singing his own version of the song. Stamos sings in the video: "Drake and Josh. Everybody loves Drake and Josh".{{Cite magazine |last=Sadlier |first=Allison |date=August 29, 2016 |title=John Stamos sings Drake and Josh theme with Josh Peck |url=https://ew.com/article/2016/08/29/john-stamos-drake-josh-theme-song-peck/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124232337/https://ew.com/article/2016/08/29/john-stamos-drake-josh-theme-song-peck/ |archive-date=January 24, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly}} Bell sang the song with a fan in Fresno, California, at a meet and greet held at Heroes Comics prior to his concert in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Jennifer Cueva |first=Courtesy |date=February 6, 2018 |title=Drake Bell sings 'I Found a Way' with Fresno fan |url=https://www.fresnobee.com/latest-news/article194096649.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516010141/https://www.fresnobee.com/latest-news/article194096649.html |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=The Fresno Bee}}
During one of his shows in 2020, the actor started to sing "I Found a Way" and stopped the crowd after they sang, "It's gonna take some time to realize." Before continuing to play the track, Bell told the audience that the word was "realign" and not "realize".{{Cite web |last=Stivale |first=Shelby |date=February 26, 2020 |title=Wait What: Viral Video Shows Fans They've Been Singing The 'Drake & Josh' Theme Song Wrong |url=https://www.j-14.com/posts/drake-bell-josh-peck-nickelodeon-theme-song-lyrics-video/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228181701/https://www.j-14.com/posts/drake-bell-josh-peck-nickelodeon-theme-song-lyrics-video/ |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=J-14}} Bell also performed the song for American actor Jonathan Goldstein, who played the dad named Walter Nichols in Drake & Josh, during a 2020 reunion.{{Cite web |last=Grant |first=Stacey |date=January 31, 2020 |title=Drake Bell Sang the Drake & Josh Theme Song While Walter Watched Like a Proud Dad |url=https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a30729197/drake-bell-sang-the-drake-and-josh-theme-song-while-walter-watched/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729165646/https://www.seventeen.com/celebrity/movies-tv/a30729197/drake-bell-sang-the-drake-and-josh-theme-song-while-walter-watched/ |archive-date=July 29, 2020 |access-date=July 11, 2020 |website=Seventeen}} He performed the song live in Tucson, Arizona at a drive-in concert on March 13, 2021.{{Cite web |last=Greaber |first=Joey |date=March 12, 2021 |title=Drake Bell to perform in Tucson at drive-in concert March 13 |url=https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/drake-bell-to-perform-in-tucson-at-drive-in-concert-march-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516010141/https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/drake-bell-to-perform-in-tucson-at-drive-in-concert-march-13 |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |access-date=May 11, 2021 |publisher=KGUN-TV}}
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web |title=Credits / Drake & Josh: Songs from and inspired by the hit TV show / Various artists |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/34009643/credits |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516011113/https://listen.tidal.com/album/34009643/credits |archive-date=May 16, 2021 |access-date=December 30, 2020 |publisher=Tidal}}
- Drake Bell{{spaced ndash}} vocals, writer
- Michael Corcoran{{spaced ndash}} writer