I Found a Way

"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 &amp; Josh"s soundtrack album of the same name (2005), and Bell's first album "Telegraph" (2005). The song was written by Bell and Michael Corcoran, one of Bell's friends and band members. 
A pop and alternative rock track, the song's lyrics are a reference to the show's two main character's relationship. After being loved by the show's producer Dan Schneider, "I Found a Way" became the theme song for "Drake and Josh". Throughout his career, Bell has performed "I Found a Way" at multiple concerts.
Background.
During an interview with Butch Hartman in September 2018, Drake Bell said the theme song of the Nickelodeon show "Drake &amp; Josh" would be a Lenny Kravitz song. Bell was asked by Dan Schneider, the show's producer, how much of his music he wanted to be on the show. Bell stated to Schneider his wish to become a "rock star" and was happy to write music for the show. The actor told his friend and bandmate Michael Corcoran that they write a theme song for "Drake and Josh" since everyone was listening to Kravitz at the time and the two musicians wanted a song that could be connected with the show.
After Bell and Corcoran wasted hours trying to come up with a theme song, the two musicians chose to "write a song" instead of spending hours trying to "make a theme song". Bell told Hartman that the song they had written, which was inspired by Elvis Costello, was about helping your brother when they are feeling sad. The song was recorded and made into a one minute demo in 2003. Bell showed Schneider the demo by bringing it to Warner Bros. Studios. Schneider first did not want to listen to the demo because he did not want to hurt Bell's feelings if he did not like it. Bell wanted him to listen, and played the demo. Schneider fell in love with the song and used it as the "Drake &amp; Josh" theme song.
Release and music.
"I Found a Way" was first released as the first song from the Nickelodeon show "Drake &amp; Josh" soundtrack album of the same name on February 22, 2005. Later on on August 23, 2005, it was then released as the second song under the title "Found a Way" on Bell's first album "Telegraph".
"I Found a Way" is a pop and alternative rock song. Chloe Barns of "Collider" said the song is about the close relationship of the show's two main characters. Bell said that his fans often sang 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."
Critical reception.
Critics were positive towards the song. Taylor Ferber of "Bustle" said the theme song is "catchy AF" and thought it was a "totally a perfect fit to get audiences in the upbeat mood". Lauren Hazlewood of "Fashion" called it a "catchy theme song" while the staff of "Iowa City Press-Citizen" said the song is a "signature tune" for Bell. Ashley Amber for "Collider" said the song "fills everyone with nostalgia everyone time they hear it". Maria Serra of "Alternative Press" liked the track, calling it a "banger".
Critics have named "I Found a Way" one of the best theme songs of the 2000s. Crystal Bell of MTV ranked "I Found a Way" at number four on her "The 17 Best Nickelodeon Theme Songs, Ranked" list, mentioning it as "a hella catchy tune". Tobi Gbile for "Bustle" also placed the song 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". Nick Caruso and Matt Webb Mitovich for "TVLine" added the theme song on their "The Top TV Theme Songs of All Time: 2000-2009 Edition" list.
Live performances and other usages.
Bell sang "I Found a Way" with a fan at a meet and greet at Heroes Comics before his concert in 2018 in Fresno, California. The actor began singing "I Found a Way" during one of his concerts in 2020, stopping the audience after they sang, "It's gonna take some time to realize". Bell told the crowd that the term was "realign" and not "realize" before playing the song again. At a 2020 show, Bell also sang the song for actor Jonathan Goldstein, who acted as Walter Nichols, the dad in "Drake &amp; Josh". He also performed "I Found a Way" live in Tucson, Arizona at a drive-in concert on March 13, 2021.
In August 2016, actor Josh Peck posted a video on his Instagram account of actor John Stamos singing his own version of "I Found a Way". Stamos sings in the video: "Drake and Josh. Everybody loves Drake and Josh". The song is played twice in two different "iCarly" episodes. The first time is in "iGo Nuclear," as the song is played at a smoothie restaurant. It can also be heard once more in "iGot A Hot Room," as Jennette McCurdy and Nathan Kress sing it in the closing credits scene as Miranda Cosgrove sings "Leave It All to Me", the theme song to "iCarly".
Credits and personnel.
Credits adapted from Tidal.