I Don't Want to Be

Last updated

"I Don't Want to Be"
I Don't Want to Be single art.jpg
Single by Gavin DeGraw
from the album Chariot
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2004 (2004-02-17)
Studio
Length3:37
Label J
Songwriter(s) Gavin DeGraw
Producer(s) Mark Endert
Gavin DeGraw singles chronology
"I Don't Want to Be"
(2004)		"Chariot"
(2005)

"I Don't Want to Be" is a song by American singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw from his 2003 debut album, Chariot . The song gained exposure after being featured as the opening theme to The CW teen drama series One Tree Hill , and it was released as a radio single on February 17, 2004. It peaked at number 10 in the United States in 2005 and became a top-20 hit in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

Contents

The song is certified gold in the US, having sold over 500,000 downloads. In 2012, the song reached number 27 on the UK Singles Chart, its highest position, due to the finale of One Tree Hill's ninth and final season airing, which also featured DeGraw.[ citation needed ] The song's music video follows the message of the lyrics, featuring a girl investigating her high school peers while they are frozen in time, and she eventually decides to be herself. [1]

Background and composition

Gavin DeGraw wrote the song as a message to adolescents, encouraging them to be themselves and to not let outside factors change their personalities. DeGraw explained:

["I Don't Want to Be"] was heavily influenced by the identity crisis right now that exists amongst youth. It's almost like you can go into any town in the country and the kids don't necessarily have an identity of their own; it's like whatever is on television is who they are. [1]

Upon finishing the song, DeGraw was happy with the results, but he was unsure if the song would become a hit despite being able to "have an impact on people's psyche and on their tapping toe". [2] Musically, the track is written in the key of C minor and proceeds at a moderately slow tempo of 76 beats per minute. [3] [4]

Track listings

UK and Australian CD single [5] [6]

  1. "I Don't Want to Be" (album version) – 3:37
  2. "I Don't Want to Be" (Stripped/acoustic version)
  3. "Just Friends" (album version) – 3:24
  4. "I Don't Want to Be" (video)

European CD single 1 [7]

  1. "I Don't Want to Be" (album version) – 3:38
  2. "I Don't Want to Be" (Stripped version) – 4:04
  3. "Get Lost" – 4:26
  4. "I Don't Want to Be" (video)

European CD single 2 [8]

  1. "I Don't Want to Be"
  2. "I Don't Want to Be" (Stripped version)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the UK CD single liner notes. [5]

Studios

Personnel

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [32] Gold400,000‡
United States (RIAA) [33] 2× Platinum2,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref.
United StatesFebruary 17, 2004 J [34]
August 16, 2004Contemporary hit radio [35]
AustraliaSeptember 6, 2004CD [36]
United KingdomJune 20, 2005 [37]

Use in media

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References

  1. 1 2 "Behind the Mask: Gavin DeGraw's 'I Don't Want to Be' Will Dig Deep into Who You Really Are". Society of Rock. February 29, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  2. ↑ Roberge, Nicole (December 4, 2013). "Gavin DeGraw Discusses His Platinum Chariot Album, and His Hit Single 'I Don't Want to Be'". Songwriter Universe. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  3. ↑ "I Don't Want to Be by Gavin DeGraw – Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. March 16, 2015. MN0145901. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  4. ↑ "I Don't Want to Be ● Gavin DeGraw". Note Discover. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  5. 1 2 I Don't Want to Be (UK CD single liner notes). Gavin DeGraw. J Records. 2005. 82876 702222.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ↑ I Don't Want to Be (Australian CD single liner notes). Gavin DeGraw. J Records. 2004. 82876-64530-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. ↑ I Don't Want to Be (European CD single liner notes). Gavin DeGraw. J Records. 2005. 82876 645302.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ I Don't Want to Be (European CD single liner notes). Gavin DeGraw. J Records. 2005. 82876 645312.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
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  26. ↑ "Year in Music & Touring: Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-74. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
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  29. ↑ "Årslista Singlar, 2005" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan . Retrieved December 10, 2019.
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  31. ↑ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.
  32. ↑ "British single certifications – Gavin DeGraw – I Don't Want to Be". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  33. ↑ "American single certifications – Gavin DeGraw – I Don't Wanna Be". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 31, 2022.
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  35. ↑ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1568. August 13, 2004. p. 19. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
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  37. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . June 18, 2005. p. 35.
  38. ↑ Lujan, Adam (July 25, 2016). "One Tree Hill cast reunites, performs theme song". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved May 19, 2021.
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